Crazy Rich Asians is a Formulaic Romantic Comedy - Johnny's Review

Crazy Rich Asians is in theaters on August 15th, 2018.

Crazy Rich Asians is rightfully receiving critical acclaim for being a major leap forward for a diverse Hollywood, but the movie shines for so many more reasons than its casting. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, the film shines as both a comedy and a romance in a drought of quality films in either category.

At its core, Crazy Rich Asians is a formulaic romantic comedy. A rich heir to a vast Singaporean real estate forture, Nick Young (Henry Golding) asks his girlfriend Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) to attend his friend's wedding in Singapore. There's just one problem: Rachel, an economics professor at NYU who grew up from humble beginnings, is not aware of Nick's vast forture or his family's status as an elite socialite family. As Rachel gets whisked off to Singapore, she gets sucked into the family politics and expectations that surround the Young family.

We have all seen a vast array of movies that Crazy Rich Asians riffs. But do not let its simple seeming plot throw you off. It is a comedic powerhouse and a charming romance film, and one of the best of either in a long, long time. In spite of its plot, the movie offers an interesting conflict between tradition vs. modernity, excess vs. substance, and duty vs. passion. In true rom- com fashion, the movie attempts to deal with these by taking them to their comical extremes. And it completely succeeds - Crazy Rich Asians is optimistic and fun - but most importantly, hilarious.

Taking us on a bright, beautiful, and seemingly delicious tour of Singapore, Crazy Rich Asians is an absolute escape into the indulgent, consumerist lifestyles of the ultra rich. Yet its setting is more than just a background. As one of the first and one of the few films produced by a major American studio featuring an almost all Asian cast, Crazy Rich Asians is a milestone. And hopefully based on the quality and reception, it is a signal for what's to come. Its cast absolutely shines - from the leads with enough chemistry to make its audience swoon, to all of the supporting cast that varies from hilarious to downright terrifying, each of the characters brings a compelling performance that offer a varied but holistic take that meld together to make the perfect, charming, hilarious, and riveting movie that Crazy Rich Asians is.

Crazy Rich Asians is one of the most refreshing films of the year. It offers in bundles everything we have been needing: a fantastic rom-com featuring a talented cast that breaks the mold of what we've gotten from Hollywood. Yet irrespective of all of the praise Crazy Rich Asians deserves for its casting, the movie is just downright a great film and that makes it even more spectacular.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Johnny (Senior Contributor) was born and raised in San Diego. He's been a fan of films the majority of his life. He enjoys the feeling it invokes and the power it has to take you to another place.
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