Script Analysis: “The Farewell” — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

After a first pass, it’s time to crack open the script for a deeper analysis and you can do that by creating a scene-by-scene breakdown. It is precisely what it sounds like: A list of all the scenes in the script accompanied by a brief description of the events that transpire.

For purposes of this exercise, I have a slightly different take on scene. Here I am looking not just for individual scenes per se, but a scene or set of scenes that comprise one event or a continuous piece of action. Admittedly this is subjective and there is no right or wrong, the point is simply to break down the script into a series of parts which you then can use dig into the script’s structure and themes.

The value of this exercise:

• We pare down the story to its most constituent parts: Scenes.
• By doing this, we consciously explore the structure of the narrative.
• A scene-by-scene breakdown creates a foundation for even deeper analysis of the story.

Today: The Farewell (2019). You can download the script here.

Written by Lulu Wang.

IMDb plot summary: A Chinese family discovers 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.

The Farewell
Scene by Scene Breakdown
By Karen Dantas
GoIntoTheStory.com

1–4: Under the glow of institutional fluorescent lighting, the formidable NAI NAI (80) answers her Americanized grand-daughter BILLI WANG’s (30) phone call. Intercut between Nai Nai’s morning in a hospital in China and Billi navigating the night streets of New York City as they both expertly lie to each other about what they are doing, where they are, and how they are keeping themselves.

4–5: Nai Nai completes a CT scan. As she gets dressed, her sister LITTLE NAI NAI consults with DOCTOR WU and it is clear she is receiving terrible news. As Little Nai Nai approaches her sister to deliver the results, she makes a decision, musters her courage, and confirms to the distressed Nai Nai that the shadows were only benign. Nai Nai looks at her sister’s beaming smile, and becomes convinced.

5–6: Nai Nai’s younger son and Billi’s father, HAIYAN WANG (late 50’s), holds court in his dining room before family and friends. He tells a funny story about a man that upon his wife’s return home from a trip, the first thing he says is “Honey, your cat is dead.” The wife reprimands him by instructing him to be more gentle in delivering such news, with the example to ease it in with “Listen, honey…. your cat… it got on the roof… “ Haiyan ends his tale with the punchline that upon his wife’s return from another trip, he says, “Listen, honey, you know your Mom… she got on the roof… “ which results in Billi and her mother JIAN LU chuckling along with everyone surrounding the table.

6–9: After her parent’s dinner party, Billi returns home to her darkened apartment, just in time to be startled by a small house bird which Billi releases out the window. As Billi scrambles to collect her mail from the ground, Nai Nai calls her back. Intercut between Nai Nai’s and Billi’s apartments, highlighting their 12 hour difference. It is evident that these two are very close and care very much about each other. As they continue to chat, Billi opens an envelope, to reveal a rejection letter from the Guggenheim Foundation, and struggles to conceal from Nai Nai the news and her feelings of failure.

9 : Next day, in the laundromat, Billi encounters her landlord, the LAUNDROMAT OWNER and the landlord’s daughter, SHIRLEY, who berate her for missing the previous and current month’s rent. Her writing career cannot pay the bills.

10–12: Billi goes to her parents’ home to do her laundry for free. Jian offers to make some wontons, but complains that Billi only seeks her parents when she needs money. Billi notices the home is eerily quiet. While Jian chops scallions, she informs Billi that her cousin HAO HAO is getting married to his girlfriend of only a few months, and suggests that Billi not attend. Billi is immediately suspicious and as she queries whether her young but only cousin has knocked up his girlfriend as the reason for the quick wedding, her mother deflects by asking her “How many wontons you want?” and pulls Billi into an argument of how many wontons she should eat.

12–15: Billi seeks out her father, hiding in his bedroom. She asks him what is wrong, assuming wrongfully that her parents were fighting and that he had been drinking again. Haiyan is fighting back tears. Billi is terrified by the silence and his emotional state, then demands to know what is going on. Her mother enters the room, and bluntly tells her that Nai Nai is dying of stage 4 lung cancer, and then drops the bombshells that not only does Nai Nai not know, the doctor only gives her another 3 months at best to live. Billi insists on calling her, when her father snaps out of his grief and dictates to Billi that the family has decided not to tell her, and that it was his idea to plan a fake wedding so the family will have an excuse to see her. The final blow is when her parents inform her that they all think that it is better that she not attend because she is unable to hide her emotions and betray the secret.

15: Zombie-like, Billi returns to her apartment. At a friend’s birthday party in Brooklyn, she does her best to sing along, but everyone can see she is distressed.

16: After spotting an ELDERLY CHINESE WOMAN waiting for her train on the NYC Subway platform, Billi makes a decision, her grief changing into determination.

16: Billi struggles to orient herself in Changchun Airport, China. The sea of Chinese faces is overwhelming, with only her faltering Mandarin to help her. She takes a taxi to Nai Nai’s apartment. It’s been a while since she last travelled there..

16: Billi gets out of the taxi in front of a group of Peach Buildings, where Nai Nai lives. She climbs the stairs, not sure if she is prepared for the challenge she is about to face.

17–19: Nai Nai’s companion/roommate, MR. LI (80’s), admits her in, surprised and excited. As Billi searches for Nai Nai, she moves into the living room, to the shocked reaction of her family, which include her father’s older brother UNCLE HAIBIN (early 60’s), her AUNTIE LING (60), the pimple-faced cousin Hao Hao (early 20’s), and his sweet but confused Japanese bride, AIKO. Nai Nai is overjoyed to see Billi, but Little Nai Nai, her father and mother all question why she has come. As Nai Nai joyfully embraces her, Billi fights for control of her emotions, while the other family members observe her carefully.

19–20: Jian, Little Nai Nai, and Nai Nai’s housekeeper, MRS. GAO, prepare food for everyone. Billi embraces Little Nai Nai, who is making Billi’s favourite dish, meat pies. Billi speaks to her mother in English, asking her not to be angry, while her mother questions her how she was able to pay for her ticket. Billi puts on a big smile and assures her mother that everything is fine, and goes to help set the table.

20–23: The family eats, making small talk about the food. Nai Nai is beaming at the sight of everyone gathered together, praising the fact that it has been over 20 years since all have been united like this. Little Nai Nai remarks that Haiyin left China for the States 25 years ago, while Haibin left for Japan shortly after. The attention turns to the next generation, Hao Hao and Billi. Auntie Ling cruelly remarks that neither speak Chinese well, while Haibin prompts his son to speak to Nai Nai in Chinese. Hao Hao is clearly not doing well restraining his emotions, reluctantly obeys, requesting that he keep his wedding banquet small. Nai Nai declares that this is a celebration of her only grandson, and that she refused to look cheap. Nai Nai then notices that Billi was not eating, and force feeds her one of the meat pies. Billi reluctantly eats, but then seeks refuge in the bathroom. She returns to the table, and Nai Nai is genuinely concerned for her, but the other family members remind her silently not to expose the plot.

23–25: Billi walks with her Uncle Haibin back to the hotel the family is staying in. Her uncle lectures her on what is going on, and it is clear he is not hearing her polite responses that she is aware of the plan. She feels he is testing her, and with a sigh, gives him all the correct answers.

25–28: Billi and Uncle Haibin arrive at the hotel, at the same time as a group of lively businessmen with their mistresses. It’s that kind of a hotel. As the Hotel Manager MICHAEL (late 20’s) checks the group in first, Uncle Haibin checks to ensure Billi can take it from there and returns to Nai Nai’s apartment, with the direction to get some sleep. As Michael leads Billi up the many flights of stairs to her room, she has to stop to catch her breath. They discuss the fact that she is visiting from America, but Michael tells her that she doesn’t “look American.” Then he asks her why was she visiting, leading Billi to debate which answer to give him. She decides to stick with the lie. He continues to ask about her family and if she prefers China to America, all deeply personal questions that Billi deflects by changing the subject and by dismissing him.

28–29: The next morning, Billi does morning exercises with Nai Nai at her apartment. Nai Nai schools her and challenges her to improve, urging her to yell “HA!” louder and to breathe in deeper. It’s a brief but welcome respite as Billi obeys and laughs at herself.

