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The Farewell

The Farewell

2019
Comedy
Drama
1h 40m
A Chinese family discover their grandmother has only a short while left to live and decide to keep her in the dark, scheduling a wedding to gather before she dies.
Your probable score
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The Farewell

2019
Comedy
Drama
1h 40m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 59.71% from 1147 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1147)
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Rated 28 Jul 2019
85
73rd
The film is peppered with vignettes of Chinese life: hostesses spending time with their clients in a hotel room, tension between in-laws, a family visiting their grandfather's grave. It's these moments that offer a glimpse into Lulu Wang's personal experience which kept the film interesting even for someone like me, who was already familiar with the film's main premise of Asian family members withholding a terminal diagnosis.
Rated 22 Nov 2019
84
85th
It is unclear to me how to make a compelling low-key drama about a traditional Chinese family coping with terminal illness compelling, but Lulu Wang has succeeded and then some. Each character is so rich and complete that it takes no time to fall into step with this family. Awkwafina wears a sad face well, but she does so much more in order to connect American ideas about death and family with Chinese values. Very moving.
Rated 29 Oct 2019
90
91st
I'm a sucker for Asian family dramas and Lulu's directorial effort is among the very best. It is sublime, evoking shades of early Ang Lee, filled with character, heartache, tension and awkward humor. Awkwafina turns in a nuanced performance but it is Zhao Shuzhen who absolutely steals the show as the events start to unravel. Incredibly well made, this should be an awards contender and I hope it gets the praise that it rightfully deserves.
Rated 29 Aug 2019
79
75th
This film feels like grief. Doesn't hit you over the head, sneaks up on you in the most mundane moments. And it lingers. It stays grounded in its simplicity and Awkwafina shines.
Rated 15 Nov 2019
80
79th
Never quite captured me fully, but certainly held me by the hand and led me softly. Contemplative and quietly moving. Moments of humour flavour a consistent heartache played subtly by Awkwafina and the cast around her. While it never altered me profoundly, I think it will sit in my mind for some time.
Rated 04 Dec 2019
8
80th
An aching portrait of a family with a shared culture and history and varying values and vision, held together (and you're right there with them) in a collective suppressed grief that can't help but seep out at the edges and burst forth in sudden waves (see the wedding breaks; for me, it was the look back and the wave). The script perhaps could have dug a little deeper, but the naturalistic turns, sensitive direction, and superb music and cinematography certainly created an affecting atmosphere.
Rated 30 Nov 2019
90
63rd
I really enjoyed it. I haven't seen any of Awkwafina's stand-up, but she's pretty good in this, as is Shizhen Zhao. Honestly, everyone is pretty believable in this. It's well directed and written and just very genuine. You almost feel like you're a part of the family going through the same thing. What more could you need? Definitely worth checking out if you're interested. All hail A24.
Rated 14 Aug 2019
87
81st
A very well made & compelling indie of the kind that was common in the 90's. Wang's got a subtle touch - notice how it's left unclear if the grandmother's sister's story about not needing help is true. Yes it's overpraised since it's about another culture, but at least it's not the usual clichés about how Americans need to be less obsessed with money, more "authentic" & kinder towards strangers. It's refreshing to see a culture that so highly prioritizes the needs of family over the individual
Rated 28 Jul 2019
94
96th
Terrific family drama that fully explores its morally gray premise. Lots of tension around communication and secrets. There's plenty of awkward humor too, but it maintains a realist sensibility and nothing feels forced. It didn't need the CGI birds.
Rated 13 Nov 2019
88
89th
Beautiful, heartbreaking, and at the same time somewhat hopeful, "The Farewell" comes highly recommended.
Rated 24 Feb 2020
80
75th
Because I want to remain faithful, I turn the subtitles off and watch it as intended. I have no idea what the hell happened in this film.
Rated 01 Nov 2019
33
17th
More boring than a Pan American Games volleyball qualifier, Team Guatemala vs. Team Nicaragua.
