(#8) Crazy Rich Asians (2018) - [7.5/10]

A boyfriend invites his girlfriend to a a family wedding of his.

Rachel Chu is happy to accompany her longtime boyfriend, Nick, to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. She's also surprised to learn that Nick's family is extremely wealthy and he's considered one of the country's most eligible bachelors. Thrust into the spotlight, Rachel must now contend with jealous socialites, quirky relatives and something far, far worse -- Nick's disapproving mother.

How would I describe this film in one word?

Flamboyant.

Note They aren't just 'rich', they're 'crazy rich'! We've seen rich people in movies before, but from start to end in this movie, bolstered by the incredible production design, set design and costume design with a touch of elegance, these Asians boast their wealth in flamboyantly and stylishly to make sure that it's a centerpiece of the movie.

Review

The story follows your average New Yorker who's seemingly average boyfriend invited her to a family wedding. In the journey, she realizes that he's 'rich'. Upon arrival, she realizes he's 'crazy rich'. She now has to battle the criticisms of the family, the mother (of the boyfriend) and her own insecurity built up around her unattractiveness and poverty. This movie really shines in highlighting the cultural gaps and traditional methods of family in the Eastern world: Arranged marriages, taking up the family business and putting family first is still a common practice (I am from India and similar practices as undertaken there). For our protagonist Rachel, her cultural values are different and this cultural conflict is portrayed really well here while not demonizing any of the two sides. To conclude, it is a very sweet romance with great performance from Constance Wu and entertaining and funny comedy (thanks especially to Awkwafina) to make a wonderful rom-com experience.

I do want to add that an overlong scene could've been skipped to avoid a dragging-feel which was the pre-wedding reception scene at the house.

RATING: 7.5/10

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Director: Jon M. Chu Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 2 hr Genre: Comedy, Romance Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh