Crazy Rich Asians is a jolly good fun rom com. It won't change your life or win an Oscar but it's exactly the kind of light entertainment I'm up for when I go to the movies with friends.
Based on a popular novel of the same name by Kevin Kwan (which I haven't read so had no clues about what was coming), Crazy Rich Asians tells the story of bright Chinese American economics professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) and her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding), who is also Chinese Singaporean and living in the States but with a British accent that hints at his privileged, or at least worldly, background.
It's not really a spoiler to tell you that Nick is crazy rich because it's revealed fairly early in the film. The rest of it is spent exploring what Rachel encounters when she goes to Singapore to meet Nick's family and the influence that extended family have on their relationship. (Hint - a lot. At first.)
This film is being lauded for its representation of Asian people on the big screen and whilst I appreciate the significance of that, this alone is not enough to recommend a film to you. The fact is that Crazy Rich Asians is a good fun film so quite apart from the good it does for multicultural representation, this one is worth a look if you want some light fun that will make you think a little but not a lot.
Here's a great review on ABC online if you'd like to read more. And if you'd like more on what the film means to Asian people, read this great piece by Michelle Law in the Fairfax press.
Crazy Rich Asians is in cinemas now. Trailer here.