Saving Face appears relatively unassuming at first. I mean, who truly needs another rom-com? Nevertheless, a friend recommended Saving Face to me, so I thought, "Why not check it out?" And honestly, I am so glad that I watched this movie. This 2004 romance/comedy exceeded my expectations.

Although the script was a bit mediocre, the acting was incredible! Lynn Chen and Michelle Krusiec deserve praise for bringing their characters to life. They gave their characters depth and emotion. Furthermore, the premise of this movie is also very original. Michelle Krusiec portrays Wil, a closeted lesbian who conceals her sexuality from her widowed mother, Joan Chen. When her parents discover that Hwei-lan is pregnant and refuse to reveal the father's identity, they expel her from their home. Hwei-lan moves in with Wil, who has just begun a relationship with Vivian, played by Lynn Chen. Unknowingly, Wil's mother begins to put a strain on Wil and Vivian's relationship.

I love this charming movie and how it portrays the interconnectedness of certain sexualities and cultures. Usually, rom-coms are over-the-top and unrealistic, but Saving Face never has that problem. Everything portrayed is just so raw and real. Also, I’d never seen a lesbian rom-com focused on Asian-Americans before, which was very refreshing. Additionally, and surprisingly, this movie had a happy ending—both for Hwei-lan and Wil. 

Honestly, I don’t have many critiques of this film. Although the cinematography was nothing special, it didn’t need to be. The actors kept me entertained and focused throughout. This film didn’t try to be experimental or anything; it knew what it needed to accomplish and did exactly that. Even though a few of the jokes did not land, I still laughed quite a bit. 

The fact that Saving Face was Alice Wu’s debut film is a bit astounding to me. I mean, it tackles so many problems and defies cultural expectations. Although I did notice a few things that didn’t align, such as the lighting in a few shots, this film was still great.