29–32: Billi and Mrs. Gao set out a traditional Chinese breakfast for the assembled family members. GU GU (Aunt Chen YuPing, 40’s) rings and waltzes in, dragging her little emperor son, LITTLE BAO (8) behind her and orders him to address Billi by her title (ranking in the family tree.) Billi exclaims politely at how big “Little Bao” has grown, to which he barks back at her to address him as just “Bao.” Nai Nai diffuses the tension by calling everyone to eat. After commanding everyone’s attention, she reminds everyone that though everyone is excited to see her, that they need to not forget about the real reason why they are gathered together, and to focus on the wedding. Everyone responds a little too enthusiastically. Nai Nai then sidles up to Jian who is helping with the clean up and asks her discreetly why Haiyan seems off — is he still drinking? Is their marriage in trouble? Power games. Jian gets defensive, especially when Nai Nai lectures her on how to take care of her husband.

32–34: Nai Nai returns to the dining table, and informs everyone to lie to the attending guests that Hao Hao and Aiko have been dating a year, to avoid scandal. Billi and Haiyan insist on accompanying her to the banquet hall to see how the wedding banquet arrangements are going. Gu Gu offers to take Billi and Haiyan to a massage parlor, to which Nai Nai enthusiastically agrees, to Billi’s disappointment.

34–35: As Nai Nai and Uncle Haibin meet with the WEDDING COORDINATOR, Nai Nai is in hysterics. She accuses the coordinator of scamming them, that she had booked a set meal with lobster, not crab! While the Wedding Coordinator calls for LITTLE PING, a young cook, to bring in the BANQUET CHEF, the Coordinator tries to divert Nai Nai’s attention by asking her to select an alcohol option. Nai Nai smugly announces that they will have their own champagne, to Uncle Haibin’s surprise. She furthers throws into his face that his younger brother Haiyan brought with him several cases of expensive-looking French champagne. Uncle Haibin tries to reclaim his status by saying that Chinese people are not accustomed to drinking champagne, and that she should order Baijiu, a Chinese spirit. The Banquet Chef enters, confirming that the meal that was ordered is crab, that he was never informed anything about lobster, leading to Nai Nai to cause a scene, ending with her coughing and collapsing into a chair. Uncle Haibin rushes to reassure her that crab is great and to not get worked up. Nai Nai sighs dramatically and asks for a moment to rest.

36–39: At the Massage Parlor, Haiyan asks Billi on the status of her fellowship application. Billi lies and says she still hasn’t heard anything. He presses her, demanding to know if she can even afford this trip, and if she needs help. Billi snaps back with an “I’m fine.” Gu Gu enters with the MASSAGE PARLOR RECEPTIONIST, and orders for them various treatments, clearly establishing herself as the one paying and in control. She also tosses a sly insult on the family by announcing to the receptionist that Billi is from America and her Chinese is weak, and continues to speak in rapid Chinese, too fast for Billi to understand. As an indecisive Haiyan is lead away to inspect the tub for an herbal bath treatment and massage, Billi paces, and Gu Gu alleviates the tension by teasing that the masseuses might give her father a “hit the airplane” treatment. Billi is confused, but when Gu Gu explains that it is basically a rub-and-tug, to which Billi bursts out in laughter.

39–40: Billi and Gu Gu chat as they get their respective massage treatments — each cringing in pain, with the MASSEUSES admonishing them that a little pain is normal, and commanding them to relax. Billi asks Gu Gu whether they should tell Nai Nai the truth, and to give Nai Nai the chance to say good-bye. Gu Gu’s response is incredulous. “That’s so painful! What’s the point of that?” She pragmatically states that if they tell her, it will ruin Nai Nai’s good mood. Billi considers this angle, while wincing in pain from her treatment meant to induce relaxation.

40–44: Aiko and Hao Hao awkwardly pose in a wedding photography studio, in their elaborate wedding attire. Nai Nai instructs Aiko sternly in Chinese to look more in love, to which Aiko doesn’t understand. Nai Nai then converses with Billi, criticizing Hao Hao’s bride, while Billi tries to defend her. As Aiko and Hao Hao continue on with the comical fake wedding photoshoot in the background, Nai Nai takes advantage of this moment to have an intimate conversation with Billi. It’s obvious she adores her granddaughter. Nai Nai reveals that her parents had sacrificed their egg rations so that Billi can have them when she was a sickly toddler, only to have their nanny steal them. Nai Nai then instructed her parents to let her raise Billi for a year to “fix her” and get her healthy again. She further teaches Billi on how to behave at this wedding, how to represent herself and bring honour to her family, and reminds her to be generous in spirit, not to be a selfish, closed-off person. Nai Nai extracts a promise from Billi.

