Crazy Rich Asians Movie Review

By: Lynn Barker

When Chinese American NYU economics professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) agrees to accompany her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding) to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore, she will meet Nick’s family for the first time. She discovers that her boo is the Asian equivalent of pre-Meghan Prince Harry; every girl wants him but his domineering mom Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) doesn’t want an “American” anywhere near her son. Will Rachel’s dark family secret call off her romance?

Can Rachel and Nick survive his family objections?Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Early Rejection

When handsome Nick Young was a tiny boy, his rich family was turned away from a posh London hotel despite their reservation, just because they were Asian. His strong mom Eleanor made a few calls and the hotel owner, a Young family friend, berated the staff, prepared to sell the hotel to the Young family and made sure this would never happen again.  You simply don’t cross Eleanor!

Nick asks Rachel to meet his family in SingaporeCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Invitation to Singapore

Nick and NYU Economics professor Rachel Chu are a couple and he invites her to Singapore to his best friend Colin’s (Chris Pang) wedding. Of course she will also meet his family for the first time. A Chinese radio host sees them together and news of their courtship goes viral until it reaches his mom who calls telling Nick that his “date” must stay somewhere else, not with the family. When their first class accommodations on the flight to Singapore shock Rachel (How rich is Nick?), he tells her about his eccentric family; especially porn film maker cousin Eddie who is dating one of his stars and his cousin Astrid (Gemma Chan), a famous fashionista who is married to insecure, lower class Michael.

Astrid's unhappy marriageCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Singapore Greeting

Nick and Rachel are warmly greeted at the airport by Nick’s best friend Colin and his fiancée Araminta (Sonoya Mizuno) and the couples have a great night out eating street food and doing the town. Rachel feels at home. The next day she visits wacky college friend Goh Peik Lin (Awkwafina) and her warm but also wacky mom, dad, brother and younger sisters. When Rachel tells her friend that her man is Nick Young, Peik Lin almost faints. He’s like the Asian Prince Harry!

Peik Lin greets college pal EleanorCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Peik Lin makes sure Rachel wears a fancy dress to meet the family that night and both girls go to the posh home of Nick’s grandmother (Lisa Lu). Nick’s mom is cordial but very cold to Rachel, rebuffing her hug. Astrid is nice to Rachel but other family members rebuff or tease her once they learn she was raised by a single mother and is far from rich. Grandmother seems friendly enough. Alone with Nick, Eleanor makes it clear that Nick is expected to return home to run the family business and he can’t be with an American girl.

Rachel meets Nick's mom EleanorCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Pre-Wedding Parties

Rachel talks with Nick's lawyer Ex at bachelorette partyCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Rachel and Nick’s female cousins and friends are off on a plane to a posh island bachelorette party for Araminta and Rachel deals with Nick’s snippy, lawyer ex Mandy (Jing Luci) while Nick joins Colin and eccentric cousins at a stag party actually held far at sea on a cargo carrier ship full of models, bands, etc. Neither Nick nor Rachel is very comfortable with all this.

Nick tells Colin he'll marry RachelCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Nick shows Colin the engagement ring he intends to give to Rachel. Colin asks if she is ready for life in his family. On the island Rachel and Astrid grow close but someone leaves a dead fish in Rachel’s bed and a note calling her a “gold-digger bitch”. She is in tears. Nick later calms her down but mom cruelly tells her she will never be enough for Nick. Peik Lin convinces her to hang in and get Eleanor’s respect.

Peik Lin (Awkwafina) gives Rachel adviceCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The Wedding

Colin and Araminta’s wedding is beyond glamourous and posh. Rachel arrives, head held high, looking amazing and makes friends with a Malaysian princess that won’t even talk to Eleanor and her pals.

Araminta looks gorgeous at her posh weddingCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Nick realizes his girl is a fighter and the two gaze lovingly at each other during the wedding, upsetting Eleanor. After the wedding, mom and grandma summon Nick and Rachel. Eleanor has had Rachel investigated and learned that she is illegitimate. Her mom wasn’t married to Rachel’s dad. They simply can’t have her in their family. This is shocking news to Rachel who, devastated, hides for days at her friend Peik Lin’s house.

A newly-confident Rachel arrives at the weddingCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Happy Ending?

Will Nick go against family wishes and propose to Rachel? Can she learn the truth of her birth? Can she survive the rejection? Will Nick’s family ever accept her?

Grandma seems to like Rachel...at firstCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Wrapping Up

Overall, Crazy Rich Asians is a classic romantic comedy. Acting is wonderful, especially in a confrontation scene between the Rachel and Eleanor characters over a tense game of Mahjong. Awkwafina and others provide some hilarious comic relief. Everyone can relate, especially if you’ve ever liked someone whose family and friends thought you weren’t good enough for them.

Nick is the Asian version of Prince HarryCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

It’s great that the entire cast is Asian but there are almost too many characters to keep track of and the side story of cousin Astrid’s unhappy marriage doesn’t really tie in well.

Eleanor confronts Rachel over a Mahjong gameCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The glamorous, colorful locations and wardrobe are eye-popping and Constance Wu and Henry Golding make a convincing, beautiful couple. It’s gratifying to see the Rachel character realize her power and be proud of her own family heritage. The Asian flavor of the movie is unique and satisfying. This is one of the best date movies to come along in a while. We give it four stars.

Crazy Rich Asians Movie Rating: 

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Crazy Rich Asians is in theaters Wednesday!

Have Your Say

Have you been rejected by a date or love’s family or friends? Have you been hoping for a good date movie to come along? Comment below.