ReelBob: ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ ★★★
By Bob Bloom
“Crazy Rich Asians” is a bouncy and bubbly rom-com that holds the distinction of being the first Hollywood studio film in more than two decades to present an all-Asian cast.
The movie also features a cliched rich-boy—poor-girl storyline and stereotypical characters.
In this case, though, those distractions should not serve as deterrents from seeing the movie.
Indeed, they point up a universal truism that, though we all are not alike on the outside, inside, we share the same heart and emotional makeup.
The same situations could have served as the backdrop for a movie titled “Crazy Rich Africans” or “Crazy Rich South Americans.”
But, let’s focus on “Crazy Rich Asians.” It’s the story of Nick Young (Henry Golding) and Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), who have been dating for a year.
Rachel teaches economics at New York University and Nick, well, we never really learn what Nick does.
Nick is flying back to Singapore for the wedding of his best friend and asks Rachel to accompany him to meet his family.
She agrees and is floored, after arriving, to discover her boyfriend comes from the richest family in Singapore.
Rachel suffers culture shock as she realizes the wealth and breadth of Nick’s family. She also is taken aback by the cold reception she receives from Nick’s mother, Eleanor.
She assumed that, because her heritage is Chinese, the family would embrace her. But as an Asian-American, she is considered an outsider whose values are not aligned with Oriental tenets.
Rachel is constantly reminded of the respect and adherence to tradition that serves as the foundation for Chinese families.
Eleanor (a cold and steely Michelle Yeoh) is her main nemesis. At one point, Eleanor bluntly tells Rachel that she is not right for her son because their attitudes differ.
“Crazy Rich Asians” is glitzy and colorful, serving as a cinematic tourist brochure for Singapore.
The movie offers the same kind of characters you find in this genre — malicious young women who want to destroy their rival, eccentric relatives, lovable and laugh-inducing friends and allies, and subplots to prove that money cannot buy happiness.
Sure, the movie is conventional, but the lively cast and entertaining characters distract you from the movie’s familiarity.
Among the standouts are Awkwafina as Peik Lin, Rachel’s best friend from college, and Nico Santos as Nick’s cousin, Oliver, who helps Rachel navigate the Young family.
“Crazy Rich Asians” is glossy, bright and zippy. Its main objective is to show that, like everyone else in the world, Asian people experience the same problems, anxieties, joys and dreams as the rest of the world.
Yes, in a sense, the movie lacks originality. But that simply amplifies that we all are brothers and sisters under the skin.
I am a member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.
CRAZY RICH ASIANS
3 stars out of 4
(PG-13), suggestive and sexual situations, language