The Farewell Movie Review

The complexities of human nature, which are justified through extensive exploration of contrasting cultural distinctions impacting upon identity, are accentuated through literary text. Lulu Wang’s sentimental 2019 film ‘The Farewell’ explores human nature through the contrast between Eastern collectivist and Western individualistic ideologies whilst portraying the human struggle to apprehend grief. Wang epitomises familial connection, denoted through contrasting identities as a Chinese-American family comprehends imminent grief and explores the impacts of culture on one’s identity. Thus, Wang’s elaborate depiction of cultural and familial values initiates a scrupulous understanding of the complexities of human nature among audiences. 

The manipulation of text allows the accentuation of conflicting cultural identities and understanding, warranting the audiences’ apprehension of human complexities. ‘The Farewell’ is a melodramatic film that coherently provokes cultural understanding through the intimate encounter with contrasting Eastern collectivist and Western individualistic identities within a familial relationship. The contrast between Eastern and Western ideology is conspicuous in the restaurant scene, in which perspectives surrounding opportunities emerge. The establishing long shot subtly inaugurates the contrasting cultures by implying the isolation of the Western side of the family from the Eastern during a familial dinner. The motif of the circular table signifies Eastern collectivist ideologies of prioritising community over an individual. The following counter-shot of protagonist Billi’s mother and aunt amalgamated with the symbolism of their contrary positions around the table stipulates their contradicting cultural ideologies. Coupled with low-key illumination and subdued diegetic sound of surrounding dialogue evokes a tense ambience, foreshadowing the imminent turmoil. The metaphor ‘you’re investing in her talent’ differentiates collectivist and individualistic cultures by contrasting to the subsequent simile ‘so raising a kid is like playing the stock market’, portraying Eastern collectivism as a wealth-centered society juxtaposed with the Western individualistic focus on talent and opportunity. The closing anecdote, conveying Billi's mother’s venture to persuade the collectivist family to embrace Western culture through a recount of kindness despite Billi’s elucidation of America’s flaws, reveals the utopianism of American culture from an individualistic perspective. The rhetorical question ‘if you think China is that good why don’t you move here’ implies that Billi is unaware of her privileged Western upbringing, whilst accentuating ideas that Eastern cultures also have flaws. The scenes depict patent contrast between Eastern collectivist and Western individualistic identities within a familial connection. Ultimately, ‘The Farewell’ allows audiences to comprehend the complexities of human nature through the contrast between Eastern collectivism and Western Individualism influencing cultural identity and understanding. 

The impacts of culture on one’s identity as they approach emotion are disclosed throughout text, distinguishing thorough understanding surrounding the complexities within human nature. ‘The Farewell’ is a touching film that rigorously explores conflicting cultural influences on familial identities as they comprehend imminent grief following their Nai Nai’s cancer diagnosis. This is achieved through the depiction of opposing collectivist and individualistic ideologies within solemn circumstances. Depicted within a two-shot of Billi and her father grieving together after ascertaining Nai Nai’s diagnosis, grief is emphasised through their closed-off body language and bowed heads. The repetition of ‘can’t do that’ to Billi’s requests of informing Nai Nai symbolises the Chinese practices of concealing one’s condition from them to maintain their psychological health. Thus, introducing conflicting ethnic beliefs surrounding grieving. Conveyed within another two-shot integrated with low-key radiance and silence, which engenders a melancholic aura, the scene isolates Billi’s father and uncle grieving. Billi’s father’s closed-off body language symbolises a Western perception of autonomously apprehending grief, conflicting with that of her uncle who is supporting an open posture signifying an Eastern notion of comprehending grief. The adjacent counter-shot of Billi, her father, and her uncle coupled with low-key ambience establishes the shared viewpoint of grief. The dialogue ‘are you going to tell Nai Nai’ distinguishes Billi’s Westernised perception of Eastern cultural values, in which her father replies ‘I will not go against my family’, detailing ethical Eastern practices. The scenes inaugurate prominent cultural distinctions between the West, where one’s life belongs to one’s self, and the East, where one’s life is part of a whole, despite the shared grief. Consequently, the complexities of human nature are depicted throughout conflicting cultural influences on identities as they apprehend grief within ‘The Farewell’, achieving extensive understanding among audiences. 

Literary text accentuates the complexities of human nature through the exploration of contrasting cultural distinctions that impact one’s identity. Within ‘The Farewell’, Lulu Wang encapsulates the contrast between Western individualistic and Eastern collectivist societies, whilst depicting influences on familial identities as they apprehend human struggles relating to grief. Thus, ‘The Farewell’ successfully allows the audience to gain a deeper respect and an extensive understanding of the complexities of human nature.