Rated 13 Jul 2019
80
86th
Nai Nai is our Nai Nai
Rated 23 Dec 2019
62
22nd
While ostensibly "based on an actual lie", this melancholic family drama is never credible as presented. There's a potentially interesting story idea here of the way different cultures process grief, but because this story takes as given a combination of guileless stupidity from its subject, and cruel deception by everyone else, it becomes unpleasant and uninvolving, despite some impassioned performances (especially Awkwafina).
Rated 20 Nov 2019
82
82nd
A great exploration of family relationships and cultural differences. Superficially shares some similarities with Crazy Rich Asians, but it has a very different tone and much more depth.
Rated 11 Jan 2020
70
42nd
I didn't feel anything watching this. I wanted to hear more about WHY Chinese culture doesn't inform people that they are going to die. From my West- and counselor-informed background, I feel like death is a part of life and should be processed by the dying: Reflecting upon the good and bad times, acknowledging people who were important, and accepting the next path of death. It can be super powerful and... truthful. It seems like Chinese people just don't want to feel uncomfortable about it? Eh.
Rated 13 Dec 2019
34
21st
Cancer movie.
Rated 22 Nov 2019
80
62nd
This film really surprised me. I would say it's some of the best acting I've seen all year because these actors not only had to act like they were going through something really depressing, they had to act like they were faking happiness on top of that, too...and everybody experiences grief differently...and these actors were able to convey that brilliantly. This is a wonderful, wonderful movie.
Rated 30 Dec 2019
70
76th
Reminded me of A Simple Life in which older woman works hard and gets careful family love in return, with the specter of death looming over her. Definitely more jarring for those without Asian perspectives. I like that it's never too unrealistic. Fav scene: groom at wedding just being terrible at singing, drinking games, etc.
Rated 01 Jan 2020
90
76th
A heartbreaking and moving movie. The movie doesn't do anything too unique, but it somehow stayed with me long after the credits roll. It was hard to not cry during the touching performances by both Awkwafina and the grandmother, Zhao Shuzhen .
Rated 04 Jan 2020
85
92nd
Terrific.
Rated 09 Nov 2019
40
39th
Nothing special, but the premise is great, the color palettes are always delightful and Awkwafina is charming (don't know anything else about her, there seems to be some hate towards here around)
Rated 30 Oct 2019
58
27th
I didn't like Awkwafina, Nai Nai was good. The whole movie got me bored I just wanted it to finish. No emotional connection with the characters. Rewarded a little by the ending.
Rated 22 Jan 2020
6
34th
Makes an interesting case about the preservation of familial harmony but ultimately squanders its noble intentions with a lacklustre and repetitive story that fails to deepen the relationships between the main characters. The definition of a 'meh' movie.
Rated 04 Oct 2019
75
66th
nice versus between east culture and west
Rated 14 Aug 2019
82
87th
A film about repressed grief that cleverly juxtaposes a wedding celebration as a backdrop. Lulu Wang brilliantly reveals the quiet devastation present in the ordinary. The Farewell appropriately lacks any truly cathartic moments, but this allows its strained emotions and mild existential pondering to wash over the viewer as the credits roll.
Rated 20 Aug 2020
64
63rd
Fine and authentic.
Rated 08 Aug 2019
81
62nd
I appreciate this film's existence. The dramatic question is handled with a beautiful contradiction: at once straightforward and unspoken. This recurring motif is the film's greatest strength. I also liked much of the subversion of expectations. However, I believe if the characters were more defined as angles of the thematic conversation, there'd be more heightened drama and dynamic shifts between relatives. Protagonist is the least interesting in the ensemble. Distractingly bad final image.
Rated 23 Jun 2022
30
1st
Slow-paced, insignificant, and hollow movie. Uninteresting, one-dimensional characters. Full of cultural clichés and unfitting music. This movie might appeal to people who have never experienced other cultures. To me, it just felt like watching a random family's (boring) everyday life for 100 minutes.
Rated 12 Aug 2019
63
53rd
The feel good ending neuters what could have been a great film about grief. Awkwafina rules.
Rated 02 Aug 2019
80
68th
This is the kind of small, character-driven family drama that used to be very common in the 90's and is now a real rarity, It's a bit too self-conscious and on-the-nose at times, but it's a very rewarding film.
