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The Hollywood Reporter PARK CITY -- That adage "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face" is nicely apt for "Saving Face," a juicy Chinese-American romance about preserving "face" at the sacrifice of your whole being. This Sony Pictures Classics release is a comic gem and will flourish as a word-of-mouth hit for discerning audiences. First-time filmmaker Alice Wu, who left a certain future in computer science to forge her spunky entertainment, exhibits a veteran's hand in balancing character with comedy. "Saving Face" is a frothy delight, robust with strong and conflicted characters. It often is deliriously funny, thanks to Wu's decidedly raunchy sensibility. In this romance, Wilhelmina (Michelle Krusiec) suffers the same plague as many "perfect" daughters: She is constantly nagged by her Chinese-born mother (Joan Chen) and hounded by her grandparents, survivors of the Cultural Revolution. By most standards she is a success, a promising surgeon and personable young woman. Not surprisingly, she is regarded with concern and pity by her family elders -- at 29 she is unmarried and, indeed, seems a bit of a klutz with men. But, Wil has her standards, not falling for the rich, chauvinistic losers that she encounters at the frequent Chinese singles parties. And she carries a big secret. With its idiosyncratic verve, it's hard to notice that "Saving Face" fits an old romantic formula, but in this case with a new spin: Girl gets girl-girl loses girl-girl gets girl. The other "girl" in this winning equation is a lithesome and talented dancer, Vivian (Lynn Chen), who wins Wil's heart. Spinning her story through the minefields of Wil's professional colleagues, uptight relatives and reproving mother, Wu weaves a ripe and quirky entertainment. Most wonderfully, as each character emerges, we see that they are not really what they seem on the surface. In the end, we see through these "faces" to some remarkable and identifiable people. The talented cast plays a big part in the film's joyous eloquence, most eminently Krusiec as the spunky daughter/surgeon. Lynn Chen is beguiling as her dancer lover, and Joan Chen is terrifically feisty as a dragonlady with her own dark secret. "Saving Face's" jaunty pace reflects the talented technical team. Cinematographer Harlan Bosmajian's compositions are packed with telling traits of character, and editors Susan Graef and Sabine Hoffman enliven the proceedings with a magical grace and rhythm.
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