Mercy Killing Meets Comedy In Confused 'Farewell Party'
By Joel Wicklund in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 13, 2015 4:00PM
Rafael Tabor, Ilan Dar, Ze'ev Revach, Levana Finkelshtein and Aliza Rozen in “The Farewell Party.” (Max Hochstein / Samuel Goldwyn Films)
A curiously conflicted movie, The Farewell Party tries to function as both an unblinking look at the ravages of age and a sentimental yet dark comedy not far removed from the "senior porn" aesthetic addressed in our review of Hunting Elephants—another Israeli film about a rebellious elderly group.
The Farewell Party is a better movie, and certainly a more thoughtful one, which is good since it's about the right to die and euthanasia. But serious intent aside, the movie goes wildly astray several times. It's hard to fathom how co-directors and writers Sharon Maymon and Tal Granit thought some of these elements could ever be cohesive. It's almost as if Michael Haneke's octogenarian horror show Amour was playing on pay-per-view at The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. And then there's a musical number, just to rattle the shaky structure a little more.
Even with its sometimes jaw-dropping flaws, though, there's never a doubt that there is true empathy for the plight of the aged in this misguided effort. Add to that an exceptional cast giving deeply felt performances, and the movie manages to convey some real feeling in spite of its glaring contrivances.
It's easy to see why Ze'ev Revach won Best Actor honors from the Israeli Film Academy for his work here, and why three of his co-stars were nominated for their roles. As Yehezkel, the loving husband of a woman just starting to suffer the effects of Alzheimer's disease, Revach covers the spectrum of emotions. Going from charmer to utterly distraught, with countless shadings in between, he never has a false moment on screen. Ditto for Levana Finkelshtein as his wife: the model partner in some moments, a soul lost to disease and depression in others.
The couple is the center of a group of close-knit retirees in an assisted living facility. One is terminal with cancer and suffering terribly. His wife knows he wants to die, but the law and hospital officials stand in their way. Ultimately, with a neighbor as their medical guide, Yehezkel builds a Kevorkian-styled assisted suicide machine and they use it to let their friend choose his exit.
Despite taking precautions to make the death seem natural, other residents learn of the group's actions and some start asking for the same service. Moral debates arise when they do decide to help others end their lives, and inevitably the decline of Yehezkel's wife makes the issue hit even closer to home.
Naturally, this is depressing subject matter, but The Farewell Party tries to lighten the mood with both gallows humor and more upbeat comedy. Neither plays particularly well against the grim stuff. When Yehezkel's wife, in a moment of dementia, wanders naked into the facility's cafeteria, she feels deeply humiliated after the fog passes. To make her feel better, her pals greet her in a greenhouse, naked and smoking pot. It's a sitcom setup that seems especially trite after the trauma we just witnessed. In another scene, a gay character is literally found hiding in the closet. Aside from the too-obvious visual pun, it's not immediately clear if he's hiding or dead when first revealed, making the moment more unsettling than funny.
As for that musical number, Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia seems to be the model—specifically the memorable scene where the desperate characters (including a dying Jason Robards) sing along with Aimee Mann's "Wise Up" in separate locations. It's a moment out of the blue, turning the daring drama into a downbeat musical for one lone scene, but it worked brilliantly. In part, that's because the film's unconventional introduction invites us to accept epic incongruity, and Anderson's energetic style sets the tone for wild turns early. The Farewell Party is a much more traditional film on every level, so the scene just seems out of place and labored.
Either Maymon and Granit were never really sure of the kind of movie they wanted to make or their intended blend of disparate elements simply failed to gel. It's too bad, because the actors really deliver performances worthy of a masterpiece, instead of this sincere but stumbling mess.
The Farewell Party. Written and directed by Sharon Maymon and Tal Granit. Starring Ze'ev Revach, Levana Finkelshtein, Aliza Rozen, Ilan Dar and Rafael Tabor. 95 mins. In Hebrew with English subtitles. No MPAA rating.
Now open at the Music Box Theatre and Landmark's Renaissance Place Cinema in Highland Park.