Saving Face (2004)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Alice Wu

Writer:

Alice Wu (writer)

Release Date:

9 September 2005 (Turkey)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A romantic comedy about right, wrong and everything in between.

Plot:

A Chinese-American lesbian and her traditionalist mother are reluctant to go public with secret loves that clash against cultural expectations.

Plot Keywords:

Chinese American | Pregnant | Surgeon | Lesbian | Dancer

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Michelle Krusiec	...	Wilhelmina 'Wil' Pang
Joan Chen	...	Hwei-Lan Gao - Ma
Lynn Chen	...	Vivian Shing
Jin Wang	...	Wai Gung - Grandpa
Guang Lan Koh	...	Wai Po - Grandma
Jessica Hecht	...	Randi - Hospital Co-Worker
Ato Essandoh	...	Jay - Neighbor
David Shih	...	Norman
Brian Yang	...	Little Yu
Nathanel Geng	...	Stimson Cho
Mao Zhao	...	Old Yu
Louyong Wong	...	Dr. Shing
Clare Sum	...	Mrs. Wong
Qian Luo	...	Mrs. Shing
Richard Chang	...	Stephen
Hoon Lee	...	Raymond Wong
Ruth Zhang	...	Mrs. Yao
Connie Hsia	...	Mrs. Chen
Jackson Ning	...	Mr. Chen
Jamie Guan	...	Mr. Yao
Paul Sum	...	Mr. Wong
Brittany Perrineau	...	Dara
Xiaofeng Zang	...	Mr. Fu
Lu Yu	...	Stoic Date
Fang Yulin	...	Wart Date
Pamela Payton-Wright	...	Dr. Morgan
Saidah Arrika Ekulona	...	Nurse #1
Twinkle Burke	...	Hospital Receptionist
Tina Johnson	...	Nurse #2
Phillip Meng	...	Mambo Date
Chloe Tsang	...	8-Year Old Chinese Girl
Rosa Luo	...	Cho Sister #1
Christy Qin	...	Nurse at Clinic
Nan Meng	...	Mother at Clinic
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Regina Lobiondo
Danny Lee	...	Park Guitar Player (uncredited)

Directed by
Alice Wu

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Alice Wu		writer

Produced by
James Lassiter	....	producer
Scott Macaulay	....	executive producer
Jeff Morin	....	associate producer
Robin O'Hara	....	executive producer
John Penotti	....	executive producer
Will Smith	....	producer
Bergen Swanson	....	line producer
Teddy Zee	....	producer

Original Music by
Anton Sanko

Cinematography by
Harlan Bosmajian

Film Editing by
Susan Graef
Sabine Hoffmann

Casting by
Jaclyn Brodsky
Heidi Griffiths

Production Design by
Daniel Ouellette

Set Decoration by
Mylene Santos

Costume Design by
Jill Newell

Makeup Department
Angela Gallagher	....	key makeup artist
Dionne Pitsikoulis	....	assistant makeup artist
Joseph Whitmeyer	....	hair stylist
Jeni Zaharian	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Bergen Swanson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mariela Comitini	....	second assistant director
Heather Daniels	....	additional second assistant director
Carrie Fix	....	first assistant director
Lauren Guilmartin	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Frank DeCurtis Jr.	....	lead man
David Ferrall	....	additional set dresser
Isaac Gabaeff	....	set dresser
Wayne Kimball	....	set dresser
Edmund Levine	....	assistant propmaster
Jeff Maksym	....	set dresser
Colleen Nowers	....	art department coordinator
Adam Roffman	....	property master
Michele K. Short	....	painter

Sound Department
Steve Borne	....	sound
David Briggs	....	foley editor
Nancy Cabrera	....	foley artist
Ryan Collison	....	foley engineer
Christopher Fondulas	....	boom operator
Anguibe Guindo	....	boom operator
Branka Mrkic	....	dialogue editor
Aaron J. Rudelson	....	additional location sound mixer
Dominick Tavella	....	sound re-recording mixer
Noah Timan	....	production sound mixer

Stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
George Bianchini	....	Steadicam operator
Manuel Billeter	....	first assistant camera
Ethan Borsuk	....	camera loader
Phil Bradshaw	....	grip
Michael W. Brennan	....	best boy electric
Marshall Coles	....	electrician
Fernando Gayesky	....	assistant camera
Bart Grieb	....	grip
Evin Lowe	....	additional electrician
Tim Metzger	....	grip
David Norris	....	aerial director of photography
Jonah Oskow	....	electrician
Daniel Sharnoff	....	camera intern
William Trautvetter	....	camera operator
David Troutman	....	dolly grip
JoJo Whilden	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Rita Powers	....	background casting
Sean Powers	....	background casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amy R. Burt	....	assistant wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Steve Lemley	....	color timer
Robert J. Lyons	....	post-production consultant
Mike Nuget	....	digital intermediate editor
Russ Senzatimore	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Tracy McKnight	....	music supervisor
Alysia Oakley	....	music coordinator
Jon Solomon	....	assistant to music supervisor

