Saving Face

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1:52

Saving Face

R

2005

1h 36m

Comedy

Drama

Romance

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

89 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Wil is a lesbian, but she does not dare tell her widowed mother, Hwei-lan, 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.

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Critics Consensus

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

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Derek Smith

Slant Magazine

Sep 1, 2025

Saving Face is a coming-out story that elicits plenty of universal truths.

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Terry Nguyen

Vox

May 4, 2022

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

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Alyx Vesey

Bitch Media

Jan 11, 2021

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.

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Rudie Obias

Battleship Pretension

Aug 29, 2025

Saving Face is charming and witty, while it has a lot to say about the relationship between mothers and their daughters — through the lens of an immigrant’s story.

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Steven Lindsey

Texas Triangle/TXT

May 8, 2023

3.5/4

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.

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Amanda Jane Stern

Film Inquiry

Dec 30, 2020

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

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Jun 14, 2022

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

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May 30, 2021

One of my favorite portrayals of sapphic romance!

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Nov 27, 2020

Super cringy, but relatable...

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Jun 9, 2020

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

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May 29, 2020

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".

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Oct 11, 2019

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

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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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Synopsis

Wil is a lesbian, but she does not dare tell her widowed mother, Hwei-lan, 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.

Director: Alice Wu
Producer: James Lassiter, Will Smith, Teddy Zee
Screenwriter: Alice Wu
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Forensic Films, Overbrook Entertainment, 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
Runtime: 1h 36m

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