CHANGCHUN, China — Though the first image you see in writer-director Lulu Wang's encapsulating "The Farewell" is a screen of text informing you the film is based on an actual lie, it's not until about halfway through the movie that Wang lets you know what it's really about.

The moment comes when a character tells Wang's autobiographical protagonist Billi (Awkwafina) her Americanized self just isn't used to the way they do death in the East. In China, a person's life — and death — belongs not just to them, but to the rest of his or her family members who all share the grief and loss together, Billi’s uncle tells her.

That’s why the family is refusing to tell its matriarch, Billi’s grandmother Nai Nai, that she is dying of lung cancer.

Instead of telling her the grim news, the family is carrying that burden for her, and they will tell her when the time is right. They decide to stage a fake wedding, which the extended family can use as an excuse to visit China and see Nai Nai one last time.

Based on Wang’s own real-life experience, “The Farewell” debuted at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year after originating as a radio piece on NPR’s “This American Life.”

Here are some reasons why it’s one of the year’s best films.

The script is excellent

Wang's script is sharp and witty and wastes no second. Later scenes call back to moments earlier in the film, making things more significant and meaningful.

In under two hours, Wang’s movie covers a huge variety of topics — from death and family dynamics, to the stark cultural differences between a Chinese family that stayed home and one that emigrated to the United States.

Through all of that, though, it doesn’t beat you over the head with those topics. It’s a simple movie with a small, straightforward story. At its heart, “The Farewell” is about a loving family saying goodbye — and more often than not, about their eating habits. It seems like every other scene is around a dinner table.

It's also unexpectedly funny, with just the right amount of comic relief in the appropriate moments to counteract the melancholy.

Details make the movie

Wang's film contains multiple wide, rich shots of the entire family unit. In these shots, you see how each person is processing and attempting to stifle their grief for a loss they know is coming.

The way Wang chose to shoot the film in scenes like these lets the viewer absorb each individual family member’s reaction in a given moment. Wang also includes happenings in the background that add more depth, and sometimes comic relief, to scenes for viewers who are paying close attention.

There are lots of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it touches in this film, including small expressions or glances from certain characters. Wang’s attention to detail makes watching “The Farewell” a much more enriching experience.

Awkwafina’s performance is brilliant

Awkwafina is incredible in this film. Her character is going through an extremely emotional time in her life but is being asked to hide all those feelings.

Under those circumstances, Awkwafina proves herself to be a master of subtlety. She does so much to convey her deep grief and regret in such little ways.

When she finally opens up and lets her feelings cascade in a scene that is sure to be played at the Academy Awards (if she gets nominated), it's shocking, visceral and impactful. She makes everything count, and it's one of the best performances of the year.

Also fantastic is Shuzhen Zhao as Nai Nai, Billi's grandmother who is dying and being lied to. She is charming and sassy as the head of the family who insists on keeping her descendants in order at every turn. She steals the show and she's what makes the central premise of "The Farewell" so emotionally strong.

Conclusion

With such rave reviews after its Sundance debut, I had extremely lofty expectations for "The Farewell." It still managed to subvert those expectations and surprise me a few times.

Though some may find that “The Farewell” doesn’t pack quite such a heavy emotional punch, I felt deeply everything that happens in Wang’s film.

It's movies like these that feature small moments and stories that remind you just how much a split second or a fleeting memory can matter to us in our lives.

“The Farewell” is currently in limited release but opens Friday at the Broadway Theater in Salt Lake City. It opens in wide release Aug. 2. “The Farewell” is rated PG for thematic material, brief language and some smoking.

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