Saving Face
2004
New York City
Alice Wu
Romantic Comedy
What’s it all about: Joan Chen emerges from her wooden dresser knob to be the talk of Chinatown when a scandal forces her to move in with her daughter. Michelle Krusiec is the daughter, a brilliant doctor nursing a scandal of her own.
Prostitute Index: nil
Death By: being a beloved old person in a romcom
Relics: metrocard, video rentals, hospital vending machine
Hoops: the quirky sidekick neighbor with no life or plot of his own
Heartthrobs: Lynn Chen, Brian Yang
Pass/Fails the Test of Time: the single-in-new-york romcom template
LoFi Magic: Joan Chen and a bag of chips
Words to live by: “Chinese people cannot wear yellow.”
Makes me want to: revisit Lust, Caution
Candotti Take: “It’s a latin drama transfered to the asian world.” / “They talk a lot.”
Worth a watch/rewatch: Yes
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