-Film outside US/Film of the year so far: “Parasite” -2018 film released in 2019: “Climax” -Indie film: Either “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” or “The Farewell”
WHAT IF her grandma already suspects she's dying because is a family tradition but she just went along with it so they can have a normal family gathering one last time.
I thought that too! When she was roasting everyone at dinner, it was almost like she was saying that they are bad liars. The way her sister mentioned how the grandma did the same thing before felt like a hint that she knows that they are sharing the burden and is helping her family by believing them.
you know how old people tend to say "when I die..." often in this foreboding sort of tone, bcos you all know that it's not a far future? Yeah, I think they definitely expect it. And in this case, it being a tradition, I think she knew what was happening.
Coming from my own personal experiences (also chinese lmao) my entire family thought they were fooling both my great grandmas but they knew cuz of the tradition and customs. They just went along with it because they've already dealt with it themselves. Both of them just told me their POV cuz I asked, despite my parents saying no.
I just saw the movie and, even if it’s a small role, I keep thinking about the character Aiko like- she travels to a country where she doesn’t know the language with a boyfriend she’s only had for three months so that they can fake a wedding? Imagine having to do that, it’d be crazy
I think that’s where you get the part where (I forgot if lulu or awkwafina said this) but with Asian culture there is a much more collective vs an American individualist mentality. They were willing to go along with it because there was a reason greater than the two of them.
I mean Aiko is Japanese, which has a collectivist culture more similar to China than American individualism, so she might've been ok with it. Aiko might even already be familiar with the custom of hiding terminal illnesses from elders.
This movie was the realization that I have never seen myself shown on screen authentically. I'm so immensely proud of how much Lulu had to fight to keep her vision and keep the cultural nuances. I watched in theaters and so many people were touched, one woman outright sobbed aloud. This is real life, no labels needed.
Othnielle love i agree, but unfortunately that’s the way Hollywood is playing. Since original movies don’t make the money that blockbusters do, they try their best to water down the idea to the most accessible film possible. As someone who saw the film and hearing what producers suggested, I’m glad Lulu stuck to her story.
@Travis Houze also the fact that Hollywood wants to Americanize and glorify everything like it’s suppose to be a joke. NOT EVERY MOVIE CAN HAVE A HAPPY ENDING. Unfortunately, Hollywood fails to see that.
This happened to my family exactly. My grandma did not want to hear what she had if she had some sort of disease, (she ended up having pulmonary hypertension and passing away from a heart attack). My entire family had to live with her knowing she had only months to live but had to pretend as if she was fine FOR her. When I first heard about this movie I couldn’t help but remember that and think about how many family’s are often put in this position out of love for their loved one. It blows my mind
Same with my relatives. My grandfather’s sister died of dementia and my grandmother died of cancer, neither of them ever knew. Even now, no one’s told my grandfather that his sister is dead because they think at his age, it’s too much suffering to know that his sister’s dead. I have another relative with a brain tumor and he doesn’t know anything about it.
I want to see this film so bad. The individualism vs collectivism debate is something I struggle w as an Asian born in America. Also as a good movie centered on an Asian experience, I want to get my family to see it. It might too on the nose for my dad tho because his mom’s health (my Nai) has been getting worse over the last year or so and I don’t want to pain him
Lily L. I feel the same, I wanted my family to see it too but my grandfather just passed and it’s too raw for them. I thought it would help but it’s too much for them now, eventually though. I know I really appreciate the story being told
i recently saw it with my dad (i’m chinese american). and it was hard watching it considering the emotional story(and the connection in which my dad lost his dad to cancer) but allowed me to understand the tradition and culture that i was unaware of. the film is 100% recommended
saw it with my mother (shes from Taiwan) and her friend, I'll admit, some parts of it hit a little harder than I want to admit. The individual VS collective is a tough thing for me to come to terms with as well. Feels like two brains tugging at me.
I'm Chinese-American and in my family, the most severe situation was my mom keeping my grandfather's death a secret from the family for half a decade (he died in the states under her care). The other day an Asian person told me I wasn't a "real Asian" because I didn't live in Asia. The nuances between race, ethnicity, and nationality are really fascinating to me, so I loved this movie highlighting the differences between being Chinese vs Chinese-American. Lots of infighting against our own race because of Western vs Eastern ideals. Asian-Americans are often considered the invisible minority group, so I'm glad our stories are finally being heard.
One of my former subscribers thought that he had my black card revoked since I didn't know that many R&B singers and I was born in the 90s and my parents have control the radio
Its because asians are conformist culturally. So they just adopt what ever is popular. This is why people dont really respect asians. Yall worship whites too much and are desperate to assimilate.
@@JokerL1000 That's an over-exaggeration. Also you're missing the cultural context of being Asian American. We Asian Ams often are raised by Asian immigrants. These immigrants often don't understand or know what racism is because they grew up as the majority. So, they don't see things within the context of oppression and fighting against it. These people are like "Yeah, we're new immigrants. We want this to be our new home. Let's try to adapt to the culture." They don't have to think the way we Asian Americans think cause we're raised in America and we deal with the struggles of racism in the context of American society something our parents or grandparents don't understand. Since they don't understand they don't teach us about how to deal with racism, it's a complex thing they will never entirely get. But we do because we grew up in this environment. And we don't usually fight back or speak up because there weren't many avenues to assert yourself and address issues we specifically face in America. The U.S. doesn't have a long history with organizations or institutions that cater to Asian American issues because of how America see Asians until recently. They saw us as foreigners. People who would never fully be American and you don't offer institutional help for people you didn't regard as your fellow citizen for centuries. Asians having the right to obtain American citizenship is fairly recent, a little before the 1960's. And the other key is your family will often raise you believing in their home country and identify with the country to an unrealistic almost imaginative degree, cause they don't get that since you're raised here you'll be an American with American values and beliefs. So, you spend most of your life believing you belong to a country that the moment they interact with you, the moment you get there, you're like in a foreign country and there's awkwardness in how you interact with your ancestors homeland. And many truths reveal that you're not completely accepted by American society as a true American and you're not completely accepted by your ancestors' country because of your Western perspective and values. This is all exacerbated by the fact that when other Americans interact with you, they force you care about a country you don't know or understand all because that's where your ancestors are from and you look like the people. This feels even worse when a non-White American does it because they at some point been made to feel this. And Asians from Asia will always say to you "You're not a real American, you're not White." So, you're always raised living in a between space, between two worlds and cultures and the country you're raised in doesn't have institutions to help or have a history of helping you claim a piece of the American pie, at the good ol' American table. Then to you it might seem like worshipping White people, but to me it's something more deep and complex and very much has to deal with the immigrant and post-immigration experience of American society and culture.
