Anthony's Film Review - Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

A great romantic comedy, appealing to both the Asian community and everyone else...

Crazy Rich Asians, based on the novel of the same name by Kevin Kwan, is a romantic comedy that simultaneously acts as two kinds of movies: a movie about Asian people and a movie about human beings who just happen to be Asian. Your perspective of the film will depend a lot on how much attention you give to the depiction of cultural elements, though it's not a bad thing at all. If you are looking to see what aspects of traditional Asian culture are in this Hollywood movie, you can appreciate the things that were put in. If you are looking to see Asian people live and behave like anyone else, you'll certainly find that as well. Really, you'll enjoy the movie either way. It is quite impressive that the film Crazy Rich Asians appeals to two kinds of audiences equally and ultimately brings together many people into one big audience. If there is an effort to have this movie advance Asian representation in Hollywood film, it has definitely succeeded.

Because the portrayal of Asian people is the real treat here, the plot is surprisingly not as important as you'd expect. It's simply this. Constance Wu plays an NYU economics professor named Rachel Chu, whose boyfriend Nick Young, played by Henry Golding, takes her to Singapore to meet his family, attend a friend's wedding, and ultimately have a good time. The two are very close and are clearly a match made in heaven. The only source of potential conflict is Nick's mother Eleanor, played by Michelle Yeoh, who may be very wealthy but also strictly holds onto traditional Asian customs. If you are familiar with some Asian cultures, you'll know that traditional Asians tend to hold relationships to a high standard, often demanding that a list of criteria be met before the potential mate can be considered suitable and acceptable. In this case, Rachel does not come from a wealthy family, nor did she grow up in Asia. She was raised in America as the daughter of a single mother who immigrated from China. This sounds just fine to many people, but for someone like Eleanor Young, it could be blasphemy.

Speaking of Asian traditions, this film features plenty of them. You can expect to see dumplings being made and eaten and also, in a notable scene late in the movie, the tile game of mahjong being played. There are also cultural customs that are briefly touched upon and are familiar mainly to people immersed in Asian culture. For example, in several Asian cultures, older women and men who are considered close friends of a family are referred to as aunt or uncle, respectively, even if they are not actually biologically related to the family. There is also one spoken line of dialogue that references the Asian practice of packing and bringing leftover food. If you are not familiar with Asian culture, don't despair. While the cultural insiders will appreciate their culture being shown in this Hollywood film, the rest can easily understand that what they're seeing is part of the culture and will not stop to wonder what it is.

That said, Crazy Rich Asians has a universal appeal. All of the characters represent different kinds of human personalities and lifestyles, which you see in any culture. For instance, there's the nerd personality, which unfortunately has been a negative Asian male stereotype perpetuated for far too long in Hollywood. There is one nerdy guy in this movie who has a crush on Rachel and likes to take pictures of her on his smartphone, but there's also another nerdy-looking guy with a sense of fashion, plus a seemingly nerdy guy who is actually a wild party animal throwing a bachelor party on a freighter ship in the middle of the sea. Expect to also see a young buff Asian man cheating on his wife, Rachel's laid-back friend from college (played by Asian-American rapper Awkwafina in a funny performance), that friend's wacky father (played by the equally funny Ken Jeong), a man who insists on him and his family looking perfect in photo shoots, and young women acting like little girls at a bachelorette party. It is interesting how Crazy Rich Asians makes an effort to promote ethnic diversity in Hollywood film just by presenting human diversity within one ethnic group.

The result is a movie where no one in the audience is left out. This is not a film that centers entirely on traditional Asian culture in isolation from the rest of the modern world. It is a movie showcasing traditional and modern Asian people in today's world. On that note, the setting is just as important as the cast in this movie. Crazy Rich Asians takes place in Singapore, where you can find lavish hotels, a lovely urban setting, and beach locales not too far away. You will also see bustling food markets serving all sorts of local dishes. One of my favorite scenes in this movie involves Nick and Rachel hanging out with one of Nick's friends and another lady. They buy some food and drink and proceed to sit down, dine, and chat away. It's a great scene because this is the kind of thing we can all relate to. If you are interested in Asian food, you'll also appreciate seeing that on screen as a bonus.

When I saw this movie in a theater, most of the people in the audience were Asian, and I could tell they were eager to watch a film that was made for them. During the first couple of minutes, I couldn't help but think that this really is revolutionary. This is a romantic comedy that feels very familiar because the story has been done countless times before, yet also very fresh because it involves an ethnic group not typically seen in a movie produced by a big Hollywood studio. That feeling stayed with me all the way through. There were two other interesting observations I made. One, there was a moment where many people laughed at a particular Asian joke, which told me that the film was speaking to the Asians in the audience. In response to another part of the movie, I heard a non-Asian audience member react in surprise, which reminded me that the situation occurring during the movie was one that anyone can relate to. This is another testament to the universal appeal of Crazy Rich Asians.

From both the standpoint of telling a funny romantic story and the standpoint of promoting Asian representation in big Hollywood movies, Crazy Rich Asians is a success. Not a small success. A big one. If you need proof, this movie was #1 at the box office during its opening weekend. Usually, I tend to see movies that are big on action or part of major franchises as the ones that regularly top box office results. Now and then, a movie that is widely marketed and has a unique premise will have a shot, too. Crazy Rich Asians is in a unique position of being assumed to not top the box office and to only go so far in promotion Asians in film. The fact that it went far on both fronts says a whole lot. All in all, Crazy Rich Asians is a real success story. Success in delivering a great romantic comedy. Success in giving Asian actors the spotlight. And ultimately, success in giving the whole world something to smile about, regardless of ethnic background.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Crazy Rich Asians, visit the Internet Movie Database.