Writer-director Lulu Wang has made a film about a Chinese custom and tradition that seems to make little sense to American custom and tradition. Wang's film is as much a critique of that custom and tradition that one could make while still being respectful of that custom and tradition. The custom is about the health of an elderly person. A grandmother is diagnosed with a terminal illness, that of lung cancer and the family of the grandmother decide not to tell her what the diagnosis is, so that she doesn't have to be burdened with that news. In China, this is viewed as not malpractice or unethical due to Chinese culture being one of collectivism. It contrasts with American culture, which is viewed more individualistic. Now, if the film simply wanted to express that collectivist or Communist view, that's fine. The way that Wang's film is designed, she's not simply expressing that point-of-view or that perspective. The design of the narrative is such that that perspective is questioned or challenged.
One might take my criticism as an American not understanding or being ignorant of a foreign culture's customs and traditions, which I am, but a film like any piece of art exists to the audience or observer to question or challenge, so I don't feel out of place by doing so. Even if I were out of place, the narrative itself questions or challenges the specific custom and tradition. It does so through its protagonist. My criticism is simply that it doesn't do so adequately or to any kind of engaging degree. Wang's film merely provides a platform for great performances from its main actor as well as its supporting cast. It also provides insight into the rationale and collective thinking of the Chinese society, but that's about it, and even in that, it doesn't go far enough.
Awkwafina (
Crazy Rich Asians and
Ocean's Eight) stars as Billi, an aspiring writer in New York City who is applying for a Guggenheim Fellowship. She has a really, great relationship with her paternal grandmother, simply called Nai Nai. Her parents tell her that Nai Nai has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and only has a few months left to live. Billi decides to fly to China where Nai Nai and the rest of her family live in order to spend time with her grandmother before her inevitable death. The Chinese custom of nondisclosure of terminal health news to the elderly is one of which she wasn't aware and doesn't agree at first. She does go along with it though.
All of the family gather to spend time with Nai Nai in her last few months. In order to make Nai Nai not suspicious, the family stages a wedding between her male cousin and his Japanese girlfriend. The ruse or pretense of this wedding informs a bit of the comedy. Otherwise, this film is a straight-forward and plain drama. As such, the whole thing is fine. I wouldn't argue that there's anything overly compelling. Its value doesn't extend beyond something like
Crazy Rich Asians, which was mostly just a signpost for Asian and Asian-American representation on the big screen.
Shuzhen Zhao co-stars as Nai Nai, the grandmother who is very happy-go-lucky despite having this terminal diagnosis. She goes through this movie blissfully unaware of her medical condition, which is the subject of debate as it defies credulity. This film posits that she has no clue that she's dying or that her doctors think she's dying. Yet, she's portrayed as this lively, very smart and very observant woman with all her wits and faculties about her. Therefore, it defies credulity that she wouldn't reason or learn by herself that her health is in danger, which she supposedly doesn't.
First off, I'm not sure what the symptoms are for a person with lung cancer and maybe each person with that particular cancer experiences it differently. Nai Nai doesn't seem to exhibit much of any symptoms, certainly not any that would indicate that she has a terminal disease. She doesn't seem to have any debilitating symptoms at all. This film takes place over a short period of time, presumably only a few days, so perhaps that short period of time represents a reprieve from symptoms, which I suppose is possible, but how long could that last?
Secondly though, even if she didn't have cancer, it's explained that this custom is one that most people in China know and that Nai Nai herself practiced for her late husband. The ruse of her grandchild's wedding might be clever, but Nai Nai's astuteness is sacrificed or tossed out the window if she can't tell that the people around her aren't really in a celebratory mood but a mournful one. She's particularly less astute when it comes to reading Billi and her facial expressions, which would make it obvious that something's wrong.
The fundamental idea behind this custom also is excused without any exploration. It's simply stated that it relieves Nai Nai or whatever elderly person of the burden. I didn't learn if this custom is only directed at the elderly or is any person with a terminal diagnosis given this treatment of being the subject of lies? It's not clear why it's a burden. If it's a custom that Nai Nai knows about and has done to her own husband, it's reasonable to assume that she might want the same done to her but one is never sure how one would feel until you're in that specific situation.
There's also the issue that if her family ignores her diagnosis, then they must also ignore her treatment. While there is no cure for cancer, there is treatment that people can undergo, which can sometimes help to extend that person's life or even put that person into remission. By denying that treatment, they're also denying Nai Nai or whatever elderly person treatment to extend their life or improve their quality of life during their illness. This ruse would only work if the elderly person had a terminal condition that was totally painless and not inhibiting at all, which seems unlikely.
This film is based on Lulu Wang's actual experience and her actual grandmother. If a painless and symptom-free, lung cancer is what her grandmother's experience was, I can't dispute it. It just seems unlikely that that would be everybody's experience that this custom would even be able to hold up across the board. I suppose it doesn't matter though, given that this film doesn't really want to examine this custom any more deeply.
Rated PG for brief language and some smoking.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 40 mins.
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