I knew her [Billie] mom loved her because she defended her being broke because of following her art passion at dinner table. That's major, there's nothing more honest than dinner talk.
The last quote from the director's mother is wonderful. I've faced many cross roads in my life similar to that. At a time of weakness and exhausting from being alone. I talked to my mom, at age 23. I expected to hear what I always heard growing up, the route I must choose is not for happiness but for 'success'. Instead her words that night were different, she gave me her blessing to choose happiness. Pure, unfiltered, selfish, for me-myself-and I alone happiness. And I'll never forget, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders I didn't even realize I was carrying.
I cried like a bitch when I saw this at Sundance. You hit every point perfectly. It was to the point where I didn’t even realize that I was reading subtitles; it just felt natural and like everything was just understood
Now I'm really looking forward to seeing this movie! Sounds like a real and genuine film that has something to say! PS: loved the random clip of fleabag in the middle of the video, didn't see it coming and it made me laugh so hard!
I know exactly how it feels to be part of two worlds. How to feel split into two yet not comfortable in either. How to not know where your home is and know your parents did what they had and needed to do and try to silence all your hatred.
This reminds me exactly why I followed your channel, you really have such a way of explaining movies, their backgrounds, and how it all ties in culturally. You really emphasize the importance of the cultural background and why stories like these are so important. I teared up with this video thinking about my abuela.
*SPOILERS* The scene of them leaving in the taxi at the end and the grandma breaking down killed me, I had to fight my sobs back because they wouldn’t stop coming.
I was on the fence about this movie when I saw the trailer because I rarely see Asian-American films that I can relate to. I am Chinese-Canadian, but grew up with, I would say, a heavier-than-normal influence of Chinese culture, but through Canadian parents. So Chinese culture was heavily emphasized, but not the social culture, if that makes sense. Most Asian-American films I've seen approach the issue with either a clash where the Asian side is the butt of the joke or the Asian side being "odd." This never sat well with me. I don't know how The Farewell will fair, but after your review, I'll give it a chance. I am desperate for one I can really relate to. BTW, the thing about elders not wanting to go to the hospital for the fear that something wrong would be found is also common in the Chinese community! These things do cross cultures and societies!
I feel this. American based movies always seem to make the other half into some kind of joke, or wrong in some way. It deprives the viewer of empathy, and disrespects the culture of whatever other country is involved. I get butthurt about things like that. Your culture, your heritage isn't a joke.
You’re absolutely right! It’s not just Asians either I realized with a lot of American films POC are always the joke we never get an actual serious roles it’s always a stereotypical role
Really? I’ve yet to see a film where the “Asian” side is the “butt of the joke,” but tbf there aren’t even many Asian American mainstream films. I instead tend to feel that it’s usually the Asian american/western experience is just grouped into being Asian (from Asia), only displaying traditional culture.
Man. This reminded me of my grandma's so much. They deserved happiness in every last moment. We did this with my great-abuela Ruby Rose but I honestly think she could've taken it. She was a BOSS who had already lost many fingers to frostbite. My great grandma Irene also went out not knowing and she was happy every single day of her life. My granny Mary though is the one that left me a meaningful sign. We were big readers. We would go to the library everyday, she pushed me to write and we would just sit together reading all the time. I was going through her books after she passed and I found one that actually hadn't existed yet. I only know this because years later, I decided to search for it, I learned it only came out in 2011....and she passed in 2007. I swear to God it was in my grandma's box. It was the same cover, the same author, the same embossing on the cover and that's how I learned about a Discovery of Witches.
The movie makes me ugly cry and that actual advice from Lulu's mom made me sob. Such a beautiful story that I connected deeply with as an immigrant myself and loosing my grandparents. So sad it didn't get the awards recognition it deserved. I hope Lulu continue fighting for and bringing forth her creative vision.
This was one of the best movies I've seen. So much about it resonated with me on a cultural level that transcends simple references. Stuff that can't be quantified... like the choice of music (or musical covers) in certain scenes, or the dialogue between family members, or the intonation with which certain things were said between characters. struck a chord so deep inside me that it took me right back to my childhood. Lulu Wang captured Asian families and Chinese culture so perfectly
I'm gonna rank Native grandparents up there with Mexican ones. Live for a thousand years, never go to the doctor, and just cure cancer with peyote and beer. At least, that was my family. 😆
@@phoenixfunny4517 Very true, I overlooked that fact. Islanders are similar, too. My auntie from the Philippines can wield la chancla with the proficiency of an abuela with a disobedient grandchild.
lulu did such a fantastic job and i have new respect for her. for her it wasn’t about money, it was telling an important story. how she grew up and her culture and her family. it really opens your eyes and it was also a way for people to connect and relate. such a cool thing
That sentence of your family planning dinner even before breakfast.... So many memories. I remember waking up and having to find a corner of the kitchen to have breakfast while everyone was preparing so much food for, anything, Christmas, birthday, new years....
this had me absolutely bawling for three hours after watching. all the tidbits of chinese culture thrown in and the ABSOLUTE accuracy of everything really -did something- to me that i cannot explain. i've lived this movie for its entirety and to watch my life back? priceless. i finally have genuine representation.
DEFINITELY the right decision. It was a breathe of fresh air to watch a story that didn't have typical tropes or cliches but showed realistic nuances and perspectives. I hope more intriguing stories like these will continue to come out in film
I went to see it alone yesterday because I knew none of my friends or family would be interested. I really enjoyed the movie. I like the perspective that was told.
The last quote was the same conversation i got with my mom when i decided to chase my dream again after I choose to left my broken past. She told me to chase whatever I want, whenever i want, and said that she will always be proud of me and will always welcome me back home with a hug. Daaaang the onion :')
This movie hit home with me,because my family did the same thing with my poppy when he was given 8 months to live after a cancer diagnosis.but the best part is he lived for another 10 years and passed away at the age of 93.
Although this isn't the main arch of the story, the nuance of feeling like you owe your parents vs living your own life hit heavy. As a Nigerian immigrant who came over to the U.S. when I was six, I feel so many parallels between my story and your analysis of this movie. I haven't seen this, heck, I didn't even know this was a thing, but this touched me so deeply. The part about seeing your passion as selfishness made me cry so hard because that's honestly where I am right now and I don't even know my passion yet... Or maybe I do and I'm just scared. Either way at the end with her mom telling her to in a sense choose herself....bruh. I know that's not my mom (yet), I became Lulu's surrogate sister and accepted that as if that was my mom loloolol. I am deeeeffffinnnniiittteeelllllyyyy going to see this.
The scene where the entire family went to a restaurant to eat and the two separate families started arguing was absolutely amazing. It is so true to the point it felt like a documentary. I love how the scene subtly presents the sensitive topics and it really captures the modern day Chinese family that is stuck between their own traditional views and the vast-pace globalization that is taking place.
