“The Farewell,” an independent film from director Lulu Wang (“Posthumous”), is a truly special viewing occasion because of how it confronts its viewers with a subject as dark as the impending death of a family member, and yet still gives them a way to laugh and be happy. 

With its unique take on the family dynamic, an insightful depiction of Eastern culture, and a touching, yet emotionally exhausting story, the film not only stands as a strong solo effort, but also pleads a strong case for independent films to be granted increased exposure to general audiences.

In “The Farewell,” Chinese-American Billi (Awkwafina, “The Angry Birds Movie 2”) faces a moral dilemma as her family learns of the deteriorating health of her grandmother, Nai Nai (debuting actress Shuzhen Zhao), but refuse to inform the elder of her condition. Its grim subject matter may initially seem off-putting, but the film’s heart and thought provoking points go a long way to keep the audience immersed in the story. With a sweet, sometimes unintentionally hilarious performance by Zhao, one may not be able to help themselves, but laugh as they witness Nai Nai lovingly humiliate her family or go about her daily routine as she lives life not knowing of what may come ahead. Through her larger-than-life presence, the character of Nai Nai imparts a great deal of wisdom not only on her family throughout the film, but on the audience as a whole, therefore giving them a way to discover a new appreciation for life and family.

Awkwafina, an actress who has established herself as a comedic powerhouse as of late, delivers a stellar performance as the troubled youth Billi. Throughout the film, her character expresses a wide range of emotions, and the grace and maturity that the actress displays in showing them truly points toward a promising dramatic film career ahead of her, similar to fellow comedic actors who have performed in dramas like Jim Carrey in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and Robin Williams in “Good Will Hunting.” The rest of the ensemble cast also showed a similar depth of emotional maturity in their respective roles, thereby allowing for a remarkably accurate depiction of familial interactions and conflicts to be shown. 

Lastly, though the film presents relatively common themes such as family and how to cope with death, it does so in a truly unique way by focusing on the differences in how they are considered in American and Chinese culture. By doing so, the film encourages the audience’s involvement in deliberating upon the main conflict, while also giving them a way to identify with the individual plights of each family member and how none of them are necessarily in the wrong by possessing their respective opinions. 

By expressing both the highs and lows that a family may go through together, “The Farewell” shows that there is no such thing as a perfect family, and how the positive moments are what should be focused on and cherished. 

As such, the film not only proves its worth as an example of how family films should be made, but it also makes a strong statement as to why independent films should receive more notice.

Image from A24 via YouTube