Rated 17 Mar 2020
80
84th
This is much more than I thought it would be. The American–Chinese culture clash is handled with great finesse. Billi is a great character, and the ways in which she's stuck is handled in a nuanced way (partially because of Awkwafina's excellent performance). When it's funny, it's funny in a way that completely fits with and even enhances the story. The Farewell is super watchable and tender towards its characters, and I can recommend it to pretty much anyone.
Rated 28 Oct 2020
70
31st
Something about this movie was just...surprisingly and clumsily simplistic. Whether something was lost in translation or if it was just bad writing I don't know. Awkwafina however, gave a good performance. I also have to give it points for being so honest in its portrayals and occasionally having some good cinematography. Other than that it was a little bit slow and kinda boring. Though that might have been because I personally didn't relate to it very much.
Rated 22 Oct 2020
90
98th
Movie of the year (2020) so far for me. I was lucky enough to catch this on a flight at the start of the year. Fantastic performances and a very fascinating story, conveying the differences in culture and how one can try to understand and navigate through them when you are stuck in the middle. This resonated so much with me, but more than that, it's just an excellent heartfelt film.
Rated 03 Oct 2020
60
54th
An impressive debut film from Lulu Wang, very polished. There are some very funny moments and the lifelong struggle of us all to negotiate familial and cultural tensions is sensitively and honestly handled. The soundtrack is perhaps the best part of the film.
Rated 04 Jan 2024
4
11th
Didn't enjoy it that much. The only good thing was the solid cinematography.
Rated 05 Jul 2020
50
18th
The emotional plot works well. There's also an attempt to show the distiction between chinese culture/life from other countries' culture, specially western culture - this is very present in the screenplay and it's the weakest part of the movie, it lacks actually showing the counterpoint from the other culture. Production, acting, screenplay aren't bad, but are far from good - there are good moments and many deficient moments.
Rated 02 May 2020
81
73rd
Nice, warm drama, that gains an extra layer from the fact that the family had to lie to the real Nai Nai about the movie as well.
Rated 10 Mar 2021
100
99th
This just might be the best movie I'll watch this year
Rated 17 Mar 2020
76
68th
I aspire to be like Mr. Li when I get old. Imma eat, then Imma leave and pretend not to hear you when you say "come back"
Rated 27 Feb 2020
55
50th
I liked this for most part, but it's also a simple film and I felt that the critical acclaim impacted my expectations a bit. It feels genuine and I appreciated the acting; especially Awkwafina and Zhao Shuzhen. It's sad, fun and feels genuine. There are some sharp observations about cultural/generational differences, and others that are probable universal about grief and family. But as a whole, I thought it was interesting but overrated.
Rated 23 Feb 2020
61
25th
The Farewell has an intriguing premise, some poignant cultural commentary, and several moments of well-written dialogue. Unfortunately, I found myself quite bored during its 100 minute runtime. Wang's "personal experience" didn't really appeal to me, nor did her attempt at pathos. The film is well-acted, and even Awkwafina managed to deliver a surprisingly restrained performance. The music choices, and overall sound of the film, were also a source of aversion to the end product.
Rated 26 Jan 2024
74
52nd
A despedida estreava há 5 anos no Festival de Sundance. Bom, mas não é exatamente meu tipo de filme, embora seja uma janela da cultura chinesa, ainda soa americanizado demais. YTS.
Rated 02 Sep 2023
8
77th
I can't claim to understand the experience. But I felt it. This really impressed me. I knew it was well-regarded, but it did surprise me in how rich it felt. It's peppered with beautiful little vignettes of Chinese life of people separated by culture but connected by blood. Really great.
Rated 28 Jan 2021
75
73rd
Didn't expect to feel that much emotions when launching this one. Glad that Awkwafina is not stuck to doing only comedies.
Rated 02 Apr 2022
78
71st
Thought I’d tired of these a24 family dramas but this one was moving in all the right spots.
Rated 29 Mar 2022
5
81st
A miracle this film made awkwafina seem like a real person and not someone that makes me want to blow my brains out.
Rated 12 Mar 2022
75
73rd
This is good. Excellent cast.
