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 David Shih Brian Yang Nathanel Geng Mao Zhao Louyong Wong Clare Sum

91 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by aliyah ★★★★

being too awkward to make the first move and opting to drop to the floor instead yeah that’s the sapphic experience
Review by Sally Jane Black 9

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 🌻 lindsay 🌻 ★★★★½

Lesbians aren’t often afforded the cheesy, heartwarming romcoms that straight people have. I feel like since there are so few movies for and by queer women, there is an expectation to make them powerful and impactful dramas. Because there are so few stories, the ones that do exist should stand out and make a statement as they are seen as representing an entire culture.
And those movies are valid and have meaning. But I feel like it’s also important to have movies that exist just to be cute and fun! This is just as important for queer women to see themselves and feel seen by society. Saving Face is one of the best queer movies I’ve ever seen because of…
Review by Lucy ★★★½

CUTE
Review by kit 👻 ★★★★

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

when the hot milf said "my daughter is not gay" homophobic queen 😍
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 persia 🍒 ★★★★

MORE GAY MOVIES WITH HAPPY ENDINGS PLEASE! 💖🥰
Review by ethan ★★★ 1

this being better than 99% of straight romcoms? the gays always win!
Review by dodi ★★★★

“Does she know we have sex?”
“No, she thinks we conjugate Latin verbs.”
“…really?”
i love some good useless lesbian representation, plus the portrayal of gay panic in Alice Wu’s works is just spot on
i hope she doesn’t make us wait another 16 years for a cute gay romcom

scavenger hunt #61 | Film 7/31 | Task #15
Review by yanni ★★★½

i feel so warm and gay

Recent reviews

Review by Suzie Topolska ★★★½

A cute little lesbian rom-com (also directed by a queer woman). What rom-com would it be without a dramatic airport scene of course? Step aside Love Actually. I liked how a lot of it was in Chinese and we got to experience some of the culture. When Vivian was about to kiss Wil so she decided to fall to the floor in a gay panic was extremely relatable. There is also a bit of tiddy (pre-warning), but the ending is really uplifting and wholesome.
Review by sandy ★★★★★

literally the best movie i’ve ever seen in my life are you joking me 😭😭😭
felt like i was watching a drama so many twists and turns and revelations wow!!! the intimacy was so genuine; the fear, and shame, the nuances of chinese culture— all so genuine... felt such a glimpse into my own life, especially when my parents found out. there’s rejection and then silence. along the way, you piece it back together, and it’s like it never happened.
some things are so intimate you want to look away, yet you find solace in its honesty.
Review by emi ★★★★★

happy ending gay romcoms are unmatched in the world of romcoms😚✋
Review by cadence

why was this the best movie ive ever seen
Review by Elyes ★★★½

Extremely charming.
Review by Andrew Rhyne ★★★

gay.
Review by reelceluloid ★★★★

Honestly redecorating someone else’s house really should solve all of life’s problems.
Review by pastamom ★★★★

let’s go lesbians!!
Review by nikki ★★★★

I LOVE LESBIANS!!!!!!!
Review by Bethany Dubuc ★★★

Well that was nice. Will Smith produced it, and... I could tell. I had a physical reaction to this movie I loved it so much
Review by Julia Appleseed ★★★★½

um yes hi I am going to need more cheesy lesbian rom coms please STAT
Review by Kristen ★★★★★

One of the cutest movies I have ever seen. And not a single white person in the whole thing??? *chef's kiss*