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CRAZY RICH ASIANS
Director: Jon M. Chu Cast: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, Nico Santos, Chris Pang, Sonoya Mizuno, Pierre Png, Lisa Lu, Ken Jeong, Jimmy O. Yang, Jing Lusi, Ronny Chieng, Remy Hii MPAA
Rating: Running Time: 2:00 Release Date: 8/15/18 |
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Review by Mark Dujsik | August 14, 2018 There's a lot to admire about the way Crazy Rich Asians directly takes on issues of class, culture, and crushing familial ties. At first, the setup of Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim's screenplay (based on Kevin Kwan's novel) seems like a generic romantic comedy, in which two people from two different ways of life have to navigate their differences in order to reach a happy finale. She is an immigrant from China and comes from a working class background in the United States, and fulfilling the promise of the American Dream, she has risen above her station to become more successful than her single mother. He comes from the wealthiest family in Singapore, where he is treated as a sort of crown prince to an unofficial capitalistic monarchy, but he basically has rejected that way of life, finding comfort and love in the U.S. This is where the relationship between Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) and Nick Young (Henry Golding) begins, and it's pretty much where the movie leaves the couple, too. For as much as the movie does right in terms of developing the external conflicts that could separate the pair, it fails to give us a sense of the two characters as romantic partners. We know they are, because they share a couple of tender moments before arriving in Singapore for the marriage of Nick's best friend, but once they arrive for the wedding, the movie does as much as possible to keep them physically separated. The story is less about whether or not the two can reconcile the differences in the backgrounds. It's more about whether or not Rachel can adapt to this world of wealth and change a few minds about her own worth. In a way, then, this is a much richer story than just some ordinary romance, but in trying to delve into the thinking and ways of Nick's immediate and extended family, the movie loses track of its central purpose. Yes, some of the members of the family are amusing, while others slowly reveal a hidden, tragic sadness beneath the posh exterior of their lives. They're fascinating characters in their own right, but this isn't their story. Chiarelli and Lim seem to forget that fact too often, and in process, they've sacrificed the romance that should be a central component of this tale. Perhaps that's because there's something amiss with their relationship. After all, Rachel only learns that Nick, a man who's thinking of proposing to her, comes from a family of wealth when they're placed in first class on their flight. She doesn't learn just how exorbitant the family's wealth is until she reunites with Peik Lin (Awkwafina), a friend from college. The Young family is essentially royalty in these parts, having a significant role in developing Singapore. The wedding between Nick's friend Colin (Chris Pang), and Araminta (Sonoya Mizuno) is the social event of the year, and Rachel is ill-prepared for what's to come. The central problem is Nick's mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh), who disapproves of Rachel being with her son before she even meets the young woman. Eleanor believes that Nick's rightful place is as the heir to the Young family business. The tension is palpable, and it doesn't help that everyone else in the upper class of Singapore believes Rachel is only dating Nick for his wealth. We know that's not true, of course, since Nick hasn't mentioned his station in life, but the movie definitely doesn't address how such a secret might point to some inherent problems in the relationship. Instead, we're introduced to Nick's extended family. They include a quartet of cousins, of whom the most important is Astrid (Gemma Chan), a philanthropist who feels the need to hide her spending habits from her husband Michael (Pierre Png), an army veteran who's starting up his own company. If there's a reason that troubled marriage is juxtaposed with Rachel's attempts to be accepted by the Youngs, it's not for this particular story (It's not a surprise to learn that Kwan's book is the first of a trilogy). Ultimately, it's a distraction. The other cousins are present for comic relief, whether it's Nico Santos' flamboyant devotee of fashion, Ronny Chieng's orderly family man, or Remy Hii's star-chasing movie producer. Most of these more eccentric characters are kept in the background, although Santos' Oliver helps Rachel to look the part of the significant other of a family of considerable means. Rachel jokes at one point that she feels akin to the villain of a soap opera, and it's appropriate, since the material, which begins with lighthearted aspirations, does skirt the line of melodrama. There's some gossip and backstabbing, as Eleanor and Nick's jealous ex-girlfriend (played by Carmen Soo) try to sabotage Rachel and Nick's relationship. What keeps at least Eleanor from coming across as a one-dimensional antagonist is her own past as an unwanted addition to the Young family. There's more to Eleanor than her stately coldness—perhaps even some worry for Rachel. Director Jon M. Chu and the actors (particularly Yeoh) communicate these internal and external conflicts so well that they don't feel like soap-opera theatrics. There's a good, complex story about the pressures of familial expectations in Crazy Rich Asians, but in the process of telling that story, the movie loses track of the romance that's the entire reason for telling this tale. Copyright © 2018 by Mark Dujsik. All rights reserved. |
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