By Nadia Ranaputri
Director: Jon M. Chu
Cast: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, Nico Santos, Sonoya Mizuno, Chris Pang, Ken Jeong.
Crazy Rich Asians has gained a much talked about platform due to its achievement of being the first film to have an all-Asian cast since The Joy Luck Club. It's in a way, a step up for Hollywood and for Asian representation in the media. Set mostly in Singapore, Crazy Rich Asians is filled with the richest, most glamorous, and at times, heartwarming story. Following this year's Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians sets the stage for a Hollywood film with a fully diverse cast.
Crazy Rich Asians starts off in New York, where economics professor Rachel Chu demonstrates a strategy game against one of her students. From then on, her boyfriend Nick Young, also a professor, invites her to accompany him to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. The sudden first class flight with a private suite immediately gets Rachel to question Nick's true upbringing, and if he was far from the simple-minded man she's always known (one of the only few glimpses that showcases his simplicity is where he takes bites from her plate instead of ordering his own). Turns out, his family is one of the biggest real-estate developers in Singapore, having gained a crazy amount of fortune from their long-running business. Little did she know, as soon as she sets her foot on Singapore soil, she's stepping into the lion cage and into the claws of Nick's family and friends who are far from happy to hear of her and her relationship with Nick.
Constance Wu is daringly sweet in the role of Rachel Chu, a brilliant economics professor who knows that the right strategy is the key to winning. And it's easy to see why Nick Young, played by newcomer Henry Golding; would fall for her, (they have great chemistry together, even though my cousin who sat next to me was frustrated as to why the hell Nick did not say anything to prepare her for the coming storm) even if his family says otherwise. Golding is effortlessly charming in his first film role, sweeping the floor with his British accent and literal charm. He doesn't get as much meat to work with on his performance as Constance Wu, however.
But the star of the film is Michelle Yeoh as Eleanor, Nick's mother who is adament that Rachel is not the one for Nick. She has a much more grounded portrayal than the novel (she spends parts of the novel ranting in despair of the things she discovers about Rachel in complete exageration, which was probably riddicilous since they'd have Yeoh exegerate such mundane facts), making her much more intimidating than her novel counterpart. Awkwafina and Ken Jeong also have some gold comedic moments and provides most of the comedic relief in the middle of the crazy rich family drama.
The visual imagery that Crazy Rich Asians has on its belt is richly (no pun intended) stunning, showcasing all that Singapore has to offer. Right of the bat, as our main duo arrive at the infamous Changi Airport, which has a butterfly garden and a cinema; Rachel gawkes at the beauty of Singapore's airport while muttering out that JFK reeks of "salmonella and despair" in comparison to the lavish airport she had just landed on. Then we're taken on a sightseeing trip of the country, with stunning shots of Marina Bay Sands, and a fun sequence where the duo and their friends at the hawker centre with plenty of Asian delicacies from satay to traditional shaved ice with sweet syrup. However, it's perhaps the wedding scene itself that is full of wonder, awe, and grandeur that makes it the film's standout scene, if not one of them.
It's not as audacious or as absurd as its novel counterpart, but it has its riddiculous moments of showing off the rich. The film starts off with a jazzy revamped tune of a classic Chinese number by Jasmine Chen, and from there the stage is set for some crazy rich showcases. One of the more fun sequences include Nick describing some of his cousins, one a photogenic cousin who was introduced by scolding his wife for not wearing a better designer dress that would have landed them on the cover of the American Vogue instead of Vogue China, or Peik Lin's eccentric family that lives in a house of gold, and to its extent, one of the bachelor's companions who would rather set a bachelor party on a cargo ship in the middle of International Waters than a 'typical' bachelor party that he describes as "going to strip clubs and dog fights". The novel is clearly more detailed in describing the absurdities of the rich life, of how controlled the life of the rich is, but at the same time, incorporating Asia's rich culture that really hits the spot for those who grew with traditional Asian customs.
