Crazy Rich Asians (2018): A Refreshing Romantic Comedy with a Defining Cultural Statement

Love – and the struggles that one can face in the name of love – is a tried-and-true subject of Hollywood films, and the genre of romantic comedy stemmed from a desire for these films to be more personable and empathic for viewers.  Over time, however, this genre became saturated with films filled with tropes and stereotypes that made many of them indistinguishable from one another.

Crazy Rich Asians, a romantic comedy film based off of Kevin Kwan’s 2013 novel of the same name, offers a new spin to the genre by reimagining it with an Asian identity- combining the massive production values of Hollywood with relatively unseen Asian cultural nuances that endear it to many filmgoers.

Directed by Jon M. Chu and boasting a star-studded cast of Asian actors and actresses from Constance Wu to Ken Jeong and Michelle Yeoh, the film easily surpassed box office expectations and set a remarkable precedent for Asian representation in mainstream media.  Despite expectations to barely break $30 million at the box office over 5 weeks, the film ranked first in theaters for four weeks, grossing nearly $190 million.

Crazy Rich Asians tells the story of NYU economics professor Rachel Chu, who accompanies her boyfriend Nick Young to his native Singapore for his best friend’s wedding.  Also in Singapore is Nick’s family, the Youngs: a real estate family with an exorbitant amount of wealth and popularity, and the pinnacle of Asian high class.  Nick is the Youngs’ heir, set to inherit his father’s company and all of its assets, and thus is a very attractive suitor for many Asian daughters of high standing.  Rachel, on the other hand, is of “common birth” and was raised by a single mother; she also does not know of Nick’s incredible affluence.  After this revelation of Nick’s true heritage, Rachel must contend not only with Nick’s disapproving mother Eleanor but also with other rivals vying for a spot at Nick’s side, all the while taking in the nuances of high culture.

Although the film covers many archetypal staples seen in romantic comedies, Crazy Rich Asians redeems itself with its own sense of humor and identity.  This is highlighted by the astoundingly established cast, diverse in not only their heritage but also their backgrounds in popular culture.  From Ken Jeong’s signature humor that made him one of the world’s most famous Asian comedians to Michelle Yeoh’s refined and regal demeanor as the film’s antagonist Eleanor, many characters are memorable and distinguished in their personalities and identities in the film.  Wu’s own performance as the clever and endearing Rachel Chu is accentuated and distinguished by her versatile emotional disposition and earnest state of character.

The film also makes an almost satirical commentary on the culture of the extremely wealthy, and its cinematography supports this assertion with a number of fancy outfits, accessories, and props, all against the alluring backdrop of Singapore.  However, it still features aspects of Asian culture, playing on several themes that many Asian viewers can identify with: familial love and responsibility, gender expectations, and stereotypes in relation to class and wealth.  Eleanor, despite being the film’s antagonist, can be empathized with when considering her past struggles to marry into the household and in preserving the traditions of the family; her prevalence and significance to the film’s central conflict is also a clever aside to how women are traditionally expected to be less than men in terms of familial leadership.  Rachel is a paragon of strength and resourcefulness in herself, as she triumphs against her adversities as not only a commoner in the world of dignitaries, but also as a woman in the patriarchy-based Asian family system.

One of Crazy Rich Asians’ most powerful elements is its soundtrack; the movie is filled from start to finish with both iconic and memorable songs, adding to its striking effect on moviegoers’ experience.  Many of its pieces helped to define key scenes in the film, and strongly etch an impression on viewers’ emotional connection with its scenes and characters.  Sally Yeh’s cover of the ever-quirky Material Girl helped to brighten the ever-archetypal fashion montage, while Kina Grannis’ cover of Elvis’ hit Can’t Help Falling in Love made viewers catch their breath with its stunning and tear-jerking spin on the classic love song.  Also very notable is Katherine Ho’s cover of Coldplay’s Yellow, the buildup to which marks the climax of the film, which is in itself a spectacular sequence of events, the euphoria of which can be felt through to the movie’s ending.

The film is not without its flaws, however.  Several plotlines seen in the source content are stripped away for the movie, and some characters (such as Astrid, Nick’s cousin and a prominent secondary protagonist) lack a greater development that would better flesh out their sense of personality.  This complaint may be slightly assuaged, however, when considering that it was impossible to incorporate all elements of the book into the film while also keeping it within a reasonable length of time.  In addition, while Rachel, Astrid, and Eleanor’s characters are a powerful statement against stereotypes and expectations in gender roles, Nick is not as involved or personified, despite being the pivotal tying link in the story’s opposing forces.  On a greater scale, however, these blemishes merely take away a small portion of the otherwise outstanding quality and enjoyment of the movie.

I would strongly recommend Crazy Rich Asians as a refreshing take on the romantic comedy formula that balances outlandish displays of wealth and flamboyance with endearing humor and Asian cultural nuance.