Maybe if I were a Westerner, I would've appreciated this more. I like quiet, thoughtful films, especially those featuring new cultures. But there is a thin line between portrayal and exoticism. Though the film hits the right notes when it comes to family, attitudes on death, and grief, I feel a lot of the supposed tension between the East and West was a little lost here, pandering instead to the Western taste of the exotic East, thus giving a rather shallow treatment to the whole thing. I adored Zhou Shuzhen in this film; I feel that she was the only one who exceptionally shined here, taking her character to the next level. I don't agree with those who say this is a bad film as I see its merits, but I do also note the fact that it banked more on the diversity (sometimes just a ten dollar word for exotic) rather than an actual good, solid storyline.
Review of The Farewell