Rated 18 Jan 2022
96
86th
The Farewell is a family drama about dealing with a loved ones last days. Surrounding us with beautiful music, tradition, and acting, this movie is a powerful watch. Not being comic relief, Awkwafina shows her range as an actress in this film.
Rated 06 Aug 2021
70
45th
7????????????
Rated 06 Jul 2021
70
52nd
Some funny moments and food for thought, but over all not a particularly memorable film.
Rated 19 May 2021
9
87th
very cute, funnier than I expected. seeing china was very cool.
Rated 13 Apr 2021
81
57th
A sweet and simple little movie - very genuine and relatable. Awkwafina really shined in this role!
Rated 13 Mar 2021
73
46th
Not just a touching family comedy-drama, it's an exploration of divisively different cultural customs regarding (oncoming) death. It's sometimes self-indulgent and a little too vague about itself, but it's also absolutely a charming film with some honest acting from mostly Awkwafina and Shuzhen.
Rated 02 Jan 2020
80
84th
Uplifting and live affirming, this movie based on an actual lie is looking at family and cultural differences in a very profound way. The movie is incredibly funny and sad at the same time, which works wonders for the subject matter.
Rated 25 Feb 2023
44
24th
How is this a comedy?
Rated 11 Nov 2019
65
29th
For someone who is only vaguely familiar with some Eastern perspectives, this was a novel take on a family drama. There are certainly scenes/moments that I love here, and I don't begrudge any of the actors for the fact that I wasn't that entertained most of the time. And that was the problem: when the emotional parts hit they hit hard, and I love the honesty here, but as just a movie I wasn't that into it.
Rated 11 Nov 2019
77
97th
very pissed that awkwafina didn't even get an oscar nom for this.
Rated 28 Dec 2019
55
14th
bayat
Rated 16 Feb 2020
60
26th
Pretty underwhelmed by this. It's an interesting premise that gets stretched out over 90 minutes despite not much going on--just different ways for the main character to show her displeasure at the way things were going. This is one failing of the film--too singularly focused on one perspective. SPOILER AHEAD: Further, the final shot (after the tree) seems to undercut the entire resolution of the film, where the secret is apparently ok to tell now. I just don't get it.
Rated 30 Dec 2019
58
54th
decent first half falls flat in the second half, resorts to using cliches (wedding montage, feel-good ending, etc.). Awkwafina is underutilised, all the punches are pulled in the end. shallow analysis of asian diaspora experience
Rated 09 Jan 2020
90
78th
We're in a transitional age for film -- not so much as an artform (that's always in flux) but as a medium itself. And though there's much to be cynical over, the Disneyfication of our world for example, there's also my belief that 2019 was an exceptional year for film. More and more women are being given opportunities and thus we're getting stories we otherwise wouldn't have. Lulu Wang's effective family drama snuck up on me with its power, heart, and thoughtful execution.
Rated 13 Feb 2020
4
74th
A balance, to wear on one's sleeve what longs to be said. Perhaps lacking a deeply interior monologue, but writ large on Awkwafina's face - and everyone else's, for that matter. The friction is externalized, often to an excruciating degree. A reconciliation of collectivism and individualism forms a dimensional central character and conflict. Moreover, to witness the last evaporations of a previous life, to say goodbye and slip away. Intensely personalized and profoundly moving.
Rated 26 Feb 2020
80
80th
These lovable characters and moving conversations make for a compelling movie. It's great for the most part, but there are some scenes that can drag on a little long.
Rated 30 Jul 2019
4
77th
En trevlig liten film som fångar skillnaden mellan amerikansk och kinesisk kultur genom sin huvudperson som är både och. Enormt hyllad här i amerikanska media, men lever kanske inte riktigt upp till hypen. Jag tycker mig faktiskt ha sett detta förut. Men ändå hjärtevärmande underhållning och väldigt kompetent utfört.
Rated 31 Jul 2019
65
36th
A bird was trapped in the theatre I was in before the film started. What an odd coincidence. Also I'm not sure if I'm supposed to praise this film because of how honest and realistic it was... Because honestly it didn't feel like a moving cinematic experience. Cool to share the Eastern perspective on mortality and legacy but if you're already familiar with that I'm not sure this is all that special.