Aiko is a totally underrated character for *check notes* going to a foreign country where she doesn’t speak the language to have a fake wedding with a guy she just met just so his grandmother can have a last family meeting.
😭I’m crying I need to see this movie! My abuelita Lupita is my favorite person and I love her so much that my greatest fear is losing her, that makes it hard to see movies like this for me. I still haven’t seen Coco because they’re Mexican too and I heard the grandma dies lol but I sort of already went through this because I jokingly said I wanted a quinceanera and my parents said my abuelo was in such bad health that he may not make it to see anyone get married so they threw me the party as an excuse for everyone to get together. I like that though, I didn’t actually want a quince and luckily we did it pretty cheaply and he did enjoy it and pass away shortly after
Part of my college orientation had us choose if we wanted to go to some museums or go see this film. I chose this. Best decision I made. It was amazing and so beautiful. Awkwafina and the grandmother had such a great relationship. I watched it with other students and I sat next to this really nice girl, and so during the movie I had to contain my tears since no one else had the same reaction. At the end everyone went "yeah it was alright" or "some shots looked weird" and I'm just sitting there thinking and reflecting, trying not to tear up.
This movie sounds so beautiful, and I love Awkwafina. I would have never heard of this movie if it hadn't been for you! Thank you so much for sharing! Do you know where we can find more films like this?
Great video. The last part about how the mom told her daughter that she did not need a house becuase she already had one really hit me hard. Literally I cried in my car on the way to work at the insight into that moment of her life becuase it is my life as well. We sacrifice for our kids so that in the future they can blaze thier own path but we are hard on them and teach them in a way that we want them to remember what sacrifice is. So complex and so much love that shows itself in crazy ways.
I felt this movie on a personal level and could relate to it as a middle eastern person, it reminded me of when my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 3 years ago and how she still doesn't know that she has it till this very day, even billi's family reasons for not telling the grandmother felt so real and familiar, in the end this movie was a great watch and absolutely beautiful.
I love the little grandma & even more that the director cast her real aunty. This movie hit me hard as someone who is always in conflict with having Westernized mindset, but born & live in the East. You're always felt in conflict and not completely belong anywhere. The family dilemma here represents that full well.
This is currently my life w my grandmother. She has advanced blood cancer. Doctor gave her maybe five years. We decided not to tell her. It breaks my heart every time she tells me she'll beat this
(im chinese american) once someone is announced sick, it is common that “friends” break off(don’t associate)to those sick, afraid of catching there bad luck. when my grandfather was sick with cancer, he lost many of his “friends”.
I remember going to see it with my family, and aunt's family (we're chinese) and that's the first time I saw any of my family member cry during a movie.
I just watched this movie and the theme i got out of this was to Spend as much time with your older loved ones as you can, because you dont know the last time you will ever see them again until its too late... My grandpa is 71 years old and isnt getting any younger so this movie reminded me that he isnt gonna be here forever and there is inevidebly gonna be a time when i have to say goodbye to him so i should cherish each moment i have with him here until it actually happens, i dont talk/call him as much as i should and i hate myself for that.. I need to do better
Difference between Westerners and easterners watching this: Easterners know the grandma knows. Westerners think she's oblivious. This is a great movie imo, but it's still a movie for ABCs and Westerners (or people who are westernised). I don't think people in China will respond to this, just like they didn't respond to crazy rich Asians. To all the Westerners out there, please be clear that this story is the story of someone who grew up in America, not China. It's not Disney, but it's not that far off. So take it with a grain of salt and don't think it represents Chinese culture! The message of #callyourgrandma is great though.
This is a truth Western Asians have a hard time grasping. A lot of us think that we have a racial bond/solidarity because we're all Asian. That isn't something Asians from Asia feel, Asian Westerners feel this because we've been reduced to our race in the context of the Western societies we grew up in. Asian Westerners have a hard time understanding that race and racism isn't something most Asians from Asia think about.
harryginnyalways I think that’s the point though. Cause this isn’t an Asian film and it isn’t an American film. It’s an Asian- American film. It isn’t telling a story from the perspective of an Asian from Asian it’s telling the story from the perspective of an Asian from America. In America Asian-Americans have the least representation, so of course films like this and crazy rich asians will do well. Cause even if they are ABC stories they make room for more complex story’s to be told in the future.
Asian -AMERICAN stories aren’t told enough. Being Asian American is a completely different experience from being “Asian.” And this is an Asian American movie. Despite what I just said, every Asian and Asian-American had a different story and experience, and lulu was just telling hers. This wasn’t some sort of token movie to display traditional Chinese culture.
The whole cast was amazing. I want to see Awkwafina win Best Actress. If she gets nominated, she will be the first Asian actress nominated for a lead role since 1935
Arturo... Maybe I saw a later release but the the actual grandmother was shown at the end of the theatrical release I attended and she is indeed still alive. Also, the crier in the funeral scene was a hired crier. It sounded like you referred to them as relation to the family. This is someone that Chinese pay to come and make a big show so that no one losses face. Really interesting. :) Great video!
When you first posted this video I was dying to see it (because I love all your videos), but resistantly held back and waited until I saw the movie first myself. Let me tell you, I am SO glad I did! Having seen the movie first made this LME so much more meaningful, and I’m glad I went into the movie without knowing the nuances and underlying meaning, because I loved discovering it myself. Then having you reaffirm it and add the real quotes from her and her family made it all the more tear-jerking. Go watch this movie if you haven’t seen it!
This reminds of something similar that happened to my family where an aunt of mine was getting married so all the family come back home from all over the world for the wedding, but after they all leave, her father passes away and they all come back right after. I remember one part where my aunt's sister was just sobbing walking up to the house after just getting back from the airport
I just watched The Farewell yesterday so this video could have not come at a better time. Thank you for making this! There was a lot of interesting information you included that I wasn’t aware of.
I just saw the movie with my mom, and she said there's a old saying, that's pretty common in Taiwan, that having a wedding will help cure a sickness. The music and sound design was amazing. The silence is especially potent and effective.
My husband's family does this but my family is slowly trying to stop that. We did it with my great grandma and her generation, but my abuelita waited 12 years to check a lump on her neck and THEN decided to tell everyone about it, and so we were all in the loop after it was confirmed to be cancer. It was very sad and difficult to see her slowly dieing but it was very loving to be able to gather around her and everyone was able to say goodbye. My husband wasn't able to have that with his grandma, but was able to do that with his grandpa after they had to tell him about his cancer after a bunch of crazy events.
I watched The Farewell with my friend and we both liked it but this video definitely made me appreciate it more because of all the backstory with the director.
You did such a lovely job with this review. Just saw it today. I’m so white, American born, grew up in the south . . . hearing you tell about your similar experiences being Mexican . . . well, just thanks for giving me more insight into the cultural nuances.
