CRAZY RICH ASIANS: A Brilliant Exploration of the Asian Lifestyle through Rom-Com Conventions

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Produced by: John Penotti, Brad Simpson, Nina Jacobson

Directed by: Jon M. Chu

Written by: Peter Chiarelli, Adele Lim

Production Company: Warner Bros. Pictures

Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, Michelle Yeoh  

Runtime: 119 minutes

SYNOPSIS: 

Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is invited by her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding) to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Upon arriving there, she discovers Nick’s biggest secret: his family is filthy rich. And so, her smooth romantic relationship with Nick is put to the test as she tries to prove her worth amongst Nick’s circle of socialite friends and family, in particular Nick’s domineering mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh). 

REVIEW:

 

After the breakaway success of Black Panther this year with its all-African American cast, Hollywood takes another landmark step towards screen representation with Crazy Rich Asians. Based on the first book in best-selling novel trilogy by Kevin Kwan, the book itself was one of the rare yet the most popular literary works to explore deep into the Asian experience through the many eyes of a predominantly all-Asian cast of characters. It proved to be a cultural phenomenon, a historic occasion for an Asian voice to finally come to the fore in American literature. 

Yet, as much of an impact as it had in the bookstores, Crazy Rich Asians remains a cinematic risk. Firstly, there hasn’t been any film with an all-Asian cast of Crazy Rich Asians’ size ever since the Joy Luck Club came out 25 years ago, let alone a hit. Secondly, it is a romantic comedy film, a tough sell in recent years for a theatrical release. Despite that, it is still one of the most sought-after intellectual properties for major film studios, particularly with traditional studio Warner Brothers and streaming service Netflix involved in a bit of a tug-of-war trying to close out the deal. For awhile, Netflix had the upper hand, offering Kwan more money, more creative control and complete assurance that he can complete his trilogy regardless of how well the first film does. 

For all the money in the world, Netflix couldn’t provide what mattered most: seeing the Asian community represented on the big screen. On that end, Kevin Kwan made the right decision snubbing Netflix for Warner Brothers. Through visuals alone, Crazy Rich Asians deserves a much bigger stage than Netflix’s small-screen medium. 

Director Jon M. Chu wonderfully translates Kwan’s chic, fashionable interpretation of wealth to the big screen with its lavish production design. Inspired probably by Baz Luhrmann’s flashy cinematic take on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s the Great Gatsby (2013), the way this film approaches its aesthetics is similar in its playful homage to the lifestyle of the rich and famous during the Roaring Twenties period, particularly with its fixation on bright lights and slightly old-fashioned theatrics. Unlike in the Great Gatsby though, Crazy Rich Asians takes place in modern-day, yet its visual depiction sort of combines the best of the both the Jazz Age and the Millennial Age worlds. 

Color somewhat becomes a prevalent character on its own in the narrative. Chu pays such great attention in how color should look onscreen so that it matches the film’s overall jovial tone. Any time a strike of paint hits the canvas, like in the costumes, architecture, or its parties’ decor, the colors stand out, in a fantastical, leap-off-the-screen type of fashion. Scene after scene relentlessly spoil our eyes with a spectacle filled with fancy designer clothes and sweeping sets, designed both to sustain awe (or some might say, to make even the richest people in the world feel like bum on the streets).

After all, this is a film with unarguably one of the most elaborate wedding reception ever put together onscreen, featuring a church interior transformed into a forest-like surrounding, people holding lights in a way that they appear like fireflies from afar and water coming out the aisle. Yeah, that actually happened. It might sound like a ridiculous idea, but the imagery on display proved to be such a poetic and moving sight to behold, made more emotional by Kina Grannis’ beautifully stripped-down, acoustic cover of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” playing in the background. 

 

But, most importantly, Crazy Rich Asians also uses its visual strength to give what its title promise: the immersive Asian experience. It’s a film that highlights not only the glamorous side of the Asian lifestyle, but also its more traditional side. While it’s also reflected in parts of its surroundings (for instance, a short visit into the steam-shrouded hawker center), it’s perhaps best reflected throughout with the Young family’s persistence to preserve long-running family tradition, like through the way they mark a special occasion by watching a Tan Hua flower bloom or making dumplings with their own bare hands. And particularly the flowers and dumplings here have such a lush quality about them that can only be achieved through some excellent work with the lighting and cinematography. 

As a story, Crazy Rich Asians is a film packed with plenty of heart, and thankfully, one that knows where its true emotional center is at.  It might be classified as a romantic comedy by genre, but really, the romance is just a small element in a much bigger picture. The thing that stands in the way of Rachel’s relationship with Nick isn’t really Nick, but rather the outside influence. In this film’s context, it’s Nick Young’s socialite friends and family’s perception of Rachel. 

And in truth, what makes Crazy Rich Asians tick is its second act shift from ordinary rom-com to a social commentary on the good and bad of the Asian lifestyle. Look past the setting’s visual razzle dazzle, then at its core, this is pretty much a grounded, timely comedy-drama about characters dealing with cultural issues.  

To put it simply, Crazy Rich Asians tries to raise this intriguing question: what is an Asian? It’s a film that presents two sides of the argument, one who associates Asians with social status and the other who associates Asians with one’s own personality. And much of the conflict lies on how these two differing perceptions causes a divide amongst each other, and how it represents a problem in one’s attempt to make a relationship (family, romantic, etc) work. It’s an issue that’s best emphasized through the film’s wise storytelling choices, in terms of which characters and moments should take center stage. 

