Saving Face

R

Released May 27, 2005

1 hr. 36 min.

Comedy

Drama

Romance

LGBTQ+

TRAILER

for Saving Face: Trailer 1

List

88%

90 Reviews

Tomatometer

88%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Wil (Michelle Krusiec) is a lesbian, but she not dare tell her widowed mother, Hwei-lan (Joan Chen), or her very traditional grandparents. She's shocked, however, to find out she's not the only one in her family with romantic secrets when she learns that her 48-year-old mother is pregnant. Unwilling to reveal who the father is, Hwei-lan is kicked out of her parents' home and must move in with Wil, which puts a strain on Wil's budding relationship with openly gay Vivian (Lynn Chen).

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Critics Consensus

A charming tale of a love affair that overcomes cultural taboos.

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Audience Member

Incredible acting, dialogue, and story. Loved this universally relatable portrayal of a mother and daughter, as well as the complexity of love!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

One of my favorite portrayals of sapphic romance!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

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Audience Member

Super cringy, but relatable...

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/27/20

Full Review

Audience Member

Really beautiful story. Michelle Krusiec and Lynn Chen have great on screen chemistry.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A sweet love story. Following the trace from past traditional values, is it right? Maybe not always? Should people put extra effort to be who they aren't just to sustain the "face" that they saved? Just "follow your heart", respectfully and gracefully ditching the "face".

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Well done, no surprises, but great acting and production. Liked it a lot.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

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Alice Wu

Director

Michelle Krusiec

Wil

Joan Chen

Ma

Lynn Chen

Vivian

Jessica Hecht

Randi

Ato Essandoh

Jay

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78%

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71%

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Saving Face: Trailer 1

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Terry Nguyen

Vox

Why do rom-coms always get happy endings, and not family dramas? With Saving Face, Wu dares to ask: Why not both?

May 4, 2022

Full Review

Alyx Vesey

Bitch Media

Saving Face could get really preachy if it wanted to. But that it addresses multiple concerns with a light touch is one of its virtues.

Jan 11, 2021

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Abjectly collapses into feel-good nonsense.

Feb 9, 2007

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Dave Giannini

InSession Film

The romantic comedy has long been maligned for being over the top and unrealistic. Saving Face never suffers from this. Wu’s characters feel real and true, and I am glad to have gotten to know them.

Feb 28, 2024

Full Review

Steven Lindsey

Texas Triangle/TXT

There are moments that are laugh-out-loud, but more importantly, there are times you can't pry the smile off your face simply in anticipation of what comes next.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 8, 2023

Full Review

Amanda Jane Stern

Film Inquiry

Saving Face is a beautifully crafted movie about the fight between family tradition and finding a new way for yourself.

Dec 30, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Wil (Michelle Krusiec) is a lesbian, but she not dare tell her widowed mother, Hwei-lan (Joan Chen), or her very traditional grandparents. She's shocked, however, to find out she's not the only one in her family with romantic secrets when she learns that her 48-year-old mother is pregnant. Unwilling to reveal who the father is, Hwei-lan is kicked out of her parents' home and must move in with Wil, which puts a strain on Wil's budding relationship with openly gay Vivian (Lynn Chen).

Director: Alice Wu
Executive Producer: Scott Macaulay, Robin O'Hara, John Penotti
Screenwriter: Alice Wu
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Overbrook Entertainment, Forensic Films, GreeneStreet Films Inc.
Rating: R (Some Sexuality|Language)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 27, 2005, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.2M

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