Farewell Amor

Farewell Amor, Ekwa Msangi’s stunning directorial debut, is the study of an Angolan immigrant family who reunites in New York after being separated for 17 years. The patriarch, Walter (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine) immigrated to the U.S. upon the outbreak of civil war in their home country. Hoping for a better life for his family, he makes a living by driving a taxi.  However, visas for his wife Esther (Zainab Jah) and daughter Sylvia (Jayme Lawson), take far too long to come through, resulting in an awkward yet heartwarming airport reunion scene.  Walter is cautiously, but earnestly happy to see his wife and daughter again. Esther is ecstatic, while Sylvia is aloof and distant.

The premise is an original, yet very relevant one. This is not a story I can recall ever having seen on screen before. That is just one of the reasons the film is so impactful.

The biggest impact comes from the flawless performances from the actors, working with a very powerful script. After the initial setup of the story is told, the film then breaks into segments featuring the perspective of each of the three family members, beginning with Walter.

Mwine’s understated performance reveals Walter as a kind, yet conflicted man who truly just wants to do the right thing. Every glance, every smile, every strained conversation feels so very intimate and real. However, Walter has been living as a single man for 17 years and has created a life for just himself. A life that he must leave behind when his family arrives, despite it breaking his heart.  It also turns out that Walter has a passion for dance, shown in a beautifully shot scene in a jazz club. After turning his “in service” taxi light off, he puts on his dancing shoes, pats on some cologne, and has one last moment with his now former partner.  

Turns out that Walter is not the only dancer in the family. The next segment of the film, shown from Sylvia’s perspective, shows that she has inherited her father’s love of dance. Not only does she love to dance (to her Mother’s dismay), but she is also extraordinarily gifted at it. It is this shared love that brings Walter and Sylvia, after much initial rebuffing by Sylvia, closer together. Lawson gave my favorite performance in a film full of near-perfect performances. Being a teenager is hard, period. Being a teenager forced to leave their home and friends to move to a country and live with a father they do not even know is much harder.  Lawson nails it. She is simultaneously fearful, and fearless. Watching the growing connection between her and Walter is fascinating. The subplot involving her crush DJ (Marcus Scribner) is also touching. Finally, her performance at a dance battle in the home stretch of the film will have you clapping and cheering.

Lastly, we get to see things from Esther’s perspective. I feel it was a clever move to have her viewpoint shown last. Up until this point, despite being the most optimistic and pure character, she ironically seemed to be the one keeping the family from truly being a unit. Esther is a very devout Christian, which neither Walter nor Sylvia can relate to. She says grace before meals, she wants to attend church, she forbids alcohol, Sylvia’s dancing, Sylvia’s friendship with DJ….well, you get the picture. There is nothing inherently wrong with that. She is so blissful that her family is together again, that she is blinded to the fact that her beliefs are not necessarily shared by her husband and daughter.  When she finds out about Walter’s former partner/life, she befriends her free-spirited neighbor Nzingha (Joie Lee, who does a stellar job with a smaller role) who gives Esther some much needed perspective and companionship. All while providing most of the film’s comedic one-liners.  

Dance is a recurring theme in this film, and it is after Walter and Esther dance together at a dinner date that their passion is finally rekindled. Walter has been rebuffing Esther sexually since her arrival, much to her confusion. Watching Esther’s journey in this segment truly gives the viewer a lot of insight to this complicated character. Jah does an amazing job portraying a woman who goes from ecstatic, to confused, to betrayed, yet remains hopeful.

I loved the resolution of the film but will refrain from divulging any further plot details. The three perspectives ultimately merge, and the result feels so natural given what we have seen in up until that point.

Farewell Amor is a tremendous movie depicting the nature of family, love, loss, and second chances. It is a quiet, yet intense character study of three different people faced with unbelievably difficult circumstances. The original premise, outstanding performances, and brilliant cinematography make me really look forward to what Msangi’s sophomore effort will look like.