The Farewell (2019)

(In French, On TV, October 2021) As I’m mentioned elsewhere, the best thing about the 2010s trend toward more inclusive filmmaking is getting those stories we wouldn’t have had otherwise. Stories like The Farewell, in which a young aimless Chinese-American goes to China for a wedding over her family’s objections. The issue is that the entire family is invited, but they don’t trust her not to keep a family secret: that the matriarch of the family is dying of cancer, and the entire family has chosen to keep the news from her. Featuring a completely de-glammed Awkwafina in a demanding role, the film initially does run on a core engine of suspense: will the protagonist be able to keep a secret from her dear grandma or not? But then, before we know it, we’re deep enough in family dynamics, exploring Changchun, learning why Grandma is so special and getting a lesson in Chinese collectivism. Despite a good dramatic turn for Awkwafina, it’s Zhao Shu-zhen who steals to film as a Chinese matriarch. The universality of The Farewell is impressive—despite the foreign nature of the film’s surroundings, it’s easy to empathize with the complex family ties at play here. It’s not a particularly fast-paced film: some shots drag on, much of the material is repeated and there isn’t much of a plot to speak of. But that’s fine—The Farewell is a different kind of film, and one that’s best taken in rather than actively watched.