44–49: In a private dining room at a restaurant, the family is joined by GU FU, Gu Gu’s husband, and two more cousins, SUN AO (early 40’s), and his wife NICO. Gu Gu pours beer for everyone and leads a toast, praising the beaming face of Nai Nai. The family indulges and celebrates, even Nai Nai is challenged to drain her glass as her family cheers. Inevitably, the conversation shifts to comparing the grandchildren, and whether to raise them in China or in America is better, as Jian and Gu Gu engage in a battle of wits. Billi tries to break the tension by pointing out in English to her mother that America is not the utopian paradise and has its own problems. Jian responds by lashing out that perhaps Billi should move back to China. Haiyan tries to support his wife by making a joke that his family is technically American, but it falls flat. Nai Nai reminds them to remember their Chinese roots. Gu Gu sends a shot that Nai Nai’s children have abandoned her, leaving her to grow old alone. While Haiyan and Uncle Haibin grow quiet with guilt, Nai Nai takes command to enjoy the fact that everyone is home together, and to make this a happy occasion, but the damage is already done.

49–50: Everyone returns to their hotel rooms, while Billi lags behind the group. She observes a mahjong game in progress, played by drunk middle-aged men. A SEXY WOMAN, possibly a paid escort, catches Billi’s eye, and they acknowledge each other’s performative roles.

50: Nai Nai, Mr. Li, and Little Nai Nai return to the apartment. Nai Nai is coughing. Little Nai Nai is concerned, but Nai Nai waves her off. “It’s probably the flu. I’ll be fine. Don’t mention it to anyone, I don’t want them to worry.” Little Nai Nai nods, grappling with the consequences from the lie, and then leaves.

50–51: In her hotel room, Billi lifts her shirt, and inspects her bruised back in the mirror, the results of the cupping treatment that was supposed to relax her. She is awakened by voices in the hallway outside. As she opens her eyes, she discovers a small house bird, much like the one in her apartment in NYC. The voices escalate into shouting, and Billi jumps out of bed to investigate. Uncle Haibin rushes past her, shouting for them to hurry up. Billi spots her father getting dressed. Little Nai Nai’s voice is heard through Uncle Haibin’s speakerphone, giving them directions to the hospital, where Nai Nai has gone.

51–56: Nai Nai sits on the exam table, accompanied by Mrs. Gao. Billi, Haiyan, Hao Hao, and Uncle Haibin rush in. Nai Nai is clearly annoyed, and admonishes them for coming. Nai Nai notices the fear on Billi’s face, and brushes off her hospital visit, saying that she was just there to pick up medicine. Billi grasps Nai Nai’s hand, and brings it to her face. She absorbs the touch and scent of her grandmother’s hand, and kisses it. While Nai Nai continues to protest that she is fine, Billi decides that it was time to tell her the truth. As Billi begins to talk, Nai Nai interrupts her with an impassioned speech that she does not need to worry. Nai Nai’s lived a long life. All she needs to be satisfied is for Billi to be successful and to have a good life. Their conversation is interrupted by the entrance of the young and handsome DOCTOR SONG, who turns out to have been British educated. He and Billi converse in English about Nai Nai’s true condition, and Billi learns that he too is going along with the family plan to deceive Nai Nai. Billi is shocked to learn that Doctor Song went through a similar situation with his own grandmother, saying that it is a good lie, and that this is very common practice for families in China. Doctor Song wraps up by speaking to Nai Nai in Chinese that her cough is residual infection from the pneumonia she experienced earlier, and proposes another X-Ray just as a precaution.

56–58: While Nai Nai is in another room, getting ready for her X-Ray, Haiyan paces in front of the family. He asks the gathered members whether they should tell her the truth and make plans for various members to stay with her. Uncle Haibin jumps in saying they can still make those plans without informing her. Billi and Haiyan try to explain that in America, the lie would be considered illegal. While Uncle Haibin protests that they are not in America, Little Nai Nai cuts in, stating that she will know when it is the proper time. She then drops the bombshell to everyone that Nai Nai herself lied to Billi’s grandfather/Haiyan’s father when he had cancer, and only told him when it was near the end, explaining that Nai Nai thought it would be cruel to let him leave this world without knowing what got him. Little Nai Nai promises that when Nai Nai reaches that point, she will inform her.

