When The Farewell opens with the text “based on an actual lie”, the viewer has no idea what to expect. Does this have to be interpreted comically? Or is that not the intention? It soon becomes clear what is going on. Billi (Akwafina) is calling her grandmother in China. What is immediately noticeable is that they both do not tell each other the truth. The grandmother does not tell her granddaughter that she is in the hospital for an MRI examination of her lungs, Billi tells her that everything is going well with her and meets friends while that is not the case. Lies are a common thread throughout the film. However, the biggest lie is that Billi’s grandmother has lung cancer, but the family decides not to tell her. The whole family travels to China, supposedly for a cousin’s wedding, to visit her one last time.
Does a “little white lie” exist? And what should you do if you disagree? That is what Billi constantly struggles with. She is known within the family as someone who cannot hide her emotions and Akwafina plays this role excellently. Her character regularly asks critical questions and is told that there is a difference between the customs in west and east. A difference in ideas that Crazy Rich Asians also showed last year. Yet The Farewell is not a more serious film, although it does contain several funny moments.
As a viewer, you sympathize with Billi, because you also don’t understand why you wouldn’t tell something serious like cancer to the person who has it. At the same time, after watching the film, you can also ask yourself whether the fact that you know you have something can also impact the way a disease develops. With its Chinese setting and showing cultural differences and family ties, The Farwell is a great film, with enough balance between drama and humor. It has heart-warming moments to make you leave the cinema with a good feeling.
[score8]