Farewell Amor – A Solid Yet Heartwarming Immigrant Drama

Immigrant stories are timeless as they’ve always appealed to the dreamer in us which is arguably the reason why they continue to find success. Farewell Amor is the latest immigrant drama that brings plenty of heart to the table in what was essentially a powerful story about family overcoming adversity and becoming closer as a result. That being said, the film may not tread new ground in terms of its story but it is still a solid watch thanks to the family at its center. While it definitely could have gone for some more depth to further sell the drama, nevertheless, it is still a solid watch though the characters’ accents will take some getting used to. In the end, many audiences are sure to see themselves within these characters and their struggles. Ultimately, this point cannot be understated,

Farwell Amor tells the story of an Angolan immigrant named Walter (Mwine) who is reunited with his family, including his wife Esther (Jah) and daughter Sylvia (Lawson), in New York City after 17 years apart. Suffice it to say that their time apart made for an adjustment period for everyone involved, be it Walter who had to adjust to living with and having to support his family after being apart from for them for so long while Esther and Sylvia had to adjust to their new surroundings in a new country which meant something different for each of them be it the strain on Esther and Walter’s marriage or Sylvia in a new American high school. To help viewers connect with each of these characters, it gives us a chance to spend some time in their shoes by giving each of them their own act which saw the story be told from their perspective from the moment of their initial reunion.

While it could be said that Walter had since American-ized himself over the course of his time away from his family, they saw some struggles trying to do the same. With Esther turning to religion to perhaps cope with Walter’s absence, this proved to be a major roadblock that threatened to halt the whole family. What Walter had to get him through troubled times was dance. In a world that wasn’t so accepting of Black people let alone immigrants, dance was where he could be himself. However, he was still stuck between the life he had before his family and his new life with them in America. This certainly put a strain on Esther who picked up on this. Meanwhile, Sylvia also took refuge in dance along similar lines, shutting out the world, both at home and at school, and focusing on the music and the movement though these worlds kept her in a tug-of-war of sorts. All of these inner conflicts were compelling but more character development could have sold them better. Though the end was a predictable one, it was still a heartwarming one as they came together.

Ultimately, the best part of Farewell Amor was its performances across the board as Mwine, Jah, and Lawson were all stellar as was their chemistry as Walter, Esther, and Sylvia respectively. Mwine showed some range as the loving father while physically and emotionally taxed by the pressures around him. Jah’s performance went along the same lines with a palpable sense of confusion thrown in. Lawson was more subdued in comparison but her unease with her surroundings was relatable while seeing her come into her own over the course of the film was powerful to watch.

At the end of the day, Farewell Amor is a solid immigrant drama that is sure to have an impact and find an audience thus further proving that these are stories worthy of being told.

still courtesy of IFC Films

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.