I was quite skeptical and a bit excited to watch this film because we do not see as many romantic comedies as often as we did in the 90s or 2000s. Sometimes, the audience and myself are craving for a good romantic comedy since the genre has fallen off the market and not giving a certain demographic what they want to savor. But, 2018 has been the year of diversity since Hollywood studios are delivering more diverse films and giving a more specific demographic what they want.
For the Asian audience, I know that China has a specific type of genre which are action movies that are geared towards them. The action movies make a great profit there. But, in America, it seems that most projects are geared towards the central demographic which is the Caucasian audience, however, it is nice for certain audiences to have movies that are culturally relevant especially in this case to the Asian audiences yet are universally spoken to everybody. In this case, this romantic comedy is a fantastic delight all-around that is reminiscent to the remarkably charming indie film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is an economics professor who is in a relationship with her boyfriend, Nick (Henry Golding). Nick wants to take Rachel to his hometown in Singapore to attend the wedding for Nick's best friend, Colin Khoo (Chris Pang), which is also a great opportunity for his family to meet Rachel. However, two women from a blog site spot Rachel and Nick and take photographs of them as it spreads throughout the media, as it reaches Nick's wealthy mother, Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh). Eleanor calls Nick to ask about bringing his girlfriend to the wedding.
Rachel starts to have worrisome thoughts as she thinks that she and her mother, Kerry (Tan Kheng Nua), are poor and Nick is ashamed of her status. Nick does not just have a mother that is wealthy but has some of his family members that are also rich. The couple goes to Singapore as they are picked up by Colin and his fiancée, Aramita Lee (Sonoya Mizuno) as they go out to try the local food and see the whole town. The next morning, Rachel visits her old college roommate, Peik Lin Goh (Awkwafina) after she informs Peik Lin and her family the news that she is dating Nick. Rachel preps for the evening party at Nick's grandmother's home. As she and Peik Lin arrived, Nick's family looks down at Rachel as she does not come from wealth and Eleanor frowns upon her and her story of becoming a professor as she ambitions being unnecessary. But, there are skeletons in her closet that has not been revealed until later on.
Even though it is great to see another point of view of family from another culture, it is quite rewarding and enchanting to see that this movie that throws away tropes of Asian stereotypes. With My Big Fat Greek Wedding, it is the same area as to how family is viewed from the Greek point of view. Unfortunately, with it sequel, the movie retreated into them being cartoons. But, we have seen many movies in tackling culture with that theme of family like The Namesake, Bend it Like Beckham (both regarding Indian families), Fanny and Alexander (a Swedish family) or an underrated film called My Family (a Mexican family). And, yet, they are all rewarding.
It has been a long time since there has been a large Asian cast ensemble after 25 years ago since the 1993 film, The Joy Luck Club, which tackles generations of the same family. This movie has that too but in a more comedic and dramatic twist as the opulence is against the underprivileged (in their own way) because Michelle Yeoh's and Lisa Yu's characters have known that upscale lifestyle their whole lives. They tackle that particular theme quite well as it simultaneously becomes both relevant and a bit escapist entertainment. However, the relevance in the opulence quickly fades away and becomes excessively fantastical and the entertainment does wane a little bit in that are. But, it picks up quickly as it focuses more on the romance.
And, I think the three strongest elements are the romantic chemistry between Constance Wu and Henry Golding as the pair reminded me of old-fashioned romantic pairs that are reminiscent of the couples from the '40s and '50s. They are quite glamorous together as Wu radiates that glow that attracts people with her powerful and charismatic presence. And, Golding, in my opinion, is a movie star in the making and I hope other studios give him a chance to use him quite well. Michelle Yeoh is excellent as the judgmental, old-fashioned mother who has stuck to her "crazy, rich" roots and has been a great actress in good and bad movies since I saw her for the first time in the underrated James Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies. She never takes a wrong step. But, this movie is not without its comedic value of Awkwafina and Nick Santos who almost steals the whole product and have such great timing with their jokes.
Director John M. Chu has (finally) made an entertaining, delightful film and I have not liked any of his movies in his filmography. This movie is a lighthearted, visually dazzling, at times, surprisingly emotional romantic comedy that has a fantastical fairy-tale spin to it in the setting of Singapore that will please everybody. Despite of what class or culture you come from, everybody can relate to the small details of certain actions that families can be inhibited to because family, again, is a universal theme. The movie is a bit overlong with some lighthearted but familiar set-up and a sub-plot involving an affair that is not quite developed well or I've seen in other romantic comedies. Crazy Rich Asians is a shining precedent of a movie date that captures the honesty and magic supported by a engaging romance.
***
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