The Glo Movie Night: Saving Face (2004)
A gay Chinese-American and her traditionalist mother are reluctant to go public with secret loves that clash against cultural expectations. (R, 97 min.)
Showtimes
Saturday, February 28, 2026
4:00 PM
Join us for our quarterly GLO Center Movie Night event on Saturday, February 28 at 4:00 PM. This FREE event is brought to you by The GLO Center as part of our mission to foster connection and celebrate LGBTQ+ stories. Reserve seats here.
A queer romantic comedy set in vibrant, multicultural New York City, Alice Wu’s irresistible feature debut breathed fresh life into the genre by combining snappy dialogue and a swooning love story with a poignant narrative about a mother and daughter coming to terms with each other. Just as Wil (Michelle Krusiec), a harried young surgical resident, begins a promising romance with the flirtatious dancer Vivian (Lynn Chen), her life is turned upside down when her more traditional Chinese mother (Joan Chen)—unwed and unexpectedly pregnant—moves in with her, forcing both women to confront the generational and cultural barriers that have long troubled their relationship. Both embracing and cleverly subverting rom-com conventions, Wu delivers a bighearted ode to the Chinese American diaspora, and the liberating joy of living one’s truth. [Criterion]
Starring: Joan Chen, Michelle Krusiec, Lynn Chen
Director: Alice Wu
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
"Fresh and charming"
— Marrit Ingman, Austin Chronicle
"A first film with a deft comedic touch and a trio of charming stars."
— Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
"[Saving Face] gets its heart pumping by putting its lovers smack in the middle of family and community."
— Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post
"It has the heart and spirit of a true romantic comedy, and a lightness of touch that you rarely see in a debut picture."
— Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
"Why do rom-coms always get happy endings, and not family dramas? With Saving Face, Wu dares to ask: Why not both?"
— Terry Nguyen, Vox
"Goes beyond the obvious into something a lot more current and meaningful: the need to make your own love, even if society looks askance."
— Peter Howell, Toronto Star
"A heartwarming comedy that reaffirms the power of personal choice, while also promising to love and to cherish even the most hidebound cultures."
— Jami Bernard, New York Daily News
"Tender and often extremely funny, Alice Wu's delightful debut feature, Saving Face, is a Chinese-American lesbian romance that wisely explores the tug-of-war between tradition and the need to be true to one's heart."
— Lou Lumenick, New York Post
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