Crazy Rich Asians (B+ or 3/4 stars)
Based on Kevin Kwan's 2013 popular novel, 'Crazy Rich Asians' (a romantic dramedy directed by Jon M. Chu) chronicles the relationship of Chinese-American Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), a brilliant & pretty economics professor at NYU, & Nick Young (Henry Golding), a suave Oxford history professor. They've been dating for a year, but Rachel is not privy to Nick's family background. When Nick must travel to exotic Singapore to be the best man at his good buddy's wedding, he obviously asks Rachel to join him. Upon arriving in Singapore, she 1st visits her old college roommate, Goh Piek Lin (Awkwafina, also in this yr.'s Ocean's 8) & her over-the-top family. They are the ones who clue-in Rachel as to exactly who Nick really is and how "crazy" wealthy his prestigious family is {"old money"}.
Here's an example of their $$: Nick's cousin Astrid (lovely Gemma Chan) owns 14 apartment buildings & has no problem dropping $1.2 mill for a pair of earrings. Oh, and Nick is essentially the crown prince of Singapore, haha. As is typical of stories of this ilk, Rachel must quickly adapt to Chinese culture, a jealous ex-girlfriend & Nick's imperious, controlling mother, Eleanor Sung-Young (the regal Michelle Yeoh). Eleanor believes her son must marry a woman of similar 'stature'. Thusly, she disapproves of 'poor' Rachel, and blames her for Nick not having visited the family in a while. It's great that our protagonists are so in love, but no matter what Rachel does to get in Eleanor's good graces, she fails to win her over. Drama ensues.
Good romantic comedies don't come along very often. They truly feel like a thing of the past. And yet, 'CRA' bursts on the scene this late August and breathes some life into this dormant film genre. On the whole, while this movie is little more than a trifle, it's a delightful trifle. The cinematography is colorful -- Singapore & all of its cultural offerings look very inviting. The sets are spectacular. The couture outfits are super. The parties are pretty outrageous. There's a preposterous wedding scene that is as beautiful as it is emotional. And it doesn't hurt that the cast is quite attractive. Simply put, this movie is a feast for the eyes & ears.
Constance Wu & Henry Golding are adorable together & pleasant to watch individually. Wu exhibits cleverness, earthiness & a nice range of emotions {joy, pain & all in-between}. And though this is Golding's 1st film, he has a natural screen presence. It's easy to root for this charming couple. The ethereal Michelle Yeoh adds depth, intensity & humanity to the icy mother who sees Rachel as a huge threat to her family. Gemma Chan gives a solid performance as Nick's glamorous cousin Astrid, who befriends Rachel and must navigate a marriage in which the wife is rich & the husband is not in a traditional male-driven society. And Awkwafina brings the funny as Rachel's nutty college friend; a tough gal who's got attitude & personality for days.
Director Jon M. Chu - discovered by Steven Spielberg - provides an escapist glitzy, glamoury 2 hours for us. And this movie is notable for a few reasons. a) it's the 1st film by a Hollywood studio to feature Asian-Americans since 1993's The Joy Luck Club. And b) there's some reverse objectification going on, here: Asian men are rarely depicted as sexual beings, and yet, there are more shots of bare-chested men than lingering shots of female's assets -- it's just a noticeable observation. I liked that this film emphasizes love for one's mother; and that all the $$ in the world can't buy you respect or happiness. Having said that, 'CRA' isn't as perceptive as I thought it'd be about Asian culture, thorny family dynamics, spousal frictions & materialism; opting to just skim the surface of those issues -- I just thought there would be more to it. Still & all, I enjoyed the movie. It's sweet, romantic & wholly watchable.
Here's an example of their $$: Nick's cousin Astrid (lovely Gemma Chan) owns 14 apartment buildings & has no problem dropping $1.2 mill for a pair of earrings. Oh, and Nick is essentially the crown prince of Singapore, haha. As is typical of stories of this ilk, Rachel must quickly adapt to Chinese culture, a jealous ex-girlfriend & Nick's imperious, controlling mother, Eleanor Sung-Young (the regal Michelle Yeoh). Eleanor believes her son must marry a woman of similar 'stature'. Thusly, she disapproves of 'poor' Rachel, and blames her for Nick not having visited the family in a while. It's great that our protagonists are so in love, but no matter what Rachel does to get in Eleanor's good graces, she fails to win her over. Drama ensues.
Good romantic comedies don't come along very often. They truly feel like a thing of the past. And yet, 'CRA' bursts on the scene this late August and breathes some life into this dormant film genre. On the whole, while this movie is little more than a trifle, it's a delightful trifle. The cinematography is colorful -- Singapore & all of its cultural offerings look very inviting. The sets are spectacular. The couture outfits are super. The parties are pretty outrageous. There's a preposterous wedding scene that is as beautiful as it is emotional. And it doesn't hurt that the cast is quite attractive. Simply put, this movie is a feast for the eyes & ears.
Constance Wu & Henry Golding are adorable together & pleasant to watch individually. Wu exhibits cleverness, earthiness & a nice range of emotions {joy, pain & all in-between}. And though this is Golding's 1st film, he has a natural screen presence. It's easy to root for this charming couple. The ethereal Michelle Yeoh adds depth, intensity & humanity to the icy mother who sees Rachel as a huge threat to her family. Gemma Chan gives a solid performance as Nick's glamorous cousin Astrid, who befriends Rachel and must navigate a marriage in which the wife is rich & the husband is not in a traditional male-driven society. And Awkwafina brings the funny as Rachel's nutty college friend; a tough gal who's got attitude & personality for days.
Director Jon M. Chu - discovered by Steven Spielberg - provides an escapist glitzy, glamoury 2 hours for us. And this movie is notable for a few reasons. a) it's the 1st film by a Hollywood studio to feature Asian-Americans since 1993's The Joy Luck Club. And b) there's some reverse objectification going on, here: Asian men are rarely depicted as sexual beings, and yet, there are more shots of bare-chested men than lingering shots of female's assets -- it's just a noticeable observation. I liked that this film emphasizes love for one's mother; and that all the $$ in the world can't buy you respect or happiness. Having said that, 'CRA' isn't as perceptive as I thought it'd be about Asian culture, thorny family dynamics, spousal frictions & materialism; opting to just skim the surface of those issues -- I just thought there would be more to it. Still & all, I enjoyed the movie. It's sweet, romantic & wholly watchable.