Tag: The Farewell

THE FAREWELL Arrives on Blu-ray and DVD November 12th

Watch the talented Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians, Oceans Eight, Tv’s “Tawk”) deliver a powerful performance in this summer’s tear-jerking story, The Farewell, arriving on Digital September 24 from A24, on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital) and DVD from Lionsgate and On Demand from A24 on November 12. 

A heartfelt, moving film based on an actual lie comes home when The Farewell arrives on Digital October 29 from A24, and on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital) and DVD from Lionsgate and On Demand from A24 on November 12. Written and directed by Lulu Wang (Posthumous), based on her real-life experiences, the film is “extraordinary on every level” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone). Featuring an excellent ensemble cast, The Farewell stars Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians, Ocean’s Eight, “Tawk”), Tzi Ma ( “Silicon Valley,” “Veep,” Skyscraper), and Diana Lin (“The Family Law,” Australia Day). The special features include two featurettes, deleted scenes, and an audio commentary with writer-director Lulu Wang and cinematographer Anna Franquesa-Solano. The Farewell will be available on Blu-ray and DVD for the suggested retail price of $24.99 and $19.98, respectively.

After learning that her family’s beloved matriarch, Nai Nai, has been given mere weeks to live, Chinese-born, U.S.-raised Billi returns to Changchun to find that her family has decided to keep the news from Nai Nai. While the family gathers under the joyful guise of an expedited wedding, Billi rediscovers the country she left as a child, and is forever changed by her grandmother’s wondrous spirit, in this richly moving story of how family can unite and strengthen us — often in spite of ourselves.

BLU-RAY / DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

  • Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Lulu Wang and Cinematographer Anna Franquesa-Solano
  • “Nothing but the Truth: Confessions of a Writer-Director” Featurette
  • “Going Home: A Conversation with Awkwafina” Featurette
  • Deleted Scenes

 
CAST
Awkwafina                  Crazy Rich Asians, Ocean’s Eight, TV’s “Tawk”
Tzi Ma                         TV’s “Silicon Valley,” “Veep,” Skyscraper
Diana Lin                     TV’s “The Family Law,” Australia Day

THE FAREWELL – Review

THE FAREWELL quietly examines the cultural differences of accepting death. Director Lulu Wang offers nuance instead of sappy sentimentality when exploring how people react when faced with the harsh truths about life… especially when it’s the truth that one family keeps from their dying matriarch.

Billi (Awkwafina) struggles to get by but remains fiercely independent while living in New York City. Her parents view her as overly emotional and impulsive, which is why they try to hide the news that her Nai-Nai (grandmother to us) has been given up to three months to live. The family concocts a plan to gather under the joyful guise of an expedited wedding to assure Nai-Nai’s happiness in her final weeks and so that all of the family can visit her in China.

Lulu Wang transports American audiences to a rich culture, full of unique traditions including love for gathering together with family over conversation and food. The irony of this, of course, is that these happy scenes around the table are filled with underlying nervousness as the fake wedding becomes more and more real. Wang lets these scenes breathe naturally, and takes a matter-of-fact visual approach in these moments and throughout. She’s letting the culture speak for itself instead of affecting a stylized or critical lens on the situation.

Given the nature of these type of stories, the large family at the center of the film always seems more grounded than eccentric caricatures, which might turn off some audiences because of how scenes play out in awkward pauses and just genuinely uncomfortable. While each member makes their presence known in both humorous and dramatic ways, it’s the dying matriarch of the family who brightens the film and breathes life into each scene with her spunky demeanor. Shuzhen Zao is a revelation as the exuberant Nai-Nai. What could have simply been a morose woman on her deathbed is depicted as the one family member living life unafraid and unwilling to give up.

It becomes clear that this “good lie” that the family is keeping from Nai-Nai is something that is common with many Chinese families who are faced with a dying relative. Lulu Wan’s script shows both sides of the situation, as her family thinks that this is what’s best for her happiness, while Billi’s more American attitude feels that she deserves to have the right to say a proper goodbye. While the Chinese reasoning and approach to certain aspects of life and death might seem odd, it’s these little bits of dialogue and traditions that will stick with you and bring about personal conversations of your own that, you too, might have been previously afraid to talk about.