Wow, for me this really highlights the importance of making room for immigrant American films because this didn't fit into the Chinese or American film industry molds. These stories are important, the people telling them are valuable to our culture.
Saw this movie over the weekend and just absolutely adore it! Really happy she went with the lower bid to keep the story she wanted to tell untarnished by bigger distributers who wanted to warp such a beautifully poignant film to some empty commercialized dramedy to fit an Americanized audience. I think that movie distributers and producers who think that way have little faith that one could empathize or feel anything for someone who doesn't look white. Right now, The Farewell is my favorite film of the year thus far.
Can't wait till the end to comment!!! A few years ago a film called For Here or to Go came out, limited release, hard to get on streaming. I was able it because I happen to live in Silicon Valley where it takes place, and half the movies in our theater are not in English. It's half Hind half English, and tackles some of the difficulties of Indians in America working in tech and here on work visas. It's an incredible look into the subculture that is really fascinating. It's a bit biased and doesn't go into some of the internal hiring practices, but that isn't the point of a 2 hour film.
I related to the scene where Billi talks about her move to America so much. I moved to America also at age 6 from Korea to Utah where there are no Asian people. I haven’t been there since I was 7. I am 19 now and I realized that when I go back I won’t recognize it anymore since it’s changed so much.
Wow, Thanks for your great and insightful review! I saw the film last week and would highly recommend it. I have a lot of respect for Ms. Wang for sticking to her artistic integrity. She'll be all the better off for it. I will look forward to more of her films. in the future. I just wanted to mention some subtle shots in the film that I appreciated a lot (Minor Spoilers Below). 1. I love the scene of Billi walking down the hallway of the hotel and watching some Chinese people in another room -- around her age playing Mahjong, talking and smoking. It was a short shot without dialogue, but I could almost feel Billi reflecting on how different she and her life would be different if her parents hadn't emigrated to the US. 2. There are some brief, inconsequential shots: A guy in the lion dance costume smoking a cigarette, some waitresses checking their smart phones, a boy visiting the grave of his grandfather, but still paying a digital gaming device. Having lived in China for a few years, these are all realistic scenes that further ground the context into that reality, but reflecting on these brief images, it seems to imply the ongoing nature of life: Children are born, adults get married, eventually they pass away, time passes and life for everyone else goes on.
I just back from watching this movie and it was GREAT! Like you said in the video, I love how they didn't have to explain every least little cultural thing that the family did, from the lie, to the drinking game, to when they visited the grandfather's grave. It was better to let the audience take in what they saw and pick up on the cues/emotions of the characters and figure it out for themselves. The east vs. west perspective of each side of the family was really interesting too since it caused a bit tension between the family, like at the dinner table scene. I noticed the bird showing up in 2 scenes as well and I wondered if it had any significance, but now I understand why it was there. As a person who isn't that familiar with all aspects of Asian culture, this film has taught me a lot and wish there were more movies like this is theaters.
"If your family don't wake up planning dinner before you even had breakfast" that comment hit home lol my mom would start dinner at 12 and that's what u would eat on all day And than tomorrow for breakfast. Growing up in a Spanish home was the best
Came back to say, I actually sat down to watch this recently and I really enjoyed it. The main character pissed me off at times but I could see it was just a difference in values plus she’s a bit too reliant on her emotions. I really enjoyed the grandma and mother. The scene with the shady aunt had me laughing and I almost cried when the uncle was on stage. I was honestly shocked at the end twist and made me question whether what they did was actually the right thing to do.
Watched it yesterday and totally agree with your points and didnt know it was based on the director exactly and that the aunt was the actual sister, that's brilliant. Love that she stuck with making sure the story remained true, so good.
Honestly I don’t know if I’d be pissed if my family did this to me or grateful. I’d be glad I left this world peacefully and not scared but also i would of spent all my money on traveling and living life to the fullest before I went.
The dynamic of individualist vs. group mentality within a family was so interesting and kind of new in cinema. There's always this bratty main character who the audience fall in love with [Ladybird, Booksmart, Ferris Bueler, Igby Falls Down] and here it was everyone.
they showed Shin Godzilla in America for a couple weeks and it made 77 million dollars. It was 100% Japanese production. I loved it. You should watch it as well.
![F.HERO Ft. JSPKK x ลำไย ไหทองคำ x M-PEE - ไม่สนิทบิดหมด (Thai Riders Anthem) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kPJZ0UihBfk/mqdefault.jpg)
Name me the best INDEPENDENT film this year. no capes. indies only 😤😤
Avengers endgame
Arcane - Spider Man: Far From Home
-Film outside US/Film of the year so far: “Parasite”
-2018 film released in 2019: “Climax”
-Indie film: Either “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” or “The Farewell”
El Chavo del ocho
Arcane Midsommar
That last quote between the mother and her made me tear up.
Omg you too , I legit was like why am i crying lol
Yes me too!
and a genuinely audible "omg"...
Me too. I felt that in my soul.
😓 same, it was beautiful
blackrose1522 Me too man, I'm Asian myself
WHAT IF her grandma already suspects she's dying because is a family tradition but she just went along with it so they can have a normal family gathering one last time.
Plot twist!!!
I thought that too! When she was roasting everyone at dinner, it was almost like she was saying that they are bad liars. The way her sister mentioned how the grandma did the same thing before felt like a hint that she knows that they are sharing the burden and is helping her family by believing them.
you know how old people tend to say "when I die..." often in this foreboding sort of tone, bcos you all know that it's not a far future? Yeah, I think they definitely expect it. And in this case, it being a tradition, I think she knew what was happening.
Coming from my own personal experiences (also chinese lmao) my entire family thought they were fooling both my great grandmas but they knew cuz of the tradition and customs. They just went along with it because they've already dealt with it themselves. Both of them just told me their POV cuz I asked, despite my parents saying no.
But she’s still alive
I had to drive an hour in a half to get to a theater that showed the Farewell but it was totally worth it
Same here!
Honestly I'm so glad I live in LA because of this. Do they have a Landmark or Alamo Drafthouse near you? Those are the best.
@@SuperMovieLvr933 The only theater I have here is a Regal. I have to drive an hour just to get IMAX.
Same. Drove 2 hours away. The film will probably be here in like 2 weeks but I couldn’t wait.
No, it's terrible
I just saw the movie and, even if it’s a small role, I keep thinking about the character Aiko like- she travels to a country where she doesn’t know the language with a boyfriend she’s only had for three months so that they can fake a wedding? Imagine having to do that, it’d be crazy
Also, no one ever asked how Hao Hao felt about all this too
I think that’s where you get the part where (I forgot if lulu or awkwafina said this) but with Asian culture there is a much more collective vs an American individualist mentality. They were willing to go along with it because there was a reason greater than the two of them.
