The Farewell review – gorgeous meditation on family and grief

A battle between truth and tradition lies at the centre of Lulu Wang’s poignant and funny new film, The Farewell, which – as we’re told in an amusing opening title card that sets the tone for things to come – was “based on a true lie.” It stars Awkwafina, cast as far quirkier, louder secondary characters in both Ocean’s Eight and Crazy Rich Asians, in a properly nuanced role that shows what a magnetic performer she can be at her most naturalistic. Here, she’s Billi, a Wang surrogate from New York who discovers that her China-based grandmother (or “Nai Nai”) has terminal lung cancer. To her shock, she learns that her extended family have decided not to tell their adored matriarch the news of her fate; instead they plan a fake wedding for Billi’s cousin as an excuse to get everyone together so they can say goodbye.

Though common in China, the idea of lying to a relative about a terminal illness is considered unfathomable in most cultures – a sentiment shared by Billi when she hears the plan from her parents (Tzi Ma and Diana Lin, both excellent). As Billi arrives in China, Wang crafts a portrait of a modern Chinese family who live and breath as though truly related to one another. Moving between scenes that are funny, sweet, and sad as she explores the cultural divide between East and West (and with an effortlessness that most directors could only dream of), Wang allows us, like Billi, to take a seat at the table and – as family members reflect on their lives, the past, and occasionally prod one another – experience this immensely strange scenario from within. Wang gives her camera room to swoon over the delicious looking food that, lovingly prepared by Nai Nai, brings the family together night after night, not to mention the neon streets of a rapidly-changing country. She also takes the time to show how even those most adamant that Nai Nai doesn’t find out are still conflicted by the choice. Really they want what is best for her, convinced that news of the diagnosis would only kill her faster; it’s a credit that we come to understand the decision, whether we agree or not.

Given the strength of its script and its performances (Zhao Shuzhen as Nai Nai is a revelation), The Farewell didn’t need to look and sound quite as beautiful as it does, and yet this is a film in which every shot feels carefully, lovingly framed – credit to cinematographer Anna Franquesa Solano, then, who cements it as one of the most gorgeous-looking films of the year. There is a fantastically stylish shot of the entire family walking in slow-motion, accompanied by the unique and stirring score by Alex Weston, that I’ve been unable to get out of my head since. If by the end the film doesn’t quite land with the emotional heft it seems headed for, it’s only a minor complaint of a work that is refreshingly free from the sorts of tired conventions you usually find in such culture clash comedies. Wang resists unnecessary subplots in favour of focusing on the family; every member gets a moment to express how the situation is affecting them. It all plays out with the air of a personal vision that’s totally free from compromise, studio notes, and meddling executives. These days, how often can you say that?

★★★★☆

By: Tom Barnard

Get The Farewell showtimes in London.