The Farewell: An Early Oscar Hopeful?
It’s still a little early for the onslaught of award contender movies we get each year. That being said, we can always rely on a few to slip through the cracks earlier than expected.
The Farewell seems to fit that mold and considering its overwhelming critical acclaim, it has promising Oscar potential. That should make anyone interested in seeking it out. That was certainly the case for me after hearing about it back in January after its premiere at Sundance. A semi-autobiographical movie about a Chinese family that lies when one of them gets diagnosed with cancer and stages a wedding as an excuse to bring everyone together may not scream four quadrant movie but as soon as you say Oscar hopeful, I’m there.
The Farewell most certainly deserves its praise. While it wasn’t the home run which I wanted and expected, the film is an example of director Lulu Wang’s mastery of the medium. So expertly crafted, the film strives to create an authentic family drama which revels in its restraint. Its muted nature is what makes it feel so real, allowing the audience to truly feel the emotion of the situation at hand. The Farewell is one of the most genuinely told stories I can think of in recent years and as someone with family abroad, there was a lot to relate to. The classic grandparent and generational gap tropes add to that element of the film and make it an extremely authentic family drama. Lulu Wang completely understands the subject she chose to tackle and it’s obvious when you see what plays out on screen.
All those positives, however, bring along some negatives as well. That’s particularly true in regards to the movie’s pacing. Its reserved nature makes it feel much more real but also makes it feel slow. While it’s extremely emotional, it’s not always the most entertaining and I can only wonder whether there may have been a happy medium between the two. It didn’t need a ton of theatrics added to it but The Farewell definitely could have been more engrossing. Again, it is riddled with emotion but it’s also not as memorable as I had initially hoped.
All that being said, the messages, themes, and subjects it chooses to tackle and the way it does it in such a relatable way, makes it worth the price of admission. The Farewell is far from your typical summer release and although not perfect, it deserves to be seen by a wide audience that is sure to find some personal connection with what plays out during its 1 hour 40 minute runtime. While it is by no means a four quadrant film, anyone who cares about family should see it and find something to relate to.
