"Crazy Rich Asians" (2018) Review
11 Sep 2018 | Ashley
Although "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018) is not an Asian film, and is rather an American film made by an American director Jon M. Chu about Asians, this film is still valid when we talk about Asian families and marriages. In fact, it presents an interesting point of view for even Asians themselves who grew up in Asia because of the mixed background of the people who made it.
This film is based on Kevin Kwan's novel of the same name published in 2013. Kwan is a Singaporean-American novelist who was born into an established Chinese family and grew up mainly in the United States, which parallels with the family background of protagonist Nick Young. As for the film director Chu, he grew up in America but his father is a well-known Taiwanese chef while his mother is Chinese. I feel that Kwan and Chu's background contributes to the film an authentic vision as Westernized Asians confronting a traditional rich Asian family. With that being said, the film still seems pretty excessive in many ways. Elements such as the stereotypical Asian rich family drama of the elders disapproving a poor low-status but smart girl, the visually exciting set of a luxurious mansion, spiteful jealous young women, attractive down-to-earth rich men, surreal parties on boats etc. prove this film to be stereotypical, and a film that caters for the mass. The playful camera movements that seem to stylise the extravagance of such lifestyle for visual pleasure also contributes to the fantastical imagination of the wealthy oriental world. But how much of it is true? How much of it is fiction?
Personally as a Hong Konger who is not from a well-off family, I do not encounter as serious a problem as the male protagonist, Nick Young does. I also have not had the pleasure to meet someone of an extremely wealthy background, so I also do not have problems which the female protagonist, Rachel Chu, encounters. My parents would just probably be excited that I would marry someone from a well-off background, "if I was lucky", they would say. However, I'd like to take an example from a girl I know from Mainland China. She is not exactly amongst the richest, but is of a well-educated background. Her parents do not wish for her to date anyone from outside her city or of an unstable financial background, because they are afraid that the guy might be culturally different and incapable of giving their daughter a good life. We could see that in a conservative Chinese family, requirements of the significant other are laid down before their children. In fact, this girl is currently dating someone from another city who is an entrepreneur which probably screams "unstable". No wonder why she is more than worried to eventually introduce him to her family. While she was watching the film, she could not stop thinking about her partner, thus felt extremely sad about what happens in the film since she relates to it so much. Therefore, I can say that this film, despite its excessive but entertaining qualities, can touch people's hearts and be relatable to Asians from a traditional family.
I recommend this film to anyone who wants a good laugh and a good cry. This is a chance when you can laugh at Asian stereotypes which are probably true. And if you are Asian, you would not help but feel that Asian pride of a commercialised film with representations of Asian people. It would also be quite a journey as well if you have someone in your heart that you think about but could not be with for external reasons. In any case, you would enjoy the film.
Although "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018) is not an Asian film, and is rather an American film made by an American director Jon M. Chu about Asians, this film is still valid when we talk about Asian families and marriages. In fact, it presents an interesting point of view for even Asians themselves who grew up in Asia because of the mixed background of the people who made it.
This film is based on Kevin Kwan's novel of the same name published in 2013. Kwan is a Singaporean-American novelist who was born into an established Chinese family and grew up mainly in the United States, which parallels with the family background of protagonist Nick Young. As for the film director Chu, he grew up in America but his father is a well-known Taiwanese chef while his mother is Chinese. I feel that Kwan and Chu's background contributes to the film an authentic vision as Westernized Asians confronting a traditional rich Asian family. With that being said, the film still seems pretty excessive in many ways. Elements such as the stereotypical Asian rich family drama of the elders disapproving a poor low-status but smart girl, the visually exciting set of a luxurious mansion, spiteful jealous young women, attractive down-to-earth rich men, surreal parties on boats etc. prove this film to be stereotypical, and a film that caters for the mass. The playful camera movements that seem to stylise the extravagance of such lifestyle for visual pleasure also contributes to the fantastical imagination of the wealthy oriental world. But how much of it is true? How much of it is fiction?
Personally as a Hong Konger who is not from a well-off family, I do not encounter as serious a problem as the male protagonist, Nick Young does. I also have not had the pleasure to meet someone of an extremely wealthy background, so I also do not have problems which the female protagonist, Rachel Chu, encounters. My parents would just probably be excited that I would marry someone from a well-off background, "if I was lucky", they would say. However, I'd like to take an example from a girl I know from Mainland China. She is not exactly amongst the richest, but is of a well-educated background. Her parents do not wish for her to date anyone from outside her city or of an unstable financial background, because they are afraid that the guy might be culturally different and incapable of giving their daughter a good life. We could see that in a conservative Chinese family, requirements of the significant other are laid down before their children. In fact, this girl is currently dating someone from another city who is an entrepreneur which probably screams "unstable". No wonder why she is more than worried to eventually introduce him to her family. While she was watching the film, she could not stop thinking about her partner, thus felt extremely sad about what happens in the film since she relates to it so much. Therefore, I can say that this film, despite its excessive but entertaining qualities, can touch people's hearts and be relatable to Asians from a traditional family.
I recommend this film to anyone who wants a good laugh and a good cry. This is a chance when you can laugh at Asian stereotypes which are probably true. And if you are Asian, you would not help but feel that Asian pride of a commercialised film with representations of Asian people. It would also be quite a journey as well if you have someone in your heart that you think about but could not be with for external reasons. In any case, you would enjoy the film.
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