I mean Aiko is Japanese, which has a collectivist culture more similar to China than American individualism, so she might've been ok with it. Aiko might even already be familiar with the custom of hiding terminal illnesses from elders.
This movie was the realization that I have never seen myself shown on screen authentically. I'm so immensely proud of how much Lulu had to fight to keep her vision and keep the cultural nuances. I watched in theaters and so many people were touched, one woman outright sobbed aloud. This is real life, no labels needed.
If only mainstream Hollywood films were like this
People need to stop putting people in a box. No one is just one thing.
Othnielle love i agree, but unfortunately that’s the way Hollywood is playing. Since original movies don’t make the money that blockbusters do, they try their best to water down the idea to the most accessible film possible.
As someone who saw the film and hearing what producers suggested, I’m glad Lulu stuck to her story.
Bird box
@Travis Houze also the fact that Hollywood wants to Americanize and glorify everything like it’s suppose to be a joke. NOT EVERY MOVIE CAN HAVE A HAPPY ENDING. Unfortunately, Hollywood fails to see that.
The likes are 666 now
But seriously this is true because it leads to a lot of cliches in films and some times terrible movies
This happened to my family exactly. My grandma did not want to hear what she had if she had some sort of disease, (she ended up having pulmonary hypertension and passing away from a heart attack). My entire family had to live with her knowing she had only months to live but had to pretend as if she was fine FOR her. When I first heard about this movie I couldn’t help but remember that and think about how many family’s are often put in this position out of love for their loved one. It blows my mind
Same with my relatives. My grandfather’s sister died of dementia and my grandmother died of cancer, neither of them ever knew. Even now, no one’s told my grandfather that his sister is dead because they think at his age, it’s too much suffering to know that his sister’s dead. I have another relative with a brain tumor and he doesn’t know anything about it.
The fact that A24 let's her tell her story the way she wants to tell it reminds me why I love A24 so much
I want to see this film so bad. The individualism vs collectivism debate is something I struggle w as an Asian born in America. Also as a good movie centered on an Asian experience, I want to get my family to see it. It might too on the nose for my dad tho because his mom’s health (my Nai) has been getting worse over the last year or so and I don’t want to pain him
Lily L. I feel the same, I wanted my family to see it too but my grandfather just passed and it’s too raw for them. I thought it would help but it’s too much for them now, eventually though. I know I really appreciate the story being told
i recently saw it with my dad (i’m chinese american). and it was hard watching it considering the emotional story(and the connection in which my dad lost his dad to cancer) but allowed me to understand the tradition and culture that i was unaware of. the film is 100% recommended
Lily L. Too much individualism, you don’t care for the community. Too much collectivism, you lose yourself.
saw it with my mother (shes from Taiwan) and her friend, I'll admit, some parts of it hit a little harder than I want to admit. The individual VS collective is a tough thing for me to come to terms with as well. Feels like two brains tugging at me.
You should watch it. It's really good!
I'm Chinese-American and in my family, the most severe situation was my mom keeping my grandfather's death a secret from the family for half a decade (he died in the states under her care). The other day an Asian person told me I wasn't a "real Asian" because I didn't live in Asia. The nuances between race, ethnicity, and nationality are really fascinating to me, so I loved this movie highlighting the differences between being Chinese vs Chinese-American. Lots of infighting against our own race because of Western vs Eastern ideals. Asian-Americans are often considered the invisible minority group, so I'm glad our stories are finally being heard.
One of my former subscribers thought that he had my black card revoked since I didn't know that many R&B singers and I was born in the 90s and my parents have control the radio
Same! But from a West Indian perspective. I'm glad more of Asian American stories are being told on the big screen.
Asians are the second largest race in America after African Americans you are not invisible lmao I promise you
Its because asians are conformist culturally. So they just adopt what ever is popular. This is why people dont really respect asians. Yall worship whites too much and are desperate to assimilate.
@@JokerL1000 That's an over-exaggeration. Also you're missing the cultural context of being Asian American. We Asian Ams often are raised by Asian immigrants. These immigrants often don't understand or know what racism is because they grew up as the majority. So, they don't see things within the context of oppression and fighting against it. These people are like "Yeah, we're new immigrants. We want this to be our new home. Let's try to adapt to the culture." They don't have to think the way we Asian Americans think cause we're raised in America and we deal with the struggles of racism in the context of American society something our parents or grandparents don't understand. Since they don't understand they don't teach us about how to deal with racism, it's a complex thing they will never entirely get. But we do because we grew up in this environment. And we don't usually fight back or speak up because there weren't many avenues to assert yourself and address issues we specifically face in America. The U.S. doesn't have a long history with organizations or institutions that cater to Asian American issues because of how America see Asians until recently. They saw us as foreigners. People who would never fully be American and you don't offer institutional help for people you didn't regard as your fellow citizen for centuries. Asians having the right to obtain American citizenship is fairly recent, a little before the 1960's. And the other key is your family will often raise you believing in their home country and identify with the country to an unrealistic almost imaginative degree, cause they don't get that since you're raised here you'll be an American with American values and beliefs. So, you spend most of your life believing you belong to a country that the moment they interact with you, the moment you get there, you're like in a foreign country and there's awkwardness in how you interact with your ancestors homeland. And many truths reveal that you're not completely accepted by American society as a true American and you're not completely accepted by your ancestors' country because of your Western perspective and values. This is all exacerbated by the fact that when other Americans interact with you, they force you care about a country you don't know or understand all because that's where your ancestors are from and you look like the people. This feels even worse when a non-White American does it because they at some point been made to feel this. And Asians from Asia will always say to you "You're not a real American, you're not White." So, you're always raised living in a between space, between two worlds and cultures and the country you're raised in doesn't have institutions to help or have a history of helping you claim a piece of the American pie, at the good ol' American table. Then to you it might seem like worshipping White people, but to me it's something more deep and complex and very much has to deal with the immigrant and post-immigration experience of American society and culture.
I knew her [Billie] mom loved her because she defended her being broke because of following her art passion at dinner table. That's major, there's nothing more honest than dinner talk.
That hits the feels. Like your mom will nag at you but to others, she will defend you and praise you.
The last quote from the director's mother is wonderful. I've faced many cross roads in my life similar to that. At a time of weakness and exhausting from being alone. I talked to my mom, at age 23. I expected to hear what I always heard growing up, the route I must choose is not for happiness but for 'success'. Instead her words that night were different, she gave me her blessing to choose happiness. Pure, unfiltered, selfish, for me-myself-and I alone happiness. And I'll never forget, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders I didn't even realize I was carrying.
don't hate me but the doctor is looking fine 👀 2:35
Easy nai nai
squiggle doos lmao yessss
No homo
😭
Ok yess 👌🏾
The Farewell tricked, made us a clown, and quite possible, bamboozled us.
