MOVIE REVIEW

“Crazy Rich Asians”
RELEASE DATE: August 15, 2018
MPAA RATING: PG-13 (for some suggestive content and language)

Much attention has been paid to the film “Crazy Rich Asians” being a cinematic rarity as it consists of a predominantly Asian cast and crew. While that fact is important, its success is largely due to a variety of factors, including plot, performances, and setting.

Director Jon M. Chu, and screenwriters Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, bring us a very likeable romantic comedy filled with cultural references, but with a storyline that has broad appeal. Regrettably, the film also has its share of stereotypes.

This is a love story centered on Chinese-American New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) and her Chinese boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding). During a trip to Singapore for a friend’s wedding, Rachel learns that Nick is from a very wealthy and traditional Asian family that includes a disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh) who finds Rachel to be less than fit to date, let alone marry, her son.

Although somewhat formulaic and predictable, “Crazy Rich Asians” is a fun, two-hour journey. I appreciated the beautiful production design and enjoyed several scenes that focused on food preparation, perhaps an homage to the culinary upbringing of the film’s director whose father is renown San Francisco Bay Area chef Lawrence C.C. Chu.

Look for “Crazy Rich Asians” to continue to enjoy crazy box office business for quite some time.