Lulu Wang’s The Farewell grew out of an episode of This American Life in which the director shared the story of her dying grandmother in China. This fact is interesting because the title of the show clearly has the word “American” in it, yet The Farewell is based on Chinese customs and unwritten familial rules. However, like many immigrants (her family moved to the U.S. when she was six), Wang’s sense of self (fictionalized in the film by the amazing Awkwafina), becomes a clash of morals, with elements of both Chinese and American cultures weighing in for good or bad. This inner conflict is laid bare on the screen in often beautiful, understated ways, but also in hilarious bursts of family awkwardness.
The film opens with the text “Based on an actual lie.” This bit of humor right up front is a clue to what we’re in for in more ways than one. Billi (Awkwafina) is a struggling artist living in New York City. She’s very close to her Nai Nai, or Grandmother (played by Zhao Shuzhen) who lives in China. When Nai Nai is diagnosed with terminal cancer, the news is kept from her, per Chinese tradition. The family quickly decides to stage a wedding as an excuse for the whole family to get together to say “good-bye” to their beloved matriarch.
This premise might seem contrived if it were strictly an American story, and frankly, I wouldn’t have bought it. It’s the conflict and apprehension within Billi, mixed with the well-intentioned motivations and authentic warm-heartedness of the rest of the family that pull The Farewell off so successfully. The laughs and emotions are not cheap entertainment brought on by a flimsy set-up with a half-witted cast. They are earned as Billi, along with the rest of her family (including the wonderful Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, and Jiang Yongbo), help us to navigate what may seem like an unthinkable act or cruel secret to keep.
Wang’s direction is at times reserved and at times flamboyant (the wedding reception comes to mind), but it always seems correct for the occasion. The performances at the heart of this uniquely multicultural story are top-notch but it’s Awkwafina who really shines. She confidently steps into the leading role and proves that she’s both capable and deserving of any success that comes her way.
The Farewell is about a family faced with a decision, the wacky way in which that decision is implemented and its aftermath. It may be based on Chinese customs and traditions, but anyone, from anywhere, should have no trouble understanding or identifying with the family dynamic Wang has carefully crafted. It just goes to show that families are messed up the world over and that the tension that comes with loving those you don’t always see eye to eye with is something that has no country of origin.
James is a writer, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.