Perhaps a bit of a superfluous comparison but Patrick Wang's A Great Wall reminded me quite a lot of Lulu Wang's The Farewell. Both films wrestle with Asian American identity - the juxtaposition of Western vs. Eastern principles and the familial elements disrupted by diaspora and cultural stratification but for-my-money, A Great Wall manages to be far more incisive in its execution due largely to how well it balances its depiction of both cultures. Both films rely on comedic sensibilities which come at the expense of cultural disparity yet A Great Wall's comedy is met with overwhelming respect and admiration towards the complexities of identity, elucidating the false binary of individual/collective in a way which The Farewell - being much more attached to one principal lead character - Awkwafina - simply cannot manage. Showing respect for the individual despite the tenets of collective culture, the film's exploration of identity manages to skewer crude notions of individualism vs. collectivism, delivering through its narrative schematics multi-varied and complex characterizations which feel fully-formed and uniquely singular despite their cultural background and lived-in experiences. The ensemble nature aids the film's exploration of culture and identity, as A Great Wall manages to be quite funny while also carrying a genuine tenderness that evinces the film's underlying commentary centered around family, identity, and culture.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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