58: As the group travels back to Nai Nai’s apartment, Little Nai Nai and Nai Nai make a big show of getting ELLEN, a Chihuahua, to sing a song for the group. Under duress, the dog yelps, at first eliciting laughter from everyone, but they then fall back into a mood of silence and fear.

58–59: Jian, Little Nai Nai, and Auntie Ling cook relentlessly. Uncle Haibin and Haiyan drink beer, surrounded by empty bottles. Billi sits at the piano, tentatively hitting a few keys, while Nai Nai notices the empty beers surrounding her son, and implores Mr. Li to break out the prized Mao Tai liquor, insisting it is time to celebrate. This prompts Billi to suddenly pour out her anguish and rage into an impassioned piece on the piano, finally expressing on the keys what she has been unable to say. Everyone is stunned into silence. Little Nai Nai, trying to cover up the awkwardness, claps enthusiastically, while her Uncle Haibin asks her to play another piece, but this time something that is happier.

60–62: Haiyan and Uncle Haibin are helped back to their hotel rooms by their wives. Jian lectures Haiyan on his drinking, while Haiyan proclaims that he drank for his mother. As Billi assists her mother in preparing her father for bed, Billi insists that Nai Nai should be told the truth, and that she should be resting instead of stressing herself out with planning this wedding celebration. Jian sternly states that Nai Nai is enjoying herself, and loves to boss everyone around to feel in control. Billi then accuses her mother for being insensitive and for having issues with Nai Nai, when her mother snaps and rants about how much she hates the expectation in Chinese culture that grief is a performance, and that it is expected of her to show her emotions to everyone when she felt it should be personal. Billi is speechless in witnessing this rare display of raw truth and honesty from her mother.

62–66: The entire Wang Family is assembled at the National Peace Cemetery, and someone’s funeral procession led by a professional CRIER passes them by. They are gathered to honor Nai Nai’s husband, Billi’s grandfather YE YE at his grave. They set out food and fruit offerings, while Nai Nai and Haiyan reminisce about what he loved to eat and toasting him with drink. Gu Gu lectures on the proper etiquette on how to open and place the food offerings, and the incredible reasons behind why things are done the way they are. In spite of being perplexed, Billi obeys. Together, they feast in honor of Ye Ye, and even Haiyan enjoys a celebratory smoke with his father. They finish by burning paper effigies of the material blessings they wish for Ye Ye (ie, paper coat, paper money, paper iPhone) and then wrap up with Nai Nai leading the family in paying their respects, with her speaking to Ye Ye’s grave, asking for his blessings over the individual members of the Wang Family, and the family members all bowing their heads in unison three times in response to each request.

66: As the group takes leave of the cemetery, Nai Nai casually comments that when the time comes for her, that she would just like her ashes to be scattered over the ocean, because no one is home for her. In spite of Gu Gu’s protest that she has stayed behind, Nai Nai remarks that it would be easier for everyone so that people do not need to travel back and forth all the time to tend to her grave. Gu Gu admonishes her and insist that they are Chinese, and they need to come back to the place where they came from.

66–67: In the taxi, Billi looks out the window, remarking to her father that she recalls a particular landmark. Haiyan states that it was Nai Nai’s old neighbourhood, and asks Billi if she remembered the old house. As Billi searches to see it, Jian explains flatly that they had already passed it, and when Billi insists they turn around to go back, Nai Nai dismisses her request by saying that the old neighbourhood is gone, and that even she does not recognize it anymore.

67: After the family has been dropped off at the hotel, Nai Nai soaks her aching feet in hot water, tended to by Mr. Li. After getting the water to a satisfactory temperature, Mr. Li leaves to put away the kettle. Alone, Nai Nai drops her strong performance, and we see that she is weary. She coughs. Maybe she knows the truth, or maybe she is just accepting that in her age, her time is limited.

