Crazy Rich Asians (Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina) – Let’s get this out of the way: It’s nice to see a movie featuring an (almost) all-Asian cast for the first time since The Joy Luck Club. The actors, many of whom are familiar from supporting roles in other movies or TV shows, creditably carry off a two-hour rom-com that never gets boring.
That said, Crazy Rich Asians is a formulaic chick-flick, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Rachel (Constance Wu) is an economics professor who is dating Nick (Henry Golding of A Simple Favor), a history professor. He’s in love with her; she’s almost in love with him. He invites her to attend a family wedding in his native Singapore. She is a tad reluctant to meet his whole family but relents, of course (or else we wouldn’t have a movie). It turns out that Nick has neglected to tell her that his family is crazy rich (she already knew they were Asian).
The backdrop is the estate of Nick’s family. We also get to attend a $40 million wedding preceded by a bachelor party aboard a cargo ship in international waters and a bachelorette party on its own island. Nobody lives this way … even crazy, rich Asians.
I don’t need to tell you the rest of the story so I’ll just tell you about a few of the stereotyped characters you’ll be meeting. There is the disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh, best known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), the crazy friend (Awkwafina), the gay fashionista cousin, the former girlfriend, the obnoxious relatives, and so on.
The best part of the film is the travelogue of Singapore. The place is modern and beautiful. The photography is top-notch. The score is generally excellent with a combination of Asian versions of familiar pop and techno songs. The writing occasionally borders on amusing at times and overwrought in others. And the film is definitely a half hour too long, probably because Director Jon Chu (Now You See Me 2) wanted to stay true to the book upon which the movie is based.
Golding, who is Malaysian, is a rising star. In this and A Simple Favor, he is more than just a pretty boy. Here, he plays an almost perfect man; in Favor, he hides secrets in that engaging smile and perfect body. Wu, the U.S.-born daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, is best known for her role of Jessica on the TV series Fresh Off the Boat.
Crazy Rich Asians is harmless enough. By no means is it among the best of the rom-com genre but it sure isn’t the worst. The photography, music, and peeking into the mythical lives of the rich and famous makes it worth the price of admission. Indeed, it is almost a good movie.