by Lulu Wang

5 Stars

The film, The Farewell follows a Chinese-American family as they discover that their beloved grandmother’s life is coming to an end. Billi is an aspiring writer who is very close to her Grandmother, Nai Nai. Billi discovers from her parents that her grandmother has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and may only live for another couple months. Billi and her family decide not to inform Nai Nai about her diagnosis to prevent her from living her remaining days in fear. Instead of breaking the saddening news, the family chooses to plan an extravagant wedding as an excuse to reunite the entire family one last time. Doing so, the family must control and do everything they can to cope with their emotions to protect their grandmother. 

I personally really enjoyed this film as it was deeply moving and extremely emotional. The storyline was very creative and intriguing, definitely not like anything I have seen before. The film showcases spectacular acting from the entire cast, especially Awkafina, who plays the main character, Billi. The music throughout the film was quite subtle, which was paired perfectly with all of the beautiful shots. There are references made to Asian culture; however, anyone will be able to relate to the movie with the themes about family and love. Even though this movie does not include crazy and dramatic scenes, the film resonates with the viewers and leaves you with deep emotions that will definitely linger on. I would highly recommend The Farewell to anyone who is willing to watch it.

Emily K.

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