67–69: Haiyan and Uncle Haibin hide in the hotel canteen, smoking. They discuss what plans they should have in place for Nai Nai’s eventual burial. Billi surprises them and confronts her father on his smoking. At first he denies, but then promises that he will quit. Haiyan tries to dismiss her and send her to bed, but she boldly asks him if he will ever tell Nai Nai the truth. Haiyan is clearly conflicted, and tries to defend himself that he refuses to betray his family’s wishes, when Uncle Haibin then cuts in and lectures Billi on the differences between Eastern and Western thinking. In America, one’s life belongs to oneself. In the East, life is part of a greater whole, including family and society. He further points out that Billi’s motivation to reveal to Nai Nai the truth is because she feels too much responsibility carrying it, and that once she tells her, she won’t have to feel guilty anymore. The reason why the family refuses to tell her is that the family has accepted its responsibility to carry this emotional burden for Nai Nai.

70–71: Billi returns to the hotel, and joins the other members of the family, searching for Aiko’s missing earring. While Auntie Ling speaks to Aiko in Japanese, Billi tells her mother that she would like to stay and care for Nai Nai. Jian looks at her daughter like she is crazy, and reminds her that she cannot cook, clean, and can barely speak Chinese. Billi tries to bravely dismiss her concerns with an “I’ll figure it out.” Jian admonishes her that Billi has not yet figured out her own life yet and that her sad attitude was not going to bring joy to Nai Nai. Billi lashes at her mother, that her Nai Nai was the only good childhood memory she had. Billi then really lets go, tears streaming, blaming her mother and father for taking her away from Nai Nai and bringing her to America, where she would be mocked and friendless, and all she could see was her parents fighting and the fear in their eyes. Billi confesses that she was always confused and scared because her parents never told her what was going on, and then vents out her bitterness on their past history for not being informed when Ye Ye was sick and not being allowed to attend his funeral. Jian tries to placate her by saying that they had not wanted to pull her out of school, but Billi is not having it. She cries that she never saw him again, and that upon her subsequent visits to China, he was gone, and now Nai Nai is about to go too. There it was — Billi’s emotional burdens have been laid bare.

72: Billi opens her eyes in her hotel room, as if stirred by the presence of Ye Ye smoking in her room. Though she can’t see him, his smoke lingers like a ghost.

72- 75: It’s the Wedding Banquet. Uniformed waiters bearing wide smiles in a line, a LION DANCER leads the bridal party in. Nai Nai is at the head of the party, greeting guests, working the room. Nai Nai catches Billi’s eye, and gives her a stern glare to remind her of her duty. Obeying, Billi puts on her best smile, and calls out her relatives with forced enthusiasm. Nai Nai then sidles up to Little Nai Nai, asking her if she had picked up the latest X-Ray results from the hospital. Little Nai Nai tries to wave it off, saying to wait until after the weekend passes. Plates of crabs flow from the kitchen, and the family speeches begin. After Sun Ao and his wife Nico do the welcome to Changchun speech, father of the groom Uncle Haibin thanks Gu Gu, acknowledging her care of Nai Nai and the family’s gratitude that she has cared for her as her own mother. He then further extends his wishes to thank his mother, and at this point, he is breaking. He begs Nai Nai for her forgiveness for not being around. He states that everything he has become, has been because of her. He manages to pull himself together to end the toast with his declaration that she is the best mother in the world, to scattered applause. Billi watches in disbelief, and observes Nai Nai’s response, who dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief. After looking around the hall, Billi sidles up to her father, and asks if everyone knows. Her father confesses that he is unsure. Their conversation is interrupted with Nai Nai shoving a giant shrimp in Billi’s face and commanding her to eat more.

75: Aiko shyly delivers her speech in Japanese, with Auntie Ling translating for her, humbly stating her joy to be celebrating with everyone, and that Hao Hao is a very nice and good man. She promises to treat him well, and expresses the hope that on her next visit, to bring back a baby, prompting everyone to laugh in joy. Nai Nai, Aiko, and Hao Hao continue with fulfilling the customs of a Chinese Wedding Banquet.

75–78: Nai Nai holds court at a table which includes GENERAL ZHU, GENERAL FU, AND GENERAL MU, reminiscing about the good old times. Billi approaches, and Nai Nai proudly introduces her to them, and informs Billi that she used to work with them in the army. General Zhu flirts with Nai Nai and reminds her that his plan was to marry her, she got injured with a bullet, but Billi’s grandfather whisked her off before he could get to her. General Mu acknowledges that it is so rare for Billi to be able to back, and urges her to speak to Nai Nai while she has the opportunity. Nai Nai prompts Billi to make her speech. Holding on to everything Nai Nai has instructed, she takes the microphone and falteringly apologizes for her poor command of the language. Billi looks from Nai Nai, to her parents, and to her Uncle Haibin. They are all watching her. She continues on to say that in America, she does not have much family, and that she misses everyone assembled in the hall very much. She declares that she is very happy to be celebrating with everyone, and expresses the hope that they are happy too. She finishes her speech with congratulating Hao Hao and Aiko, to thunderous applause.