Crazy Rich Asians has the ingredients for a classic chick flick. You've got the romance between our main couple, the comedy of the side characters (Peik Lin and her family are an utter delight and scored the biggest laughs in my theater), and the eventual girl-on-girl rivarly between Rachel and Nick's mother. It's nearly the exact same thing that you expect from any romance film that happens to have a dash of comedy, but sidesteps the traditional boy-meets-girl arc most romantic comedies follow (basically the main couple are already together by the time the film begins). And like most romantic comedies, it has a lot of heartwarming moments, especially between Rachel and her mother.
Helmed by Jon M. Chu and with the script penned by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, Crazy Rich Asians does follow a Cinderella-like story (the film makes sure to take note of that by having one of the characters comment on what they call a Cinderella moment), but the team manages to hammer the 400 page book with multiple point of views of several characters into a two hour movie, though for those who have read the novel will notice that some arcs will not get as much of a satisfying conclusion than the main arc that they were going for.
Overall verdict: The film pales in comparison when it comes to showing the "crazy rich" side of things because the novel practically goes all out on it, though that's not to say that it makes the film any less enjoyable. The visuals of the film is brilliant and gorgeous, showcasing Singapore's best sites like Marina Bay Sands and the hawker centres that are popular among tourists. Constance Wu and Henry Golding have great chemistry that propels the film, but the standouts were perhaps in its supporting cast, with Michelle Yeoh as the fiercely intimidating Eleanor and Awkwafina is hilarious as Rachel's good friend Peik Lin. It has the basic ingredients of a romantic comedy and in some ways, a chick flick, but manages to bring something slightly new to the table. There are still moments where the absurdly rich side of things are sidelined for a more grounded storytelling, (the novel is much more grandeur and crazier at painting the lives of the absurdly rich) and that's actually more of a compliment than a complaint.
Stars: 4/5
Trailer
 |
| Image source: Wired |
Director: Jon M. Chu
Cast: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, Nico Santos, Sonoya Mizuno, Chris Pang, Ken Jeong.
Crazy Rich Asians has gained a much talked about platform due to its achievement of being the first film to have an all-Asian cast since The Joy Luck Club. It's in a way, a step up for Hollywood and for Asian representation in the media. Set mostly in Singapore, Crazy Rich Asians is filled with the richest, most glamorous, and at times, heartwarming story. Following this year's Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians sets the stage for a Hollywood film with a fully diverse cast.
Crazy Rich Asians starts off in New York, where economics professor Rachel Chu demonstrates a strategy game against one of her students. From then on, her boyfriend Nick Young, also a professor, invites her to accompany him to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. The sudden first class flight with a private suite immediately gets Rachel to question Nick's true upbringing, and if he was far from the simple-minded man she's always known (one of the only few glimpses that showcases his simplicity is where he takes bites from her plate instead of ordering his own). Turns out, his family is one of the biggest real-estate developers in Singapore, having gained a crazy amount of fortune from their long-running business. Little did she know, as soon as she sets her foot on Singapore soil, she's stepping into the lion cage and into the claws of Nick's family and friends who are far from happy to hear of her and her relationship with Nick.
Constance Wu is daringly sweet in the role of Rachel Chu, a brilliant economics professor who knows that the right strategy is the key to winning. And it's easy to see why Nick Young, played by newcomer Henry Golding; would fall for her, (they have great chemistry together, even though my cousin who sat next to me was frustrated as to why the hell Nick did not say anything to prepare her for the coming storm) even if his family says otherwise. Golding is effortlessly charming in his first film role, sweeping the floor with his British accent and literal charm. He doesn't get as much meat to work with on his performance as Constance Wu, however.
 |
| Image source: The Mary Sue |
But the star of the film is Michelle Yeoh as Eleanor, Nick's mother who is adament that Rachel is not the one for Nick. She has a much more grounded portrayal than the novel (she spends parts of the novel ranting in despair of the things she discovers about Rachel in complete exageration, which was probably riddicilous since they'd have Yeoh exegerate such mundane facts), making her much more intimidating than her novel counterpart. Awkwafina and Ken Jeong also have some gold comedic moments and provides most of the comedic relief in the middle of the crazy rich family drama.
