Poignant, heartfelt, with a whiff of humor ‘The Farewell’ beautifully captures the essence of ‘being part of a whole’ – a family.
Based on the director’s family, the film is an ode to Chinese culture and of discovering one’s roots, Lulu Wang has done an incredible job at capturing the nuances, behavioral traits and strong familial bonds – orienting audiences towards a way of life and the people who strictly adhere to it.
Wang, in her second feature film, has an uncanny ability of zooming in for close ups without allowing the camera to linger for too long – effectively hitting the sweet spot where the viewer gets to experience a particular emotion without being sucked in. Watch out for her, she’s certainly on to something.
And that’s not to take anything away from the stellar cast. A power packed female lead roster with standout performances by Awkwafina and Zhao Shu-zhen (the grandmother). Nostalgia, grief and a thorough blend of sarcasm make for a triumphant film that is honest to the bone.