Sincerity. That’s what sets this film apart. It’s easy for people to make yet another rom-com, but you add in the secret weapon of sincerity and magically Crazy Rich Asians becomes something truly special, the kind of movie that radiates joy over the audience with a mix of humor & and heart, along with the burden of history upon its crowd-pleasing shoulders.
John M. Chu has always been a director with a strong eye for visuals. Whether it’s in the Step Up series, G.I. Joe: Retaliation or the maligned Jem & The Holograms, he makes all of his films pop. That’s a key element to Crazy Rich Asians, where opulence reigns supreme. It also something he does in small spaces, like updating the classic “telephone gossip” trope of the 50’s and 60’s for the social media age. Text bubbles fill the screen, as every inch is divided with different personalities and colorful ribbons chart the flow of information from America, all the way to China. Visual flair is useless, of course, if the story it’s in service of isn’t worth the effort. Thankfully, Chu gets saddled with a tale that’s not only important to him, but that’s sure to be timeless to all willing to watch it.
Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is living a relatively care-free life as an NYU professor of economics. She’s close with her mother and even better yet, her long term boyfriend, Nick (Herny Golding). En route to Singapore for the wedding of Nick’s best friend, he reveals a major secret he’s been keeping from Rachel. He’s rich. Stupid rich. Mega rich. Some would even say “crazy rich.” The wedding they’re attending is the event of the decade. Worse yet, his extended family, all members of the wealthy elite in China, will be there and may take exception to the fact that he’s coming home with someone not of their status. It’s the stuff fairy tales, the works of Jane Austen and romantic comedies have been made up of, for all eternity.
Though some elements steeped in culture and tradition may be lost on western audiences, Chu and his screenwriters (Adele Lim & Peter Chiarelli) make Kevin Kwan’s novel as accessible and easily digestible as possible. Strict values, mores and principles are universal, even if separated by the barrier of language and history. Understanding this, Chu also makes a bold and fantastic decision at the climax. Instead of opting to overstate or explain the stakes being played, he lets nuance and context do the heavy lifting. The decision isn’t just the sign of a good director, it’s the sign of a great film.
While Crazy Rich Asians will rightfully get attention in terms of representation, it deserves equal attention for being predominately female-lead. With the exception of Nick, Colin (Chris Pang) and Oliver (Nico Santos), the male roles are rendered as comical stereotypes. On purpose. This merely helps highlight what sets Nick apart from the rest of his family. While there’s a gaggle of important characters to keep track of, it never feels overstuffed or overwhelming. Each major part is given its due, even as Awkwafina’s Peik Lin threatens to steal every scene she’s in. That’s not a complaint mind you; instead, basically a cry to give her a lead role in something. The sooner, the better. Heck, Chu also understands just how much Ken Jeong is enough, without audience’s growing tired of his presence. Everyone top to bottom nails their parts wonderfully with Wu and Golding more than earning their lead roles.
Elanor (Michelle Yeoh), Nick’s mother, on the other hand, is a different beast altogether. It’d be easy just to imagine Yeoh as any old potential monster-in-law in waiting, but matters are more complex than that. Bound by tradition and the desire for the utter best for her son, Elanor can’t help to be put of by how defiantly American she views Rachel to be. She blames changes in Nick on this outsider, determined not only to shoo her off, but her humiliate her as well. Yeoh wields glances and words in just as deadly a fashion as she used to use her feet and fists.
If someone were to nitpick or try to find a tear in the seams, they’d tell you Crazy Rich Asians is rife with cliche. And they’d be right. To a degree. This story has been told in one way or another for decades. Yet that never lessens the power or enjoyment on display. Furthermore, it side steps falling into straight up mawkishness that other films of this ilk are steeped in. Emotional beats here are earned, a natural progression, rather than coerced through manipulation. Better yet, it also avoids the pitfall so many studio comedies feel the need to fall back on: unneeded slapstick. This may still be fiction, but the characters here are handled more than expected with a fair share care and consideration.
No, this isn’t a film that should set the world on fire. There are a fare share of moments that seem telegraphed from a mile away. It shouldn’t work, but it does. Crazy Rich Asians is a prime example of what happens when the stars align and things just fall into place. Combining sincerity, earnestness, heart and just an extra dabble of laughs, you’d be crazy not to fall in love with this film.
