Lulu Wang's lovely family dramedy, THE FAREWELL, opens here in South Florida

Already lauded with near unanimous critical acclaim, coupled to positive audience ratings, THE FAREWELL, a new film from Lulu Wang, is all about a young Chinese-American woman and the family reunion in China that she has with her grandmother, who's just been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

If this sounds like a recipe for the maudlin "family" films we often get from television, do note that Ms Wang, pictured at left, has offered us a unique experience, during which a smile will rarely disappear from your face, nor a chuckle from your throat. The Farewell is a movie that gives that overused entertainment term "dramedy" a good name. Yes, it is moving -- but it is equally funny, charming and most of all surprising. And it ends with two quick scenes/moments -- the first on the streets of New York City, the second above a housing project in China -- that are so brilliant, so perfect, I hope they'll take your breath away, as they did mine.

The conflict in The Farewell has to do with whether or not to keep grandma's diagnosis a secret from her, letting her imagine that she is really doing OK, with little more necessary than to recover from her bad cold and cough. The Chinese branch is determined to do just that, while the Chinese-American group -- personified by the grand-daughter, Billi (a wonderful performance from Awkwafina, shown front row, center, above), and her parents -- are much less certain of what should happen here.

As writer/director, Ms Wang gives us culture clash served up with both a gimlet eye and a genuine feeling for how deep go the differences in Chinese and American culture. Little is easy here, save for the wonderful affection between grand-daughter and grandma (called Nai-Nai and played with a serenely dour comedic sense by an elderly newcomer named Shuzhen Zhou, above, right).

Over its maybe just slightly long 100 minutes, the movie fairly steeps you in Chinese culture. Even when you don't understand it all -- just like the Japanese bride of the family cousin, whose upcoming wedding is the supposed reason for this sudden get-together -- you will indeed understand that you damn well better watch and listen and figure out everything you can. And you will, as Ms Wang does not make things that difficult to understand. Along the way, as I say, that smile will rarely leave your face. By the finale, you will have partaken in the not just expected very moving and emotional scene but in so much more, as well.

I rather wish that, in addition to getting to know grand-daughter and grandmother, we might have learned more about that cousin and his bride (above), and a couple more of the extended family members. There was time for this, but instead it was spent somewhat repetitiously on Nai-Nai and Billi. But that's a small price to pay for so much else that works so splendidly here. And the two-moment ending, as I say, is sheer cinematic wonder.

From A24, in English, Mandarin and a little Japanese and Italian (all with English subtitles), The Farewell opens nationwide today. Here in South Florida, you can find the film in Broward County at the Paradise 24, Davie, and the Gateway 4, Fort Lauderdale. In Palm Beach County, look for it at at the Cinemark Palace, Living Room Theaters and Regal Shadowood, all in Boca Raton; at the Cinemark 14 in Boynton Beach; at the Movies of Delray, Delray Beach; and at Cobb's Downtown at the Mall 16 in Palm Beach Gardens. In Dade County, it's playing at the Aventura Mall 24, Aventura; The Landmark at Merrick Park 7, Coral Gables; the O Cinema, Miami Beach; the South Beach 18, Miami Beach; and the Sunset Place 24, South Miami. Wherever you live around the country, click here to find the theater(s) nearest you.