78–79: Billi and her father sing a karaoke duet, followed by Hao Hao and Aiko’s terrible rendition of a Japanese song. Jian senses Little Nai Nai’s grief in the midst of the celebration, and tells her that it was time to take care of herself and to consider what would be next for her. Little Nai Nai nods in acknowledgement of Jian’s concern and tells her not to worry. She assures Jian to not worry, and that her plan after Nai Nai passes is to rejoin her husband in Shenzhen, who has been alone and working hard for years while she tended to Nai Nai’s needs. Jian notices the feigned cheerfulness, but plays along, and invites Little Nai Nai and her husband to visit and stay with her in America. As Little Nai Nai happily affirms these opportunities, when she turns away from Jian, her smile drops. Her efforts in putting on these performative emotions takes its toll.

79–80: More karaoke singing by various guests. Drinking games, which allows the entire family to temporarily forget for the time being. While a YOUNG CHINESE WOMAN sings a melancholic song, a very drunk Hao Hao starts to bawl uncontrollably, prompting the group of teen girls huddled near him to also cry. Gu Gu runs up to him, Billi also rushes over, and together they start damage control, furtively checking on Nai Nai who is distracted by her conversation with Mrs. Gao. Gu Gu herself is barely restraining her own tears, as Billi tries to console the inconsolable Hao Hao. While there still exists a language barrier between them, they connect and it’s a tender moment.

80–81: Family Portrait time. Nai Nai is surrounded by the entire family. While Uncle Haibin sets up the tripod, she notices Hao Hao’s red, puffy face, still streaming tears. Little Nai Nai tries to distract Nai Nai prompting Hao Hao to confirm that those were tears of joy, and then makes the move of making a fuss over ensuring that a photograph is to be taken on her own phone. Nai Nai informs her that Mrs. Gao was holding her camera, but had been sent to the hospital to pick up the X-Ray results. Billi takes note of this revelation, right when Uncle Haibin snaps the photo with everyone bearing frozen smiles while Billi and Little Nai Nai’s faces are obviously in shock. Billi awkwardly excuses herself from the group and runs out.

81–82: Billi is frantic, and runs all the way to the hospital. After bolting up the stairs and searching for Mrs. Gao, she spots her on the second floor and confronts her. Billi, out of breath, asks if Mrs. Gao has the X-Ray results, to which Mrs. Gao, sensing Billi’s panic, hands over. Billi scans the document, but realizes it is all in Chinese and asks Mrs. Gao to tell her what it says. Mrs. Gao then confesses that she herself is illiterate.

82–83: Billi, Little Nai Nai, and Mrs. Gao huddle with a COPY CENTER OWNER as he tries to doctor the scanned copy of the results on his computer. Little Nai Nai directs him to change the result to say “Benign shadows.”

83: The entire family is gathered in Nai Nai’s apartment as she reads the fake report. Nai Nai nods, as if she knew all along. “See, I told you I was fine!”

83: Little Nai Nai, Aiko, Hao Hao, Uncle Haibin, Auntie Ling, Haiyan, Jian, and Billi walk back to the hotel together in slow motion as a single unit, with Billi in the center. They’re all in this together, and there’s no going back.