FUCK
Holy Shit it's Justin Y.
😦
IT WAS DIO THE WHOLE TIME!?!?!?!?!?!!?
its you
Liiiiissssten
Love hearing that word
I cried like a bitch when I saw this at Sundance. You hit every point perfectly.
It was to the point where I didn’t even realize that I was reading subtitles; it just felt natural and like everything was just understood
Yemi Abayomi is this on Netflix?
Now I'm really looking forward to seeing this movie! Sounds like a real and genuine film that has something to say! PS: loved the random clip of fleabag in the middle of the video, didn't see it coming and it made me laugh so hard!
I know exactly how it feels to be part of two worlds. How to feel split into two yet not comfortable in either. How to not know where your home is and know your parents did what they had and needed to do and try to silence all your hatred.
Lulu’s mum talking about the house was absolutely beautiful
This reminds me exactly why I followed your channel, you really have such a way of explaining movies, their backgrounds, and how it all ties in culturally. You really emphasize the importance of the cultural background and why stories like these are so important. I teared up with this video thinking about my abuela.
*SPOILERS*
The scene of them leaving in the taxi at the end and the grandma breaking down killed me, I had to fight my sobs back because they wouldn’t stop coming.
Paul V i didn’t even fight. I just let that scene destroy me.
Paul V same I wanted to cry but I felt I should cry at the end of the movie
I love Lulu. She's a real one.
I was on the fence about this movie when I saw the trailer because I rarely see Asian-American films that I can relate to. I am Chinese-Canadian, but grew up with, I would say, a heavier-than-normal influence of Chinese culture, but through Canadian parents. So Chinese culture was heavily emphasized, but not the social culture, if that makes sense.
Most Asian-American films I've seen approach the issue with either a clash where the Asian side is the butt of the joke or the Asian side being "odd." This never sat well with me. I don't know how The Farewell will fair, but after your review, I'll give it a chance. I am desperate for one I can really relate to.
BTW, the thing about elders not wanting to go to the hospital for the fear that something wrong would be found is also common in the Chinese community! These things do cross cultures and societies!
I feel this. American based movies always seem to make the other half into some kind of joke, or wrong in some way. It deprives the viewer of empathy, and disrespects the culture of whatever other country is involved. I get butthurt about things like that. Your culture, your heritage isn't a joke.
You’re absolutely right! It’s not just Asians either I realized with a lot of American films POC are always the joke we never get an actual serious roles it’s always a stereotypical role
Really? I’ve yet to see a film where the “Asian” side is the “butt of the joke,” but tbf there aren’t even many Asian American mainstream films. I instead tend to feel that it’s usually the Asian american/western experience is just grouped into being Asian (from Asia), only displaying traditional culture.
"Well, what genre is your life?" OMG REKT GET EM LULU
That seems so stupid that she kept being harassed to make the film a certain way. Other directors dont have to do things like that.
Man. This reminded me of my grandma's so much. They deserved happiness in every last moment. We did this with my great-abuela Ruby Rose but I honestly think she could've taken it. She was a BOSS who had already lost many fingers to frostbite. My great grandma Irene also went out not knowing and she was happy every single day of her life. My granny Mary though is the one that left me a meaningful sign. We were big readers. We would go to the library everyday, she pushed me to write and we would just sit together reading all the time. I was going through her books after she passed and I found one that actually hadn't existed yet. I only know this because years later, I decided to search for it, I learned it only came out in 2011....and she passed in 2007. I swear to God it was in my grandma's box. It was the same cover, the same author, the same embossing on the cover and that's how I learned about a Discovery of Witches.
The movie makes me ugly cry and that actual advice from Lulu's mom made me sob. Such a beautiful story that I connected deeply with as an immigrant myself and loosing my grandparents. So sad it didn't get the awards recognition it deserved. I hope Lulu continue fighting for and bringing forth her creative vision.
This was one of the best movies I've seen. So much about it resonated with me on a cultural level that transcends simple references. Stuff that can't be quantified... like the choice of music (or musical covers) in certain scenes, or the dialogue between family members, or the intonation with which certain things were said between characters. struck a chord so deep inside me that it took me right back to my childhood. Lulu Wang captured Asian families and Chinese culture so perfectly
I'm gonna rank Native grandparents up there with Mexican ones. Live for a thousand years, never go to the doctor, and just cure cancer with peyote and beer. At least, that was my family. 😆
That's because most mexican grandparents ARE natives.
@@phoenixfunny4517 Very true, I overlooked that fact. Islanders are similar, too. My auntie from the Philippines can wield la chancla with the proficiency of an abuela with a disobedient grandchild.
lulu did such a fantastic job and i have new respect for her. for her it wasn’t about money, it was telling an important story. how she grew up and her culture and her family. it really opens your eyes and it was also a way for people to connect and relate. such a cool thing
That sentence of your family planning dinner even before breakfast.... So many memories. I remember waking up and having to find a corner of the kitchen to have breakfast while everyone was preparing so much food for, anything, Christmas, birthday, new years....
this had me absolutely bawling for three hours after watching. all the tidbits of chinese culture thrown in and the ABSOLUTE accuracy of everything really -did something- to me that i cannot explain. i've lived this movie for its entirety and to watch my life back? priceless. i finally have genuine representation.
DEFINITELY the right decision. It was a breathe of fresh air to watch a story that didn't have typical tropes or cliches but showed realistic nuances and perspectives. I hope more intriguing stories like these will continue to come out in film
I went to see it alone yesterday because I knew none of my friends or family would be interested. I really enjoyed the movie. I like the perspective that was told.
The last quote was the same conversation i got with my mom when i decided to chase my dream again after I choose to left my broken past.
She told me to chase whatever I want, whenever i want, and said that she will always be proud of me and will always welcome me back home with a hug.
Daaaang the onion :')
This movie hit home with me,because my family did the same thing with my poppy when he was given 8 months to live after a cancer diagnosis.but the best part is he lived for another 10 years and passed away at the age of 93.
Although this isn't the main arch of the story, the nuance of feeling like you owe your parents vs living your own life hit heavy. As a Nigerian immigrant who came over to the U.S. when I was six, I feel so many parallels between my story and your analysis of this movie. I haven't seen this, heck, I didn't even know this was a thing, but this touched me so deeply. The part about seeing your passion as selfishness made me cry so hard because that's honestly where I am right now and I don't even know my passion yet... Or maybe I do and I'm just scared. Either way at the end with her mom telling her to in a sense choose herself....bruh. I know that's not my mom (yet), I became Lulu's surrogate sister and accepted that as if that was my mom loloolol.
