Alice Wu’s delightful 2004 romantic comedy joins the Criterion Collection
Alice Wu’s 2004 debut feature, Saving Face, has become something of a cult classic after its initial release. The romantic comedy about a mother (Joan Chen, The Last Emperor, the recent remake of The Wedding Banquet) and her daughter Wil (Michelle Krusiec, The Invitation) finding themselves through love is now out in a Criterion edition, with supplements any fan will be excited to see.
Wil, a queer surgery intern who isn’t fully out of the closet yet, becomes enchanted with Vivian (Lynn Chen, I Will Make You Mine) after seeing her across the room at one of the weekly Friday dances held by their Chinese-American community in Queens. Joan Chen’s Ma keeps trying to pair Wil with eligible bachelors at these dances. But Ma is about to undergo her own crisis after her elderly parents find out the widow is pregnant and eject her from their house, leading her to crash with Wil.
At a lean 97 minutes, Saving Face’s screenplay — written by director Wu with assistance in Mandarin from her mom — capably blends romance and family drama, while poking fun at gossips within this Chinese-American community. Joan Chen’s Ma is frazzled, refusing to discuss the father of the baby, leading daughter Wil to make her own assumptions. We see how both women in this family tend to hold their emotions close. Lynn Chen’s Vivian is a lively contrast to Wil as a free-spirited ballerina who wishes for more freedom in her art. Unlike Wil, Vivian is out to both her parents.
While serving as an early opportunity for representation onscreen, Wu’s film allows these actresses to deliver memorable performances in their roles. There’s a reason why all three performers remain fond of their time and work on Saving Face. Alice Wu created a funny and distinct film that is easy to fall in love with; it even gains depth and emotional impact on later viewings. It’s a different experience watching the film now that I’m closer to Ma’s age than my first screening (when I was closer to Wil’s), but Saving Face is no less delightful and touching. Thanks to Criterion Collection for recognizing and celebrating Wu’s one-of-a-kind voice and work.
Saving Face is now available on Blu-ray from Criterion Collection, with special features including:
- Director-approved HD digital master, with an available commentary track from Alice Wu
- An interview with Wu recorded for this release, where the filmmaker shares how much her own mother impacted the script and story. “I wrote this as a love letter to my mother,” she says, explaining that her mom helped with the Mandarin dialogue in the script. Wu discusses the production process and the casting process, including her own surprise at how much Joan Chen wanted the role of Ma.
- An interview with actress Joan Chen recorded for this release which encompasses her decades-long career in film, starting with her young debut in China. She throws in the story of being “discovered” by Dino DeLaurentis in a parking garage and contrasts the limited roles available for her in Hollywood with her experience in China. She offers her character analysis of Ma in Saving Face, adding that she’s “truly proud of this film.”
- Behind-the scenes making-of featurette and a Sundance Diary from its 2005 screening at the festival
- Deleted scenes with commentary available from Wu
