Crazy Rich Asians: a first look

By Justin Hsieh, Staff Writer

Tomorrow is the release of Warner Bros.’ highly anticipated new film Crazy Rich Asians. I recently had an opportunity to attend an early screening of the movie hosted by an FVHS alumnus (Mailinh Nguyen). Here is my first look (no spoilers).

Crazy Rich Asians is centered around Rachel Chu, a Chinese-American professor of economics at NYU. She accompanies her boyfriend Nick to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore, and for the very first time meets his family. She discovers that Nick is actually the preeminent heir of the Young family, the wealthy dynasty of real estate developers who basically own Singapore. The crux of the story is the conflict between Rachel and the disapproving members of Nick’s family and social circle – most formidably, Nick’s mother.

To begin with, the production quality of the film is superb. Shot on location in Singapore, it offers viewers a beautiful glimpse of the life and landscape of the famous Asian city-state. From parties and ceremonies to quieter scenes of transition or dialogue, Singapore is more than just a backdrop – it is a crucial part of the narrative and provides an all-around stunning visual experience.

Beyond the visual beauty of the film, Crazy Rich Asians is also a delightfully funny and touching film. A supremely talented cast endows the lightest moments of the film with hilarity and fun, and the deepest and darkest moments with meaning and emotion. It is a captivating, nerve-wracking, and empowering story about class conflict, family, love, and loyalty that will leave your jaw sore and eyes wet.

The best part about Crazy Rich Asians, however, is quality that both surpasses and enhances all of the other movie metrics. It’s simple: it’s just so Asian. The outstanding production gives viewers a fresh and long-awaited view into Asian life. In the Young mansion, we see how rich Asian people live. The jokes, while fun for everyone, ring especially strongly for those of us who have grown up in the Asian experience. The theater I was in was full of Asians save for two or three people, and the laughs were in perfect and spontaneous synchrony. The themes of the story, while applicable to all people in the usual way, strike even truer for those who recognize the inherently Asian nuances of the way they are built up and delivered.

These qualities are by no means able to be appreciated only by people who are Asian. In fact, almost anyone who lives in Southern California (as FVHS students do) will have had the exposure to Asian ways of life that make this movie so refreshingly familiar. At the same time, for those who have not had that experience, this movie provides a fascinating perspective into the traditions, values, and lives of Asian people. It represents Asians as sexy, strong, social, interesting people in a way that mainstream media has long been lacking. The story itself is centered around two premises that are huge leaps in Asian representation: firstly that of a wealthy, successful, powerful Asian family that calls all the shots (the Youngs); and secondly the strength of an Asian woman who is neither submissive nor quiet (Rachel Chu).

However, not everyone is hailing what seems like the Asian miracle of Hollywood. In the area of representation, critics have charged the film with a misleadingly Chinese-dominant portrayal of Singapore, lack of representation of other Asian groups, and racial insensitivity per the casting of Malaysian actor Henry Golding as male lead Nick Young. Additionally, some describe the plot as disappointingly generic and bland. While many of these points do have some merit and basis in truth, I personally believe that they aren’t strong enough to diminish the caliber of the film. While the representation may not be perfect, flawed first steps are still steps. In blazing the trail of Asian representation in Hollywood, Crazy Rich Asians is solid and sensibly simple. The fundamental nature of the movie (that of a full, unaffected, unconditional Asian perspective) is itself a major accomplishment, and adds fresh flavor and subtle new bits to the classic romantic comedy formula. It is upon this sound foundation that improvements and refinements can be made, and Crazy Rich Asians has in my opinion been successful both in its pioneering context in the entertainment world and as just a heck of a good movie.

Crazy Rich Asians is made by and for us. Anyone who lives in Orange County can appreciate and love it. What are you waiting for?