I am deeeeffffinnnniiittteeelllllyyyy going to see this.
Awkwafina was so good in this. Her range was incredible.
The scene where the entire family went to a restaurant to eat and the two separate families started arguing was absolutely amazing. It is so true to the point it felt like a documentary. I love how the scene subtly presents the sensitive topics and it really captures the modern day Chinese family that is stuck between their own traditional views and the vast-pace globalization that is taking place.
I was legit sobbing by the time this movie ended. The staff had to give me tissues 😭
Aiko is a totally underrated character for *check notes* going to a foreign country where she doesn’t speak the language to have a fake wedding with a guy she just met just so his grandmother can have a last family meeting.
😭I’m crying I need to see this movie! My abuelita Lupita is my favorite person and I love her so much that my greatest fear is losing her, that makes it hard to see movies like this for me. I still haven’t seen Coco because they’re Mexican too and I heard the grandma dies lol but I sort of already went through this because I jokingly said I wanted a quinceanera and my parents said my abuelo was in such bad health that he may not make it to see anyone get married so they threw me the party as an excuse for everyone to get together. I like that though, I didn’t actually want a quince and luckily we did it pretty cheaply and he did enjoy it and pass away shortly after
“Where is there room for me, then?” What a fantastic quote
"what genre is this?"
A24: hold my camera
Part of my college orientation had us choose if we wanted to go to some museums or go see this film. I chose this. Best decision I made. It was amazing and so beautiful. Awkwafina and the grandmother had such a great relationship. I watched it with other students and I sat next to this really nice girl, and so during the movie I had to contain my tears since no one else had the same reaction. At the end everyone went "yeah it was alright" or "some shots looked weird" and I'm just sitting there thinking and reflecting, trying not to tear up.
This movie sounds so beautiful, and I love Awkwafina. I would have never heard of this movie if it hadn't been for you! Thank you so much for sharing! Do you know where we can find more films like this?
Try watching The Intouchables (French Movie). That was a freaking good one
Not gonna Iie I respect your perspective keep up the great work
Great video. The last part about how the mom told her daughter that she did not need a house becuase she already had one really hit me hard. Literally I cried in my car on the way to work at the insight into that moment of her life becuase it is my life as well. We sacrifice for our kids so that in the future they can blaze thier own path but we are hard on them and teach them in a way that we want them to remember what sacrifice is. So complex and so much love that shows itself in crazy ways.
I felt this movie on a personal level and could relate to it as a middle eastern person, it reminded me of when my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 3 years ago and how she still doesn't know that she has it till this very day, even billi's family reasons for not telling the grandmother felt so real and familiar, in the end this movie was a great watch and absolutely beautiful.
I love the little grandma & even more that the director cast her real aunty. This movie hit me hard as someone who is always in conflict with having Westernized mindset, but born & live in the East. You're always felt in conflict and not completely belong anywhere. The family dilemma here represents that full well.
How is it that this movie had me crying non-stop and now I'm crying again w all the info and background. This was easily my favorite movie from 2019
This is currently my life w my grandmother. She has advanced blood cancer. Doctor gave her maybe five years. We decided not to tell her. It breaks my heart every time she tells me she'll beat this
(im chinese american) once someone is announced sick, it is common that “friends” break off(don’t associate)to those sick, afraid of catching there bad luck. when my grandfather was sick with cancer, he lost many of his “friends”.
Mayonnaise suggestions 😭😭
I remember going to see it with my family, and aunt's family (we're chinese) and that's the first time I saw any of my family member cry during a movie.
I just watched this movie and the theme i got out of this was to Spend as much time with your older loved ones as you can, because you dont know the last time you will ever see them again until its too late... My grandpa is 71 years old and isnt getting any younger so this movie reminded me that he isnt gonna be here forever and there is inevidebly gonna be a time when i have to say goodbye to him so i should cherish each moment i have with him here until it actually happens, i dont talk/call him as much as i should and i hate myself for that.. I need to do better
"A lot of people have gone through this"
I have never realized that people fake weddings to see their dying grandparents is common thing
Difference between Westerners and easterners watching this:
Easterners know the grandma knows. Westerners think she's oblivious.
This is a great movie imo, but it's still a movie for ABCs and Westerners (or people who are westernised). I don't think people in China will respond to this, just like they didn't respond to crazy rich Asians. To all the Westerners out there, please be clear that this story is the story of someone who grew up in America, not China. It's not Disney, but it's not that far off. So take it with a grain of salt and don't think it represents Chinese culture! The message of #callyourgrandma is great though.
This is a truth Western Asians have a hard time grasping. A lot of us think that we have a racial bond/solidarity because we're all Asian. That isn't something Asians from Asia feel, Asian Westerners feel this because we've been reduced to our race in the context of the Western societies we grew up in. Asian Westerners have a hard time understanding that race and racism isn't something most Asians from Asia think about.
harryginnyalways I think that’s the point though. Cause this isn’t an Asian film and it isn’t an American film. It’s an Asian- American film. It isn’t telling a story from the perspective of an Asian from Asian it’s telling the story from the perspective of an Asian from America. In America Asian-Americans have the least representation, so of course films like this and crazy rich asians will do well. Cause even if they are ABC stories they make room for more complex story’s to be told in the future.
Asian -AMERICAN stories aren’t told enough. Being Asian American is a completely different experience from being “Asian.” And this is an Asian American movie. Despite what I just said, every Asian and Asian-American had a different story and experience, and lulu was just telling hers. This wasn’t some sort of token movie to display traditional Chinese culture.
The whole cast was amazing. I want to see Awkwafina win Best Actress. If she gets nominated, she will be the first Asian actress nominated for a lead role since 1935
Your wish came true. Best Actress win at the Golden Globes for Comedy.
I'm so glad this movie exists. It's so accented. I appreciate the film being the film the director wanted.
that end of the video made me tear up! so much respect for this woman
Arturo... Maybe I saw a later release but the the actual grandmother was shown at the end of the theatrical release I attended and she is indeed still alive.
Also, the crier in the funeral scene was a hired crier. It sounded like you referred to them as relation to the family. This is someone that Chinese pay to come and make a big show so that no one losses face. Really interesting. :)
Great video!
this review brought me to tears 😭 wow
When you first posted this video I was dying to see it (because I love all your videos), but resistantly held back and waited until I saw the movie first myself. Let me tell you, I am SO glad I did! Having seen the movie first made this LME so much more meaningful, and I’m glad I went into the movie without knowing the nuances and underlying meaning, because I loved discovering it myself. Then having you reaffirm it and add the real quotes from her and her family made it all the more tear-jerking. Go watch this movie if you haven’t seen it!