Rated 07 Aug 2019
60
69th
Critics LOVED this. I thought it was just okay. What pushed it over the top for me is I had to endure not one, but two Chinese weddings (in China), and as a foreigner with limited Mandarin skill, only alcohol got me through! Brought back memories.
Rated 19 Jul 2020
83
90th
Fanny And Alexander Go To China.
Rated 15 Feb 2020
70
51st
I was taken in by the atmosphere of strained family tension, the loneliness of fancy new-built hotels and banquet halls. Shuzhen Zhao steals hearts as the grandmother. Plot-wise, nothing much happens, although it often feels like a big dramatic reveal is always right around the corner.
Rated 10 Jan 2020
70
53rd
Ihatethatjeffsneiderfoolishlyspoileditlol+i'mnotsureiagree-youpoisontherestofthefamilyworsemaybelol+6yearsrealnainaistillwithus-showsher
Rated 15 Jan 2020
70
82nd
Strong performances from Awkwafina & Shuzhen, a compelling narrative that asks a lot of questions about morality & cultural differences, and the emotional weight of said narrative combine to make for a very entertaining ride. It never tries to say which side of the central argument is right or wrong, which was refreshing. However, most of the characters lack much personality & the pacing drags quite a bit, which are its biggest flaws. Overall, though, it's still very fresh & well worth seeing.
Rated 17 Jan 2020
75
69th
Speaking as the intended audience of the film (can watch without subtitles!), it's certainly rewarding to see your own culture reflected back at you, but it's not as engaging outside of being hashtag-relatable as I had hoped. Feels like an introductory look at the culture for outsiders, which leads to a lot of "hey I recognize that" moments for people familiar with the culture but not much else. Awkwafina's shitty Chinese is painful but a very authentic painful.
Rated 07 Jun 2020
65
63rd
Did a great job exhibiting the differences between Chinese and American culture. Awkafina did a great job portraying the clash of the two cultures.
Rated 28 Jan 2020
60
37th
the ending falls flat
Rated 30 Jan 2020
81
83rd
S
Rated 01 Feb 2020
70
80th
the farewell is a love letter to "nai-nais" everywhere. a lot of the emotional impact will be wasted if you don't have eastern heritage, or not an immigrant in general. but it captures the dynamics of eastern families perfectly. for those who complain about the ending, real life is not a tom hanks movie. you say a half-hearted goodbye to your loved ones, and you leave them behind to never see them again. there's no catharsis, just bitterness. farewell portrays this beautifully.
Rated 03 Feb 2020
30
5th
Wow, this was really boring. I'm shocked by the high reviews. The pace of the movie is very slow. Some scenes should have 5 - 10 seconds removed from them. If Awkafina is walking for 30 seconds, there's no harm in removing 5 seconds from the scene. Too many scenes are slow, boring, and add no value to the movie. The story itself, while heart-warming, is drawn out and boring. The screenplay is overly simplistic and seemed like it was written by a junior high student.
Rated 03 Feb 2020
65
62nd
Çok sade 1 aile filmi. Akciğer kanseri olduğunu öğrenilen bir anneanne, çok sevdiği torunu tarafından ziyaret eder. Yeğeninin evlenmesi ve düğününü de izlediğimiz film, naif olmasıyla kazanıyor. Abartıdan kaçan, fakat karamsar 1 film. O ince çizgi ayarlanamamış. Filmde ayrılık olsa da çok hoş sürprizle karşı karşıya kalıyoruz. Süper anneanne, Seni çok seviyorum.
Rated 11 Feb 2020
65
47th
I like the portrayal of American Chinese, and am hoping that we get to see more of that. Particularly the supporting cast is believable, Awkwafina is trying too hard. The filmmaking also has many weaknesses, such as the bad use of music and the inability to settle on a tone. Finally the story just doesn't seem to go anywhere - in the beginning it is the difference between East and West, and in the end it is still showing us just that.
Rated 11 Feb 2020
91
79th
What a wonderful, lovely film about suppressed grief and being caught between the East and the West. I especially loved the moments when people could not suppress any longer and got emotional. Loved both Awkwafina and Shuzhen Zhao, but everyone was pretty much great. Moving and subtle and super endearing.

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