A couple weekends ago, I awoke with a burning desire to go to the theater! I decided I wanted to see Crazy Rich Asians because all I had heard from social media and other reviews was how good it is. My husband and I made it a date and drove the 30 minutes to our nearest theater. We were only 2 of 6 people in the theater (par for the course around here) and settled in for 2 hours of what I thought was a comedy on par with Neighbors or Bridesmaids.
Turned out it was a Rom Com…..
As we left the theater I apologized to my husband for dragging him to a chick flick! Luckily he said he enjoyed the movie and I think it even hit him in the feels a little bit (I know it did me!).
Here are a few thoughts on the movie and an overall recommendation
The opening of the film immediately sucks you in. We see a young Young family attempt to get a room in a hotel but be denied because racism. Then they come back and buy the hotel and we get a classic “in your face” moment as they head up to their room and leave the racist hotel manager in their wake. This opening quickly and efficiently lets you know that the Youngs are going to get what they want. It also shows you what Michelle Yeoh’s character, Eleanor, has had to overcome and what Henry Golding’s character, Nick, grew up witnessing and ultimately became part of: a powerhouse family who doesn’t let race or age stand in their way.
One of my favorite aspects of the film is the way social media is portrayed. We have all seen the pop up bubble in movies or on tv that shows what is being texted, but for some reason this movie made it more fun to watch. This is especially evident in one of the beginning scenes where news is spreading about Nick bringing Rachel to his friend’s wedding. The news shoots all over the world and we see it displayed on the screen as each person gets the news. This scene was so fun to watch and conveyed without a doubt how close knit this community is.
The story follows Rachel as she is invited by Nick to a wedding in Singapore, only finding out on the way that Nick is, as the title implies, crazy rich. She then has to navigate his world while meeting his family and trying to be accepted by his mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh). Lot’s of things happen to Rachel that I won’t spoil here, but she endures a lot and ultimately has a big decision to make.
One of my favorite scenes in the movie is the actual wedding scene. I won’t describe it here because my description wouldn’t be as good as watching it. Suffice it to say, it is visually incredible.
Rachel is a great example of a strong female character. She is smart and successful but when that is not enough she steps up her game even more and becomes a force to be reckoned with. Constance Wu doesn’t play the role like a normal girl in a rom com. Rachel has layers. Wu cultivates a character that is strong but shows emotion. And in the end *SPOILER ALERT HERE* she rejects the guy and takes the moral high ground and makes him come chasing after her.
The cast of characters surrounding Nick and Rachel is fun and complex. We have Nick’s cousin Astrid (Gemma Chan) who is trying to figure out who she is when it comes to her marriage, Peik Lin Goh (Awkwafina) the old college roommate of Rachel’s, who provides nothing but smiles and laughs when she is on screen, Wye Mun Goh (Ken Jong) who is kind of funny, mostly gross and isn’t on screen as much as the promos would have you think, not to mention countless others. The cast is truly exceptional.
Overall, I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars! It is definitely worth your $12 at the theater and, I think, appeals to everyone. This movie is based on the first book in a trilogy by Kevin Kwan and I definitely plan on reading them! From what I can tell from the book synopsis, the movie is only based on the first book so who knows! Maybe we will be getting a movie sequel soon!
What did you think of the movie? Leave me a comment and let me know!
Featured Image Credit: IMDb
Musings From A Music Box 