Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

Forget everything you thought you knew about wealth. Head to toe designer, celebrity littered parties and private jets are just the tip of the iceberg, because there’s rich… and then there’s crazy rich.

When Nick Young (Henry Golding) flies back to Singapore for his best friends wedding he brings his girlfriend Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) along for the festivities.

What Nick doesn’t do is prepare her for their reception. The down to earth New York Nick, Rachel knows and loves is actually closer to royalty in his home town, and that means scrutiny and competition at every turn.

Met with fake smiles, cold shoulders and hard truths, Rachel begins to wonder if what she feels for Nick is strong enough to also hold the weight of tradition, and the family members that come as part of the deal.

So first and foremost I have to give props to the casting for Crazy Rich Asians. Everyone was so fitting to the role, especially the regal Michelle Yeoh as Eleanor Young – who you may recognize from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Constance Wu (Fresh off the Boat) as main character Rachel was brilliant as you couldn’t help but root for, and of course a shout out to one of my favourites; Gemma Chan (Humans) as the graceful Astrid.

I personally love watching movies and shows that are fully seeped in a culture I wouldn’t otherwise be exposed too. I thought the movie built a welcoming bridge into the wealthy Asian lifestyle, supplying the audience with a taste for the culture, expectations and normalacies of that world.

A nice subtle addition to the movie was the soundtrack, specifically in the way it played a number of popular western songs – in Mandarin. It added an organic level of authenticity to the movie which didn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated.

If there is one thing I love being pretentious about, it’s having read the book before it has been adapted for the screen…. With that being said, I take special pleasure in Crazy Rich Asians making the list.

All I will say for those who have read the novel is that the movie is pretty damn close to the book, aside from a few necessary compressions in storylines.

One thing I will say, is that for a movie specifically aimed at highlighting the crazy lifestyle of Asian’s elite… we weren’t shown anything jaw dropping. Certain things were a little over the top, but nothing screamed; What the heck! You guys really have money to waste!

A few stand out extremities would have given the movie an even more memorable flavor but instead they went for a tell rather than a show approach in many cases.

Rachel – though of Asian decent was essentially a fish out of water – and is even labelled as such (ABC – American Born Chinese). The movie could have played up to this a little more for the audiences benefit – had a scene where the rules were laid out, the do’s, don’t, the who’s and the how’s etc.

It felt like that was the direction they were heading in after an early scenes depicted how fast the Asian network operated, and a family tree breakdown, but it didn’t progress past that.

Did I mention that Crazy Rich Asians is a rom-com? Well it is, and in that it ticked all the right cutesie-loveydovey-will they-won’t they boxes.

Much like when I read the book, I was left with my appetite whet for more. So far the word on the web is that a sequel has been confirmed (actors schedules pending) so I am much looking forward to seeing the next steps in trials, tribulations and triumphs of these crazy rich Asians.