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Saving Face

(2005, Rated R, Drama, Starring Michelle Krusiec, Joan Chen, Lynn Chen)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 16.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Chinese-American mom and daughter reconnect.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–17

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Some lying among family members; unmarried pregnancy.
  • Violence:

    Not an issue.
  • Sex:

    Mother is pregnant by unknown man; daughter shares artful sex scenes with a girlfriend; comic references to porn tape.
  • Language:

    Brief.
  • Consumerism:

    Video store.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Minor.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Saving Face

Parents need to know that the movie focuses on intergenerational tensions in a Chinese-American family, stemming from two primary difficulties: an immigrant father rejects his 48-year-old daughter when she becomes pregnant and won't name the baby's father; the granddaughter, a NYC surgeon, hides her lesbian relationship with a dancer, out of fear that her mother and grandparents won't "understand." The film features emotional discussions of relationships, artful images of lesbian sex, and a charming black bisexual neighbor who gives Wil advice and watches soap operas with Ma.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the love and tensions between mothers and daughters (over three generations), as well as potential conflicts over traditions from another country: how might a next generation's "progress" be enhanced rather than limited by maintaining such traditions? How does Wil's fear of revealing her relationship with Vivian keep her from feeling comfortable or honest with her mother? How do their confessions help them to understand one another?

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