Movie Recommendation

[morgan_dhu]

Well, it didn't get any Academy Award nominations, but the other night I saw a really good movie: Saving Face. I understand it made somewhat of a name for itself at the Sundance and Toronto International Film Festivals, and deservedly so.

The focal characters are Wil, a single, Chinese-American woman who is a doctor and a closeted lesbian and her mother, a widow who has lived her life exclusively within the Chinese community. The film revolves around their relationships with each other, and with the members of their family and community - including an aspiring dancer, Vivien, who seems determined to get Wil out of the closet and into her life.

Delightful story with several quite unexpected plot developments, well acted, with several relative newcomers and the divine Joan Chen playing the part of Wil's mother, with powerful but subtle direction from Alice Wu, who also wrote the script. And lots of fun.

Comments

[lavendertook.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard of that one. I hope it makes it to DC--I'd like to see it.

[morgan-dhu.livejournal.com]

It had a limited release and now it's out on video - take it home for the evening - I recommend a double header with Chutney Popcorn

[lavendertook.livejournal.com]

Will do--I haven't seen Chutney Popcorn yet.

Have you seen Fire? That's a gorgeous film.

[morgan-dhu.livejournal.com]

Oh, I adore Deepa Mehta's work. Actually, we're seen Earth and Fire, and the Water DVD is sitting in our living room right now waiting to be watched.

It is astonishing the effort and agony she has gone through to get these three films made - the effects of society, religion, and social/political/class/caste/religious conflict on women in India are so central to all three of them. If there were any justice in the world, she would be acknowledged worldwide as an important director.

I cannot gush enough about Metha's work.