Other crew
Roni Armstrong	....	craft service
Michael Barnes	....	financial legal services
Andrew Bloomenthal	....	production assistant
Amyjoy Clark	....	production assistant
Dan Cooley	....	location scout
Raz Cunningham	....	assistant to producers
Jacq Donegan	....	production assistant
Scott Ferlisi	....	location assistant
Jessica Fox	....	production assistant
Laurie Gershon	....	product placement/clearances
Dave Ginsberg	....	assistant location manager
Charles Heaphy	....	production financing
Michael Hekmat	....	production assistant
Mariana Hellmund	....	script supervisor
Aaron Hurvitz	....	location scout
Peter Hutchison	....	production accountant
Darren E. Johnson	....	production assistant
Terry Ladin	....	production coordinator
Douglas Matejka	....	production assistant
Ana S. Pelaez	....	production secretary
Deborah Ross	....	title designer
Collin Smith	....	location manager
Fay Smith	....	assistant: Mr. Zee
Fred Wu	....	production assistant
Marisa Wu	....	assistant location manager
Joan Scheckel	....	workshop development (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Destination Films
• Forensic Films
• GreeneStreet Films
• Overbrook Entertainment

Distributors

• Mongrel Media (2005) (Canada) (theatrical) (Toronto Film Festival)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Barbar Film (2005) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• LK-TEL (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Jadin Wong Management  casting
• Jeremy Walker + Associates  publicity

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality and language.

Runtime:

91 min | USA:96 min (San Francisco Asian American Film Festival) | Canada:97 min | Argentina:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Mandarin | Shanghainese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:15 | Singapore:R21 (edited version) | Hong Kong:IIB | Argentina:16 | Brazil:18 | Taiwan:R-12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Ontario) | Germany:o.Al. | Malaysia:(Banned) | USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Destination Films

Trivia:

Director Cameo: The woman eating an apple on the bus is Alice Wu.

Goofs:

Continuity: Wil consistently wears her hair in a tightly pulled back ponytail, but shortly after her mother moves in she goes to visit her grandfather wearing an army T shirt. While she's adjusting the TV antenna, her hair is uncharacteristically puffed up with no explanation. All scenes before and after show her hair in the tight ponytail. Quite a bit later, there is a scene where Wil's mom sends her to the beauty shop to find out gossip. It's there that Wil is wearing the same army T shirt and getting her hair rolled up in big curls - the end result of which would be puffed hair!

Quotes:

Wil: It's been crazy. Vivian, there's a lot going on right now. I'm sorry if I... if this hurts.
Vivian Shing: At least it's not a flesh wound.
[gets up and walks away]

Movie Connections:

Featured in 2006 Glitter Awards (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

MAR AZUL

A nice, light comedy worth seeing.

I was fortunate to see the World premier at the Toronto Film Festival. It was an almost finished product with only some minor changes still needing to be done (mostly tweaking the temporary score and sound) but I didn't notice that it wasn't a finished product. Saving Face is a funny film by written and directed by first time director: Alice Wu. It is about a widow (Joan Chen) who is in her late-40's and has a daughter who is a surgeon. She tries to set up her daughter at these Chinese dances that happen once a week but the daughter is not interested. One day the woman shows up on the daughter's doorstep, kicked out of her home because she has brought shame to the family by becoming pregnant out of wedlock. The mother and daughter have to adjust while the daughter tries to hide her lesbian relationship with her boss's daughter. I liked this film. Joan Chen was very funny in this film. The comedy is good, a nice light touch and on a level everyone can relate too. Although, the fact they are Chinese is not glossed over. The dramatic scenes were weaker in contrast to the comedy but still worked. The three main actresses were good although Joan Chen was the star. If you liked What's Cooking or Mambo Italiano or My Big Fat Greek Wedding, then I think you will like this movie. I am Asian but not Chinese so I do have my biases. Having said that, I think that this film will help break the typical Asian stereotype and will be a mainstream success. Apparently Sony pictures has bought the distribution rights so I expect to see it in theatre some time next year. I give it an 8/10. Definitely worth a look if you want a nice light comedy with a little drama. Note the film is half in Mandarin and half in English but there are English subtitles. I will definitely see it again when it comes out in general release and I will buy the DVD when it comes out.