As a result, it makes every detour from the lead couple’s romantic relationship as interesting, even to a certain extent, more interesting. There is really not that much romantic moment going on in the second act, as it focuses more on how the lead couple, Rachel in particular, navigates through an environment that is constantly making their relationship difficult. And no character in this film personifies difficult more than Nick’s mother Eleanor. 

By far, the narrative’s most intense confrontation comes between Rachel and Eleanor. From the first time Eleanor lays her eyes on Rachel, from her body language, it is clear that she hates Rachel’s guts. If there is such a thing as a rom-com villain, then Eleanor fits the bill. This new girl on the house v. mother-in-law conflict is smartly and realistically drawn though every scene they’re in, their every interplay. And to the film’s credit, the way Rachel tries to impress Eleanor or the way Eleanor expresses her dislike for Rachel is like watching two people playing chess, with each player moving their pieces through sincerity and wit over histrionics. 

Rare in most rom-coms, it makes even some of the supporting characters’ plight as meaningful as its lead. One supporting character’s subplot that really stands out is the one involving Nick’s cousin Astrid (Gemma Chan). Quite often, the film alternates between Rachel’s romantic struggles with Nick to Astrid’s romantic struggles with her workaholic, absent husband Michael (Pierre Png). Whereas in other rom-coms Astrid’s subplot might serve as a distraction, here, it gives its story an extra depth due to the film’s aforementioned emphasis.  

If there is any sort of criticism regarding Crazy Rich Asians, maybe it does take quite some time to understand why this particular rom-com stands out above the others based on its first act. It’s not as if this film has a terrible first act. It’s perfectly enjoyable, and it introduces the main character Rachel Chu effectively. An opening sequence with her as an economics professor outwitting her student during a lecture, serves as a good precursor to how the character would later deal with Nick’s socialite friends and family. 

Right after that, it also sets up her relationship with other characters quite superbly. Rachel’s camaraderie with her best friend/rom-com sidekick Peik Lin (Awkwafina) and contrasting ways they deal with certain situations are often the source of the big laughs. And even the early entertaining romantic back-and-forth between the lead couple Rachel and Nick are handled so well, indicating that we’re watching one of the most intellectual, true-to-life rom-com couple to grace the screen. 

Still, for a while, it’s hard to figure out how this first act is any different from any other rom-coms. There are some laugh-out-loud moments, some sweet romantic moments, interspersed with flashy images of the rich’s excess, all enough to satisfy the eyes, but to this point, not enough to justify why we’re supposed to care for these filthy rich, larger-than-life characters. Thankfully, the film recovers the moment couple arrives in Singapore and, from the second act onwards, when its true conflict starts to kick in, it’s as close to perfect as it can be.  

A rom-com movie is nothing without its rom-com leads. Constance Wu is just charming as the female lead Rachel Chu. Wu has to do most of the emotional heavy lifting throughout this whole film, and she does so with natural grace. She balances the character’s awkward, endearing and even role model aspect here through the drama and humor in the most understated way. She is just what everyone wants out of an audience character, someone they can relate to, empathize with her every struggle, squeal in delight at her every triumph, feel similarly overwhelmed at her new surroundings, and even, be inspired by her never-give-up attitude. It’s hard to look at Rachel and say she doesn’t deserve a happy ending. 

As one part of a romantic pair, she also forms a rock solid chemistry with Henry Golding, who plays her boyfriend Nick Young. Both Wu and Golding are two of the most attractive people out there. They can make the steamy romantic scenes look good onscreen. Yet, it’s a pairing that mostly works because the way the film recognizes first and foremost that these characters are human beings, not “rom-com movie characters”. It’s what makes the couple’s presence as interesting even when they’re not locking lips or they’re outside the bed. 

Even the supporting characters are as impressive. In a film filled with serious characters, Awkwafina’s manic energy injects it with a bit of humorous knockouts. She proved herself to be the comedic talent to watch in a bit-part role in another Warner Brothers production Ocean’s 8 (2018), and again here, she’s given a bit part role as Rachel’s eccentric, out-there friend Peik Lin but this time around, she’s also given more screen time and freedom to go all out with her improvisational chops. Fortunately, the film knows when a scene needs Awkwafina and when it doesn’t. Rather than throw all the jokes out in one scene, her humor is spread evenly throughout the film, without distracting the narrative’s drama. 

In the dramatic parts, Gemma Chan is equally impressive here, blending both compassion and elegance through her role as Nick’s socialite cousin Astrid. She sells the larger-than-life aspect of this character as a socialite, looking glamorous in every dress wear, the classy way she conducts herself in public. She also ably taps into the tragic aspect of the character, as a heartbroken woman, having a hard time trying to deal with her dysfunctional relationship with her husband. 

But it’s Michelle Yeoh who impresses the most amongst the supporting acts. Already a legend in the film industry, Yeoh can easily take what could possibly be a generic evil mother-in-law character and push it towards compelling direction. From sheer onscreen presence alone, she has this queenly aura about her that instantly suggests that she is the person the main character has to please. At the same time, there’s more to her than meets the eye. She is not intimidating in the evil stepmother kind of way. She is intimidating for a very human reason. Eleanor is, like every mother who can’t bear to see her child grow up, overprotective, and it is this added emotional layer that Yeoh’s subtle performance perfectly captures. 

CONCLUSION: 

Bolstered by its lavish production design and the all-Asian cast’s outstanding performances, Crazy Rich Asians brilliantly explores the Asian experience through rom-com conventions, leaving the audience with both a visually theatrical and emotionally involving experience. Sweet as a modern-day fairy tale romance, but it’s the cultural and family drama that gives this film that extra dramatic and comedic edge. 

Score: 9/10