This reminds of something similar that happened to my family where an aunt of mine was getting married so all the family come back home from all over the world for the wedding, but after they all leave, her father passes away and they all come back right after. I remember one part where my aunt's sister was just sobbing walking up to the house after just getting back from the airport
I just watched The Farewell yesterday so this video could have not come at a better time. Thank you for making this! There was a lot of interesting information you included that I wasn’t aware of.
Can we give some props to the actor playing the groom ? His on the verge of a breakdown look is heartbreaking
I just saw the movie with my mom, and she said there's a old saying, that's pretty common in Taiwan, that having a wedding will help cure a sickness. The music and sound design was amazing. The silence is especially potent and effective.
My husband's family does this but my family is slowly trying to stop that. We did it with my great grandma and her generation, but my abuelita waited 12 years to check a lump on her neck and THEN decided to tell everyone about it, and so we were all in the loop after it was confirmed to be cancer. It was very sad and difficult to see her slowly dieing but it was very loving to be able to gather around her and everyone was able to say goodbye. My husband wasn't able to have that with his grandma, but was able to do that with his grandpa after they had to tell him about his cancer after a bunch of crazy events.
Lulu deserves such credit for sticking to her guns & she could even share it with her loved ones
I watched The Farewell with my friend and we both liked it but this video definitely made me appreciate it more because of all the backstory with the director.
The way that you relate to this brought soo much more depth to this analysis. I really enjoyed this aspect of it!
You did such a lovely job with this review. Just saw it today. I’m so white, American born, grew up in the south . . . hearing you tell about your similar experiences being Mexican . . . well, just thanks for giving me more insight into the cultural nuances.
Loved the movie and your video made me appreciated even more, thank you for the research about the director and the context! Great video! 🤗
Saw it on a plane in a middle seat, so two strangers got to see me sob.
i kinda love how everyone went with the Lie, even possibly Grandma, because being together > lie
Wow, for me this really highlights the importance of making room for immigrant American films because this didn't fit into the Chinese or American film industry molds. These stories are important, the people telling them are valuable to our culture.
I REALLY enjoyed this LME video. Can really hear the excitement and passion in your explanation.
Saw this movie over the weekend and just absolutely adore it! Really happy she went with the lower bid to keep the story she wanted to tell untarnished by bigger distributers who wanted to warp such a beautifully poignant film to some empty commercialized dramedy to fit an Americanized audience. I think that movie distributers and producers who think that way have little faith that one could empathize or feel anything for someone who doesn't look white. Right now, The Farewell is my favorite film of the year thus far.
I cried with the quotes... it hits too close to home
That last quote from the mom, made me cry
Can't wait till the end to comment!!! A few years ago a film called For Here or to Go came out, limited release, hard to get on streaming. I was able it because I happen to live in Silicon Valley where it takes place, and half the movies in our theater are not in English. It's half Hind half English, and tackles some of the difficulties of Indians in America working in tech and here on work visas. It's an incredible look into the subculture that is really fascinating. It's a bit biased and doesn't go into some of the internal hiring practices, but that isn't the point of a 2 hour film.
Just kidding, it's NOW available on Netflix. But it wasn't available anywhere for a long time!
I related to the scene where Billi talks about her move to America so much. I moved to America also at age 6 from Korea to Utah where there are no Asian people. I haven’t been there since I was 7. I am 19 now and I realized that when I go back I won’t recognize it anymore since it’s changed so much.
Wow, Thanks for your great and insightful review! I saw the film last week and would highly recommend it.
I have a lot of respect for Ms. Wang for sticking to her artistic integrity. She'll be all the better off for it. I will look forward to more of her films. in the future.
I just wanted to mention some subtle shots in the film that I appreciated a lot (Minor Spoilers Below).
1. I love the scene of Billi walking down the hallway of the hotel and watching some Chinese people in another room -- around her age playing Mahjong, talking and smoking. It was a short shot without dialogue, but I could almost feel Billi reflecting on how different she and her life would be different if her parents hadn't emigrated to the US.
2. There are some brief, inconsequential shots: A guy in the lion dance costume smoking a cigarette, some waitresses checking their smart phones, a boy visiting the grave of his grandfather, but still paying a digital gaming device. Having lived in China for a few years, these are all realistic scenes that further ground the context into that reality, but reflecting on these brief images, it seems to imply the ongoing nature of life: Children are born, adults get married, eventually they pass away, time passes and life for everyone else goes on.
I just back from watching this movie and it was GREAT! Like you said in the video, I love how they didn't have to explain every least little cultural thing that the family did, from the lie, to the drinking game, to when they visited the grandfather's grave. It was better to let the audience take in what they saw and pick up on the cues/emotions of the characters and figure it out for themselves. The east vs. west perspective of each side of the family was really interesting too since it caused a bit tension between the family, like at the dinner table scene. I noticed the bird showing up in 2 scenes as well and I wondered if it had any significance, but now I understand why it was there. As a person who isn't that familiar with all aspects of Asian culture, this film has taught me a lot and wish there were more movies like this is theaters.
"If your family don't wake up planning dinner before you even had breakfast" that comment hit home lol my mom would start dinner at 12 and that's what u would eat on all day And than tomorrow for breakfast. Growing up in a Spanish home was the best
When a watched the trailer a couple weeks ago it was the first time I've ever cried over a trailer.
Came back to say, I actually sat down to watch this recently and I really enjoyed it.
The main character pissed me off at times but I could see it was just a difference in values plus she’s a bit too reliant on her emotions. I really enjoyed the grandma and mother. The scene with the shady aunt had me laughing and I almost cried when the uncle was on stage.
I was honestly shocked at the end twist and made me question whether what they did was actually the right thing to do.
Watched it yesterday and totally agree with your points and didnt know it was based on the director exactly and that the aunt was the actual sister, that's brilliant. Love that she stuck with making sure the story remained true, so good.
Honestly I don’t know if I’d be pissed if my family did this to me or grateful. I’d be glad I left this world peacefully and not scared but also i would of spent all my money on traveling and living life to the fullest before I went.
Ok, that last quote with the mom made me cry a bit? Can't wait for the movie to get here, if it even gets here.
The dynamic of individualist vs. group mentality within a family was so interesting and kind of new in cinema. There's always this bratty main character who the audience fall in love with [Ladybird, Booksmart, Ferris Bueler, Igby Falls Down] and here it was everyone.
Wow! Thank you for sharing the story behind the story!
after that last quote, I'm crying all over again
I loved this movie!!!!! Watched in on a plane and cried like a little baby
That last quote completely destroyed me.
I cried watching this movie , made me wish i had a chance to be with my grandmother on her last moments... she died unexpectedly...
they showed Shin Godzilla in America for a couple weeks and it made 77 million dollars. It was 100% Japanese production. I loved it. You should watch it as well.
wow that last quote just made me ugly cry.