Saving Face (Alice Wu)
A sweet story that focuses on a young, Chinese American woman who must grapple with her more traditional heritage, her burgeoning relationship with another woman, Lynn Chen, and her mother’s unexpected pregnancy, Saving Face is an undervalued romantic comedy. With the heart of the film being focused on women and their relationships with one another, the story refuses to sugarcoat any of the characters’ situations, rather mining for moments of comedy, drama and romance from their shortcomings. Our lead, Wilhelmina, isn’t so much hiding who she is and more so has a family who has put blinders on in regards to her sexuality. If she doesn’t mention it, they won’t either. Her tense but affectionate relationship with her mother, whose unmarried pregnancy causes strife with her own parents, is the soul of the film, while her flirtation with Lynn brings just the right amount of lightness. It’s a love story and a familial drama with plenty of comedy throughout, and it’s a shame we haven’t seen more from director Alice Wu.
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