Crazy Rich is right. Not comfortable. Not even wealthy. Crazy Rich. I officially understood the magnitude of “crazy rich” when a wedding aisle turns into a full-blown stream, complete with lily pads and overarching flowers. I need a Singapore vacation ASAP
Crazy Rich Asians stars Constance Wu as NYU Economics professor Rachel Chu as she travels with her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding, not Swaggy P) to Singapore to meet his family for the first time. Little known to her, Nick is the heir to one of the wealthiest families in China and she must struggle to fit in amongst jealous suitors, snobby relatives, and a disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh).
** DISCLAIMER**
I VERY MUCH ENJOYED THIS MOVIE AND RECOMMEND EVERYONE GO SEE IT
** DISCLAIMER**
Objectively, Crazy Rich Asians falls short in lot of ways as a movie. It has a predictable plot, some choppy editing and dialogue, over-the-top jokes, and sequences that make it feel more like a soap opera than a movie. Yet what it lacks in execution, it more than makes up in soul-enriching joy with its wonderful character, lovable characters, and captivating aura.
Symbolized heavily through the food and music, Crazy Rich Asians gives a glimpse into the significance of family and family dynamics in Asian culture. A cultural representation that director John M. Chu, writers Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, and the cast wanted to effortlessly emphasize as they adapted Kevin Kwam’s novel of the same name. The Crazy Rich Asians team created something that doesn’t seem like it is trying to make an Asian movie for Western audiences. They just made their movie relatable to their culture and their truth. It is as if they understood (just like Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, and Lee Daniels’ teams understood) that cinema represents ALL walks of life. Hollywood still needs to catch up.
This innate understanding allows the cast to flourish together on screen. The entire ensemble generates the emotions each individual character wants the audience to feel: love, jealousy, loathing, delight, and whatever else the actors want to display. Constance Wu is effervescent as Rachel, showing her range after years of her portrayal of no-nonsense Jessica on Fresh off the Boat. She is the lynchpin of the entire movie, magnifying the other cast members’ performances. She enhances Goulding’s charm as the loyal friend, son, and boyfriend Nick, and solidifies Yeoh’s intensity as Nick’s more traditional and protective mother Eleanor. Awkwafina and Gemma Chan also standout as Rachel’s old college friend Peik Lin (Awkwafina) and Nick Young’s cousin Astrid (Chan). Awkwafina comes on screen you are laughing no matter what scripted or improvised word is uttered. Gemma Chan comes on screen and epitomizes the sweetness that Crazy Rich Asians exudes.
Because you care about the characters on screen, you do not want the movie to end. You will laugh, you will cry, you will love, and you will definitely be hungry (the amount of love put into showing how to make food will have you salivating). It throws back to everything you loved about your favorite 90's Rom-Com's like Father of the Bride and Notting Hill. It will keep a smile on your face (or a tear in your eye) from start to finish. It more than proves that audiences are dying for more diverse representation on the big screen. Hollywood needs to continue to give everyone someone in which to see themselves. The magic of movies is not, and shall not be, confined to a melanin-free experience. I am giving Crazy Rich Asians 7/10 Swaggy P confused faces.