Biili’s repressed emotions lead to one of the most effective themes in THE FAREWELL: does showing restraint or showing emotion prove an individual’s strength. And like Billi’s struggles and inner turmoil (played perfectly by Awkwafina), THE FAREWELL masterfully shows restraint in its philosophical approach and proves that neither culture has the right answers to the complex questions of life and death.

Overall score: 3 out of 4

THE FAREWELL opens in limited release July 26th


Chicago Critics Film Festival – Day Four Report

The Chicago Critics Film Festival Runs May 17th – 23rd. Stephen Tronicek is covering the event for We Are Movie Geeeks

The shows didn’t start until 3 pm yesterday, so I decided to take a moment to enjoy the city…by going to see Bi Gong’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night in 3D. That was worth it. It may have, in fact, been better than the city.

But at 3 pm, it was time to get back to business. The introducer of Richard Shepard’s The Perfection mentioned that he wouldn’t give it a trigger warning but rather he’d list the very few things that weren’t triggering about it. To me, that sounded a bit like a threat. If a movie leans in too much for the sake of drama, then it might come out false and offensive. The Perfection does, at times. When it works, it’s basically a toned down De Palma joint, complete with diopter shots and overacted sexuality. There’s not a ton of the rough and tumble charm that the grittiness of the era gave De Palma, but there are a lot of impressive gore effects to savor while the plot rolls out.

Five o’ clock brought on the next shorts program, which included one of the best shorts I have ever seen. Stefanie Abel Horowitz’ Sometimes, I Think About Dying is a cheeky story that would have been insufferable if not for the tonal balance, but it gets there through careful performances and even more careful editing. If you get a chance to see it on the big screen, do. The other films in the lineup also had their virtues. Wild Love, directed by Paul Autric, has its tongue firmly rooted in its cheek and proves to be more twisted than I could have imagined. Kate Trefry’s How to Be Alone stars Maika Monroe in one of her better roles since It Follows. Anette Sidor’s F*** You paints a beautiful portrait of unencumbered sexuality, starting off maybe a little uncomfortable, but soon reveals itself to be on the right side of things. Robert Depuis’ The Downfall of Santa Claus is a touching send up to Christmas animation of the past. Carolina Markowitz’ The Orphan has touching cinematography that brings you into the touching story and last but not least Lowland Kids calls to mind the work of Terrence Malick in its beautiful documentary depiction of the disappearing Isle de Jean Charles.

Lulu Wang’s autobiographical The Farewell, the seven o’clock show, is going to be on many top ten lists by the end of the year. It is probably going to be on mine. The film follows Billi (Awkwafina), as she returns home to China to see her Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhao), who has unknowingly been diagnosed with cancer. Billi must fight her emotions when the family tells her they’ve decided to not tell Nai Nai. The Farewell is the type of modest great film that sneaks up on you while it’s going, only for you to realize you were with it when it’s over. I anticipate seeing the film and its many wonders again.

Wang gave an entertaining Q&A afterward. She spoke about returning to China, about going to her Nai Nai’s with the crew to use the restroom, and most importantly about how Nai Nai, still alive after six years, still doesn’t know that she has lung cancer. I won’t be telling her. Hopefully, you don’t either.

Guy Na Skin is a bit of a tougher pill to swallow. About the redemption of white power movement member Bryon Widner (Jamie Bell), the film is maybe a bit too melodramatic towards that movement, considering that they actively kill people. It should go without saying that we shouldn’t be empathizing with Nazi’s and Skin skirts that line pretty closely, throughout its first act. Once it breaks into the overlong but compelling second act, things get better. Bell gets to flex his acting muscles and Bill Camp (Wildlife) gets to explode off the screen with a riveting performance.

While it wasn’t as strong as Sunday’s, Monday’s selection was still a high-quality crop of films, especially The Farewell. When that comes to your city see it. If you can find Sometimes, I Think About Dying seek it out too. It’s a beautiful portrait of a deeply scared human being.