Saving Face

2004 Directed by Alice Wu

A romantic comedy about right, wrong and everything in between.

A Chinese-American lesbian and her traditionalist mother are reluctant to go public with secret loves that clash against cultural expectations.

Michelle Krusiec Joan Chen Lynn Chen Ato Essandoh Jessica Hecht Jin Wang Guang Lan Koh

91 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Sally Jane Black 6

This is cute.
There are some who seem to think that's not enough, that that isn't a quality that should be critically heralded. Some people think that "cute" is a modifier that suggests "good but not great" or some other back-handed compliment. What it comes off as code for, though, is "this is for girls, so it can't be great cinema." What it comes off as is code for "light-heartedness isn't valued by me, the great cinephile." What it comes off as is code for "great cinema is miserable."
It's at worst misogynist and at best boring.
This movie is cute, and it's absolutely perfect for being cute.
How difficult is it to be a cute film? How difficult is…
Review by Lucy ★★★½

IT CUTE
Review by riley 🍓 ★★★★½

i can't even start with how much i love this. saving face is represented by an american-chinese cast and with two women who portray as gay characters and also joan chen as wil's mom?? basically just a full course buffet cast.

saving face starts off with its humorous and sweet moments and as a chinese, even though i don’t live in america i still find so many moments of this movie relatable and yet so entertaining. it follows the typical life of a family of chinese-americans that lives under the american lifestyle but still goes under strict family traditions and to facing coming out issues due to the conception of ostracizing and abandoning their child due to their sexuality and so…
Review by shar ★★★★

"其实，那个Vivian, 挺不错的。你是不是很喜欢她?'
As a girl who's gay and also Chinese, I do not have enough nice words to say about how much I love this film with my whole heart. To see a film about Chinese lesbians navigate their very Confucian, traditionalist world yet upholding their love is just so beautiful. Also, the whole filial piety thing going on is really on point...that mindset and duty just kind of fucks you up when you're in the closet and gay and you know your parents won't accept you but filial piety lol
I never really see myself in gay films, given how Asia is still very conservative and hence, 'Saving Face' is like ... a breath of fresh air. Plus it is so cute, pure and happy. These kind of gay films always have a special place in my heart.
Review by kit 👻 ★★★★

why would you ever watch a white hetero rom-com when you could watch this instead
Review by ethan ★★★ 1

this being better than 99% of straight romcoms? the gays always win!

Recent reviews

Review by Milena Lagom ★★½

Nice movie with a lovely ending.
Review by Unofficial_RT ★★★★

A charming tale of a love affair that overcomes cultural taboos.
Review by Wu ★★★★½

Ouch ow owie my gay heart can't take this. An immaculate romcom that seamlessly blends the struggles of Chinese-American women with a beautiful love story, superb craftsmanship, and masterclass performances by leads Michelle Krusiec and Joan Chen. Great score too
Review by melissa ★★★★

i would die for joan chen!
someone bring me a massive platter of dim sum RIGHT NOW!
Review by bianca ★★★★

really cute!! & some realistic awkwardness the viewer can laugh at as well as completely understand and sympathetize with.
Review by Lulu ★★★★★

thanksgiving is 100% improved if you end it by watching saving face surrounded by your lesbian friends who scream like it's the super bowl when wil & vivian kiss
Review by jorene ★★★★★

my heart,,,,,
Review by karlaasp ★★★★

perfeitinho
Review by hgomez ★★★★★

Wow wish I had watched this movie when I was younger.