Saving Face

Today I saw the movie Saving Face, by Alice Wu. Although I love foreign films, Chinese films usually aren't among my favorites. I think the harsh sound of the language is distracting and a bit too foreign for my ears. However, Saving Face looked interesting enough so I decided to give it a try.

Out of 5 stars, I'd give this film three and a half. It's a nice light romantic comedy, but also examines some of the cultural issues facing Chinese-Americans. The movie takes place in New York City and chronicles the struggles of two women, mother & daughter, to live up to the old Chinese cultural standards. The mother is a forty-eight year old widower living with her over-bearing parents after the death of her husband who suddenly finds herself pregnant. The daughter is a promising twenty-something doctor who endures the efforts of the community to marry her off though she is a lesbian. When the mother is kicked out of her parents house for becoming pregnant, she moves in with her daughter, which is where the long road to understanding begins. The two are able to find common ground and build a strong bond despite sometimes being ostracized by the tight-knit community they live in. And in the end love and understanding prevail. Despite some cliches, it's an enjoyable and entertaining movie.

Though I still have reservations about Chinese films, I'm happy to have crossed #217 off my list: see Saving Face.