The visual imagery that Crazy Rich Asians has on its belt is richly (no pun intended) stunning, showcasing all that Singapore has to offer. Right of the bat, as our main duo arrive at the infamous Changi Airport, which has a butterfly garden and a cinema; Rachel gawkes at the beauty of Singapore's airport while muttering out that JFK reeks of "salmonella and despair" in comparison to the lavish airport she had just landed on. Then we're taken on a sightseeing trip of the country, with stunning shots of Marina Bay Sands, and a fun sequence where the duo and their friends at the hawker centre with plenty of Asian delicacies from satay to traditional shaved ice with sweet syrup. However, it's perhaps the wedding scene itself that is full of wonder, awe, and grandeur that makes it the film's standout scene, if not one of them.
It's not as audacious or as absurd as its novel counterpart, but it has its riddiculous moments of showing off the rich. The film starts off with a jazzy revamped tune of a classic Chinese number by Jasmine Chen, and from there the stage is set for some crazy rich showcases. One of the more fun sequences include Nick describing some of his cousins, one a photogenic cousin who was introduced by scolding his wife for not wearing a better designer dress that would have landed them on the cover of the American Vogue instead of Vogue China, or Peik Lin's eccentric family that lives in a house of gold, and to its extent, one of the bachelor's companions who would rather set a bachelor party on a cargo ship in the middle of International Waters than a 'typical' bachelor party that he describes as "going to strip clubs and dog fights". The novel is clearly more detailed in describing the absurdities of the rich life, of how controlled the life of the rich is, but at the same time, incorporating Asia's rich culture that really hits the spot for those who grew with traditional Asian customs.
 |
| Image source: Time.com |
Crazy Rich Asians has the ingredients for a classic chick flick. You've got the romance between our main couple, the comedy of the side characters (Peik Lin and her family are an utter delight and scored the biggest laughs in my theater), and the eventual girl-on-girl rivarly between Rachel and Nick's mother. It's nearly the exact same thing that you expect from any romance film that happens to have a dash of comedy, but sidesteps the traditional boy-meets-girl arc most romantic comedies follow (basically the main couple are already together by the time the film begins). And like most romantic comedies, it has a lot of heartwarming moments, especially between Rachel and her mother.
Helmed by Jon M. Chu and with the script penned by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, Crazy Rich Asians does follow a Cinderella-like story (the film makes sure to take note of that by having one of the characters comment on what they call a Cinderella moment), but the team manages to hammer the 400 page book with multiple point of views of several characters into a two hour movie, though for those who have read the novel will notice that some arcs will not get as much of a satisfying conclusion than the main arc that they were going for.
 |
| Image source: Variety |
Overall verdict: The film pales in comparison when it comes to showing the "crazy rich" side of things because the novel practically goes all out on it, though that's not to say that it makes the film any less enjoyable. The visuals of the film is brilliant and gorgeous, showcasing Singapore's best sites like Marina Bay Sands and the hawker centres that are popular among tourists. Constance Wu and Henry Golding have great chemistry that propels the film, but the standouts were perhaps in its supporting cast, with Michelle Yeoh as the fiercely intimidating Eleanor and Awkwafina is hilarious as Rachel's good friend Peik Lin. It has the basic ingredients of a romantic comedy and in some ways, a chick flick, but manages to bring something slightly new to the table. There are still moments where the absurdly rich side of things are sidelined for a more grounded storytelling, (the novel is much more grandeur and crazier at painting the lives of the absurdly rich) and that's actually more of a compliment than a complaint.
Stars: 4/5
Trailer
