"The Farewell Party" starts as a tragi-comedy in a retirement pension where the question of euthanasia is first raised then addressed. As the movie progresses the tragic dimension becomes more and more apparent, as minds and bodies decay, requests for a dignified death grow and "survivors" are left sadder.
OVERWHELMING THEMES
This is no trifle matter: euthanasia raises serious debates in many countries, even where it is already partly legal. How do we treat our elderly? By the way, how long was it since we last saw a movie where all main characters are aged? If only for this, "The Farewell Party" stands out, but it delivers much more.
In terms of content, it deals with many themes: life, old age, illness, euthanasia, justice, death, dementia, friendship, love, homosexuality. All these are quite beautifully and efficiently addressed. For instance after the main character affected by dementia walks into the dining hall just with her night gown on, she is depressed by her mistake. Her friends then have her come over to the greenhouse... where they are naked, to cheer her up and show her that exhibiting one's body is not an issue. They drink and laugh together, naked in the night. What better demonstration of friendship could there be?
MIXED FEELINGS
In terms of form, the movie smartly, maybe too smartly, triggers contradictory emotions. Notably, we are constantly hesitating to cry or smile, especially when we expect it less. For instance an old lady is about to die secretly... then we hear a group of friends singing loudly outside her window, to the great surprise of the "euthanasists". At last they can proceed with their task... but their device crashes, blowing all lights out! They are obliged to leave the old lady grumbling, which is at the same time happy news (she is still alive) and tragic (she still wants to die).
Another aspect of contrasting emotions is when we are expecting something... and something else happens, not completely different, but sort of on the side.
In summary, the main strength of "The Farewell Party" is to succeed treating almost as a comedy some very serious and even tragic aspects of life. It also progresses very efficiently throughout all the stages of the characters' dilemmas and actions: the decisions, the preparation, the first time, the never-again, the but-we-have-to, the moral issues, the group conflicts, the suspense, etc. Most of the action occurs in the pension but at no time does it feel long or useless.
INCREASINGLY POIGNANT
Characters are attaching, complex and sometimes double-sided.
However, one of the main drawbacks of the movie is the luxury of the pension, which does not acknowledge that many elderly end their lives in poorer conditions. Granted, I don't know how pensions are in Israel where the action takes place, but the topics of the movie can be considered as universal and hence probably should have been depicted in a more realistic way. Maybe the directors wanted to avoid making a "social" movie in order to focus more on other themes, or wanted to limit dramatic elements?
Despite this minor downside, "The Farewell Party" is outstanding by many aspects, some of which I briefly described above. Perhaps the most poignant parts are the videos recorded by the elderly on their deathbed. In this regard, the last scene is certainly the saddest of the movie and probably one of the saddest of film history: what do we get from life, what does our existence boil down to, what are we left with in the end just before departing from this world? At best, a small kiss from the person we love.
OVERWHELMING THEMES
This is no trifle matter: euthanasia raises serious debates in many countries, even where it is already partly legal. How do we treat our elderly? By the way, how long was it since we last saw a movie where all main characters are aged? If only for this, "The Farewell Party" stands out, but it delivers much more.
In terms of content, it deals with many themes: life, old age, illness, euthanasia, justice, death, dementia, friendship, love, homosexuality. All these are quite beautifully and efficiently addressed. For instance after the main character affected by dementia walks into the dining hall just with her night gown on, she is depressed by her mistake. Her friends then have her come over to the greenhouse... where they are naked, to cheer her up and show her that exhibiting one's body is not an issue. They drink and laugh together, naked in the night. What better demonstration of friendship could there be?
MIXED FEELINGS
In terms of form, the movie smartly, maybe too smartly, triggers contradictory emotions. Notably, we are constantly hesitating to cry or smile, especially when we expect it less. For instance an old lady is about to die secretly... then we hear a group of friends singing loudly outside her window, to the great surprise of the "euthanasists". At last they can proceed with their task... but their device crashes, blowing all lights out! They are obliged to leave the old lady grumbling, which is at the same time happy news (she is still alive) and tragic (she still wants to die).
Another aspect of contrasting emotions is when we are expecting something... and something else happens, not completely different, but sort of on the side.
- When a policeman stops the main characters' car after they perform their first illegal euthanasia, we think "Oh no, this is really cliché, he is just stopping them for speeding"... but they manage to get out of this in a special way which is sad and somewhat comical at the same time (enough with spoilers).
- And when he stops them for a second time later on, we think "Oh no, not again"... but then the scene is quite different, more on the frightening side even though it ends well (too long to detail).
In summary, the main strength of "The Farewell Party" is to succeed treating almost as a comedy some very serious and even tragic aspects of life. It also progresses very efficiently throughout all the stages of the characters' dilemmas and actions: the decisions, the preparation, the first time, the never-again, the but-we-have-to, the moral issues, the group conflicts, the suspense, etc. Most of the action occurs in the pension but at no time does it feel long or useless.
INCREASINGLY POIGNANT
Characters are attaching, complex and sometimes double-sided.
- An old man regularly calls an old lady to have her believe he is God so she feels better... but does she really believe this or does she pretend to, ironically in order to please the old man?
- One of the members of the "euthanasia squad" who apparently has high values is actually being paid for the "job".
- The main character who rejects euthanasia will in the end ask this for herself.
However, one of the main drawbacks of the movie is the luxury of the pension, which does not acknowledge that many elderly end their lives in poorer conditions. Granted, I don't know how pensions are in Israel where the action takes place, but the topics of the movie can be considered as universal and hence probably should have been depicted in a more realistic way. Maybe the directors wanted to avoid making a "social" movie in order to focus more on other themes, or wanted to limit dramatic elements?
Despite this minor downside, "The Farewell Party" is outstanding by many aspects, some of which I briefly described above. Perhaps the most poignant parts are the videos recorded by the elderly on their deathbed. In this regard, the last scene is certainly the saddest of the movie and probably one of the saddest of film history: what do we get from life, what does our existence boil down to, what are we left with in the end just before departing from this world? At best, a small kiss from the person we love.