'Crazy Rich Asians' - A Movie Review

Whenever you watch a film where characters travel to a new country, don’t you want to be there with them? Learning, and better yet experiencing, a new country is thought-provoking.

Crazy Rich Asians is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by author, Jon M Chu. An Asian couple, Rachel Chu and Nick Young, leave on a trip to Singapore to meet Nick’s family. However, Nick’s mother is not excited over Rachel. During their time in Singapore, Rachel has to face the harsh words from Nick’s mother, to trust, and learns that her boyfriend has quite an enormous amount of bills in his pocket.

Before watching Crazy Rich Asians I really thought that it was going to be a comedy where there’d be many funny moments. Instead, it was more of a drama. Besides the amazing Awkwafina delivering the best funny moments, I found the film to be dull and a little too long. It also delved into a few too many subplots which made the film hard to follow with all the characters.

The film does stand out in acting. Starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeow, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, and many other well-known faces. Crazy Rich Asians is the first major Hollywood film to star an all Asian cast! The film would not be as memorable without its wonderful acting.

The setting for the film actually took place in the stunningly beautiful Singapore and even in parts of Malaysia. Viewers are spoiled with the most beautiful landscape, glowing cities in the night, and even montages of delicious looking food.

I have not been out of the country a lot so it’s nice to learn about the culture and different customs. The world needs more movies delving into culture and characters with different ethnicity! Crazy Rich Asians opens that door!

Although dull and a bit slow, the film moved at its own pace, using a more unique storytelling approach. Our main couple, of course, is split up, where audiences learn secrets.

The message is really strong. We don’t all grow up in the same living conditions. Overcoming adversity is one hardship American-Asian born Rachel come to terms with, but she has to make others accept.

Normally, in films, a woman, or the man, would change their behavior just for the sake of love. Instead, Rachel embraces her past for what it is. Constance Wu was rightfully nominated for her strong and powerful performance at this year’s Golden Globes.

Michelle Yeoh delivered a powerful performance as Eleanor Young, the sharp-tongued mother of Nick. I do agree that family is family, but in order to live, we have to explore beyond old family traditions. Make your own decisions! Happiness is the most important component of life.

Awkwafina was definitely snubbed for the best-supporting-actress award at this year's Academy Awards. And Crazy Rich Asians was not even nominated for best film or anything else.

In my opinion, I think it should have at least been nominated for its stunning cinematography. Or even set design. The dwellings and their decor were absolutely marvelous. Not to mention, the elegant wardrobe!

I did enjoy Crazy Rich Asians, but I still found it a little too long. Other than going back home to have Rachel meet his family, Nick was also attending his best friend’s wedding. I think meeting the family should have been the only plot. The wedding sequence was beautiful, and along with the song, "Falling in Love with You" echoing in the background, it slowed down the pacing to get the reveal.

Aside from my own criticisms, Crazy Rich Asians unlocks the door for more culture films and deposits a meaningful message to viewers. Props to the director, Jim M. Chu, and the entire cast for a genuine portrayal, along with transporting audiences members to the beautiful world of Singapore. Now I want to go on a trip!