dir. by Jon M. Chu
written by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim
A lot of the conversation around Crazy Rich Asians surrounds its cast, which is comprised almost exclusively of Asian actors. And indeed, this kind of representation is rare enough that it's worth commemorating, as Asians are so often underrepresented on the silver screen. I'm not qualified to fully discuss the significance of this film's casting, but I can say that it's a very funny, well-executed rom-com which, while covering a lot of familiar territory, finds some strong emotional grounding for its luxurious aesthetic, finding pathos through the specificity of the upper-class Asian experience.
Crazy Rich Asians never really transcends itself or steps out of the predictable, but its all-out charm offensive is irresistible, even in spite of some clunkier moments. Films like this show Hollywood discovering that shifting the cultural context can give a fresh twist to its usual formulas, and this particular context provides two additional benefits: aside from the aforementioned Asian representation, it also gives the film an excuse to wallow in luxury porn and travelogue-style montages. All of that could have overwhelmed the film, but the story at its core is strong enough to overcome and even complement all those expensive trappings.
