Crazy Rich Asians Review: A Reminder of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon!

Laavanya Hien |Oct 08, 2018

Crazy Rich Asians is the first Hollywood film with the lead cast all coming from Asia since The Joy Luck Club in 1993. When it comes to star performances, it’s worth mentioning Constance Wu.

Director: Jon M Chu

Cast: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, and Ken Jeong

Rating: 3/5

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a famous Chinese film. The film is believed to brings back unpleasant experience for most Chinese viewers. Moreover, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is much like crossover hits in which it has given a great deal of freedom with the hope that Western viewers won’t be able to notice.

In fact, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is in the Chinese language. This caused a loss in the nuance of the specific generic term. And, there is only a person who is one of the four main roles could speak the Mandarin dialect. The others are those coming from Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. It appears that this is a mind-boggling piece of a puzzle for you. Why? It is because Michelle Yeoh, the above-mentioned Maly has acquired almost all of the lines phonetically. That’s why there’s no surprise when the director, Lee revealed that the language seems a challenge. He had to do up to 28 shots just due to the challenging language. This is the thing that never came across in his life.

There are many types of film that lend Crazy Rich Asians, including Disney movies or romantic comedies. But, the only one that makes me think of the most was the Chinese film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The reason for this reminiscence is not only due to Michelle Yeoh but mainly because of the thing it demonstrates.

Crazy Rich Asians Review: Star Performances

Crazy Rich Asians is the first Hollywood film with the lead cast all coming from Asia since The Joy Luck Club in 1993. When it comes to star performances, it’s worth mentioning Constance Wu. She is a talented American Taiwanese actress who plays the role of Rachel. In the Hollywood film industry, Wu has been gaining an ever-increasing popularity. The reason is that she is receiving a huge support from the comedian and rapper Awkwafina. Additionally, Wu has back-up from the well-known Hangover series’s comic, Ken Jeong. There is no denying that the role of Constance Wu in Crazy Rich Asians helps to enlighten the film.

Another central cast is Henry Golding who acts as Nick Young, Rachel Chu’s boyfriend. Nick’s role in the film is the most qualified bachelors of Singapore. His family is so crazy rich that almost all of Singapore belongs to Nick’s family. Hence, it is obvious that Nick will be the one and only heir of this dynasty’s fortune.

Crazy Rich Asians Review: Highlights

Crazy Rich Asians comes to India like the last place in its tour around the world after over two months of promotion. As my first thought, this film will be an unsatisfactory blank one. It would survive without much fun like going shopping in a luxurious shopping center. As the film’s name states, Crazy Rich Asians is the representation of the richness and lavishness. The film introduces us the scene in which its characters use the high-end suites and extravagant cars that are much more expensive than our own houses.

The film’s highlight is that Rachel already knew her boyfriend, Nick is rich. However, that’s not all about him and his family. Rachel didn’t know this key point of his boyfriend’s family until she and Nick accepted a warm invitation to a wedding of one of Nick’s friends in Singapore. In this visit to Asia of Rachel, she feels so excited because this is her first time to Asia. Also, she’s worried about the upcoming meeting with Nick’s whole family.

When they attended the friend’s wedding, Rachel took the chance to visit Nick’s home. Thus, she was so surprised to learn that Nick is really rich. And, he is truly a prince of this wealthy nation. Moreover, Rachel’s aware that there is a lot of key things about Nick’s life she hasn’t known. It is until her visit to Singapore did she discover her boyfriend is not only the son of the country’s richest family but also one of the most ideal bachelors.

Crazy Rich Asians: Conflicts

The conflict of Crazy Rich Asians began when she faced with insecure feeling from Nick’s mother, Michelle Yeoh. Plus, Rachel also felt that she was not privileged enough in front of Nick’s wealthiness. That’s the reason why she had that feeling of insecurities. It climbs the climax when Michelle Yeoh told Rachel that “You’ll never be enough”.

Despite being an attractively young economics professor of a university in New York, Nick’s relatives still considered her a digger. It seems that both Nick’s mother and other family members are unfriendly to Rachel.

Besides the frosty attitude from Nick’s extended family, Rachel also had to deal with other local people. These people are unhappy about her as well as the current relationship between Nick and Rachel. Moreover, these jealous people always try to decry her at any chance they can.

Crazy Rich Asians Review: The Story Behind It

The film has allowed us to know a lot of facts about people at the top of this Singaporean society. The discrimination does not basically lie in the society, class and wealth. More than that, it shows a derisive attitude toward those who are brought up in America. In Crazy Rich Asians, Rachel, in the eyes of people in this prosperous country, is much like a “banana”. It means that she has a yellow outside and a white inside.

On the other hand, there is a surprising fact about its filmmaking. The period of several months with promotion and hype enable us to believe that the film director, Mr.Chu is a life-saving of the whole genre. In fact, the story could handle itself. However, the filmmakers still represent how witty and creative they are in coping with the cliches. Then, it will easily drive us towards the soppily predictable finale.

In short, it is not difficult to identify a giant domination of the white male industry. The evidence lies in how the social victories in Crazy Rich Asians have a prevalence over its accomplishments. Conversely, it still makes you be aware that only a trivial modification in tone would be able to pass off the long promotion for the developing tourism of Singapore.