Farewell Amor

"Farewell Amor" is a both touching and ravishing drama that tells poetically about the challenges of immigration, family, and self-discovery. Directed by Ekwa Msangi, it's about the story of an Angolan family reuniting in New York City after 17 years apart. Jayme Lawson, Zainab Jah, and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine all turn in fine performances as the beleaguered parents, daughters, and sons trying to adjust to their new lives. Intimacy and realism are further added to by Msangi's handling of the narrative herself, one that keeps rigorously tight focus on the feelings of her characters and culture conflicts. Through its folk story-like plot, its balanced characters, and moving cinematography, "Farewell Amor" becomes a very powerful portrayal of love, strength, family bonding.

"Farewell Amor" is director Ekwa Msangi's feature film debut but you would never guess it as this remarkable film feels like the work of someone who has been making films for years. The plot revolves around an Angolian woman who comes to America with her teenage daughter to be reunited with her husband after an absence of 17 years only to discover they are virtually strangers and it's told from the point of view of all three of them. However, this is no grim problem picture but a surprisingly upbeat account of lives coming together and how something as simple as dance, for example, can engage people on the most basic of levels.

The three central performances are outstanding as Msangi glides her cast seamlessly through the twists and turns of her characters' lives while getting in some nifty dance moves in the process. The fact that the wife and mother, (a splendid Zainab Jah), is deeply religious while her husband, (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, equally good), has lost his religion, if he ever had any, doesn't help matters just as her fidelity and his infidelity over the years proves a major hurdle they must overcome. But, as I said, grimness is put on the back-burner and this lovely character study is all the better for it.

This film is really well made. The interactions feel real. The acting is incredible. The story is unique compared to other low-key struggling-to-survive-in-the-big-city films-and it's really a lot more about the difficult sacrifices the characters had to make prior to the start of the film. It pulls you in quickly and keeps you entertained.

I'm not much of a reviewer, but I encourage anyone reading this to watch this film. It's definitely one of my cinematic highlights of 2020.

I'm not sure how representative it is of new immigrant refugee families in the USA-it's perhaps a bit too optimistic in its message-but in these dark times, sometimes that's what the audience wants.

Absolutely love the narrative, excellent writing! It gave me hope to be honest lovely film worth the watch indeed.

The story is told through three different perspectives, and each adds more depth to the difficult life of the immigrant family. I didn't think I would enjoy this at all, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.