Director Jon M. Chu’s romantic comedy, Crazy Rich Asians, based on Kevin Kwan’s best selling novel of the same name features Fresh Off The Boat star Constance Wu as Rachel Chu. Rachel Chu is an Economics professor at New York University (and a specialist in Game Theory). Her boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding), invites Rachel to accompany him to Singapore where he will be the Best Man in his best friend’s wedding. Rachel agrees and finds out during the journey that her boyfriend–who uses Rachel’s Netflix password and plays basketball at a seedy New York City YMCA–is actually a member of a fabulously wealthy family. Rachel, raised by a single mother who struggled to provide Rachel a path to success in America, is not enamored by wealth.
Once in Singapore, Rachel becomes a target both by Nick’s former girlfriends and Nick’s family. Nick’s mother Eleanor, played by Michelle Yeoh from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, takes an instant dislike to Rachel who she considers unworthy of her handsome and rich son. Scenes in Singapore pop with eye-candy like fast cars, beautiful houses, wild parties, and sheik fashions displaying money, money, money.
Rachel seems lost in this elite world, but with the help of her college friend, Peik Lin (Awkwafina from Ocean’s 8), Rachel finally gains some traction on the slippery slopes of family politics, cultural obstacles, and class differences. At the heart of Crazy Rich Asians, the love story of Rachel and Nick hits highs and lows as feisty Rachel solves the puzzles of her Cinderella story without the help of a fairy Godmother. Crazy Rich Asians shows that Romantic Comedy is not dead. Hollywood greenlighted a sequel to Crazy Rich Asians for 2020. GRADE: A-
Maybe when it comes on television, but definitely won’t be paying money to see this.
Jeff, there’s already a sequel on the way. Katie’s read the trilogy.
I was somewhat disappointed. The opulence began to grate on me midway through. I think my expectations were too high. I liked PUZZLE a lot more although it is not precisely a romance.
Patti, I know what you mean by the excess of opulence. Money, money, money! I think THE BOOKSHOP will be a good antidote to wealth of CRAZY RICH ASIANS.
We watched a movie on Netflix I never would have believed I’d watch, let alone like, given the cast, yet I did! It was THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES (New and Selected), written and directed by Noah Baumbach, starring Dustin Hoffman, Adam Sandler (OK, he can act after all), Elizabeth Marvel (a very different role for her, after HOUSE OF CARDS and HOMELAND), Ben Stiller, and Emma Thompson.
Jeff, the NY TIMES ran a photo of Emma Thompson last Sunday. I didn’t recognize her!
She did a great American accent. I did find it weird that when she spoke to the kids about Hoffman (she played his third wife), she always called him “the father” rather than “your father.”
Jeff, maybe “the father” reference hinted that her husband was just playing a role.
Now I have some idea of the plot, but I’m still not interested in seeing this one.
Rick, CRAZY RICH ASIANS locked up the top spot at the Box Office the last two weeks. Clearly, it’s a movie that appeals to romantic comedy lovers.
How to call this?
Escapism for the poor Chines masses? I’m wondering whether this will be shown in China, Singapore etc at all …
Rather OT:
On a political site I “met” a guy from Singapore (father was Indian, worked for the British army) and his Chinese wife – both profs in Budapest and we invited them to visit us..
They looked like a typical couple – he an Indian taxi driver, she let’s say a Chinese cook …
But when they opened their mouths and started speaking perfect English you realised that they were real intellectuals!
Had a few very nice meetings with them and my wife of course.
Life is strange …
Wolf, while CRAZY RICH ASIANS is dominating the movie Box Office in the U.S., the novel is atop of the Best Sellers list for paperbacks!
I enjoyed the movie. I am a romantic and a dreamer. (also appreciated the theater’s AC). Reminded about the role of family status in most other cultures.
j.padrig, a friend of mine saw CRAZY RICH ASIANS and said, “Those family scenes in the movie reminded me of my own Italian family!” We all have a lot in common…
If people wore burnooses I suppose they sported “sheik” fashions! Are sheik clothes chic these days? This movie was the best of a bad lot showing locally but we opted for Alpha instead! Not recommended except for the wolf, who acted circles around everyone else in the cast!
Bob, the wolf looked good in all the movie trailers of ALPHA!