83–85: Dusk the next day, at Nai Nai’s apartment, Nai Nai hands Billi a ceremonial red envelope, normally reserved to be presented when it is time for Billi’s wedding. Billi tries to refuse, saying she didn’t get married. But Nai Nai insists. “Even more reason! You’re all on your own, with no one to support you. And I can’t be of much help to you. I’m sorry. I wish there was more I could do to help you.” Nai Nai’s eyes well with tears as she pushes the envelope into Billi’s hands. Billi nods, emotional, as Nai Nai prattles on about how Billi should spend the money on nice things, not practical things. Billi fights back her tears, promising to come back. Nai Nai comforts her, telling her that she knows that though Billi is always thinking of her, she does not need to worry because she is fine and feels much better. Nai Nai then declares to Billi, “You have work to do. You have so much ahead of you. I’m proud of you.” Humbled, Billi confesses that she did not get the grant, and that she had known for a while, but did not say anything because she did not want Nai Nai to worry. Nai Nai nods, and assures her that she is not worried about Billi, and that Billi will be fine. She gives her a heartfelt speech, teaching Billi that, “Whatever you encounter in life, you must fight to stay positive. Your journey ahead is still long and you will have difficulties, but when you encounter something catastrophic, you have to think it through with an open mind and find the light.” She wraps up with reminding Billi to keep the perspective that wherever her thoughts go, her body will follow, and that she must keep going forward. She ends by noting that Billi has always been fearless, and that she is confident that Billi will be fine. Billi asks, “Are you really OK, Nai Nai?” to which Nai Nai responds with, “Yes! Why would I lie to you?” Little Nai Nai opens the bedroom door to advise that the taxi has arrived to pick up Billi. Billi and Nai Nai pause and savor the moment.

85–86: Chaos and commotion at Nai Nai’s apartment as Billi, Haiyin, and Jian attempt to say goodbye to everyone. Nai Nai insists on escorting them down the stairs, despite being in obvious discomfort, and everyone protesting that she should not.

86–87: Outside the apartment, Billi and Nai Nai hug goodbye, both struggling to maintain composure. Both tell each other not to cry, and both denying that they are crying. Billi smiles as convincingly as possible, promising that she will come back to see her. Nai Nai affirms her promise that they will see each other very soon, but then declares that they should not drag this out any further, re-establishing her authority, and admonishes them to hurry to not miss their flights. From the POV of the taxi’s back windshield, as it pulls away, Nai Nai waves, with Little Nai Nai trying to pull her away. True to form, Nai Nai stubbornly stays rooted to the spot, her figure growing smaller. The taxi turns a corner, and just like that, Nai Nai disappears. Billi turns around, numb with grief, but is surprised to find her mother weeping silently.

87–88: Haiyan is asleep in the front seat. Billi finally turns to her mother, and asks her if either her or dad get sick in America, would they want her to lie to them? Jian exclaims “Definitely not! Are you crazy?” Billi and Jian chuckle through their tears, on the same page, at last. Jian then asks Billi if she regrets that they brought her to America. Billi assures her that she does not. A pause, and then Billi thoughtfully asks Jian if she regretted leaving China. Jian confirms that she does not regret her decision, but that it is complicated. Mother and daughter finally bond, as Jian tells Billi the story back when Billi was still very young, she encountered a blind psychic who told her that she would have three children, and that she had a lot of water in her life. Water symbolized talent, but her water would be long and flowing like a river, so that she would not be able to hold on to any of it. The psychic then declared that her daughter was also water but she was a big ocean of water, which meant her river would flow into her. Billi disputed that this psychic was wrong — Jian never had three children. Jian gently refutes her by saying that the psychic was correct, but due to the one-child policy in China, they were unable to have more children after Billi. So Billi would be it. Billi’s heart swells with compassion.

89: Billi enters her New York apartment with her suitcase. Despite how small her studio apartment is, it feels enormous and empty.

89: Billi strolls down the night streets of New York, the weight of the world on her shoulders. Overwhelmed with emotion, on the verge of breaking down, she stops in the middle of the street. She observes the strangers walking around her, absorbed in their own lives, and takes in the chaos that is New York. Instead of giving in to the urge to crumble, she lifts her chin and inhales deeply, and then with all of her life force, she channels Nai Nai’s “HA!”

89: Billi’s voice echoes over the closing shot of Nai Nai’s familiar peach-coloured buildings of her neighbourhood in Changchun China, surrounding a large tree. Birds scatter from the tree, flying off into the distance as a unit, their pattern of formation silhouetted against the sky.

Writing Exercise: I encourage you to read the script, but short of that, if you’ve seen the movie, go through this scene-by-scene breakdown. What stands out to you about it from a structural standpoint?

To download a PDF of the breakdown for The Farewell, go here.

Kudos to Karen Dantas for doing the scene-by-scene breakdown.

For more movie scene-by-scene breakdowns, go here.