MOVIE REVIEW: CRAZY RICH ASIANS (2018)

For movies like this one, where my review is coming a few years after watching it, I make a point to read through a plot synopsis to refresh my memory of the story, and I sometimes will watch the movie trailer to remind myself of the vibe. Let me tell you, after watching the trailer for this film, I am all smiles. This is an unassuming movie made on a modest budget that bowled me over with its charm.

American-Chinese college professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is headed to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding) for his cousin’s wedding. If she weren’t already anxious enough about finally meeting Nick’s family, he confides in her on the flight that he comes from a wealthy family. Wealthy doesn’t even begin to cover it. The Youngs are among the elite in Singapore, with a veritable real estate and development empire, and all the power and influence that come with it. Nick’s mother makes it clear from the start that Rachel isn’t good enough for her son, but that won’t stop Rachel from trying to win her over.

While the cast took some flack for being made up of mostly non-Chinese actors playing Chinese and Singaporean characters, the acting is terrific. The two leads have great chemistry, Michelle Yeoh is a force of nature as Nick’s disapproving mother, and even Awkafina (usually a very acquired taste) hits all the right notes as Rachel’s zany former college roommate (who happens to live in Singapore). No one feels forced or like they’re phoning it in. It’s no wonder this cast got nominated for a SAG award.

While the concept of a young woman trying to win the approval of her boyfriend’s mother is nothing new, the script is fresh because of the different culture involved. It doesn’t change the romance formula a great deal, but the setting, customs, and scenery are unfamiliar enough with American audiences to make the journey unique. For those of us who don’t keep up with the lifestyles of Singapore’s rich and famous, this film explores an energetic and entertaining new pocket of the world.

The backbone of the film is the bestseller book that it is adapted from. Rather than this just being a paint-by-numbers Hollywood rom-com with the novelty of an all-Asian cast, it was adapted, produced, and directed by people of Asian descent, which helps the film retain the heart and soul of its source material. The commitment from everyone in front of the camera and behind it makes Crazy Rich Asians an absolute delight to watch, and it is the rare kind of rom-com that I would enthusiastically watch again.

FINAL RATING: 3.75 out of 5