Film Review - Crazy Rich Asians (12A)

They're so posh and snobby - they're snoshy!

Crazy Rich Asians is based on the novel by Kevin Kwan and - as I write - is storming its way through the international box office. It's the crowd-pleasing rom-com of this and quite a few preceding years, while also being the first Hollywood studio movie since 1993's The Joy Luck Club to feature an (almost) exclusively Asian cast. This film is as colourful as the poster suggests and awash with all the crazy richness of the title. And then some. I'll get back to that.

The story centres on Rachel Chu, a young and brilliant economics professor in New York, invited to a wedding in Singapore by her boyfriend Nick Young. Their romance is blooming, but there's one topic on which Nick hasn't been entirely honest - the fact that he comes from generations of accumulated mega-wealth, enough to make Rachel's head spin. Plus as heir to the Young family business, he's also one of the most eligible bachelors in Singapore. It makes Rachel the object of intense scrutiny, not least from Nick's formidable mother Eleanor, a matriarch with fierce opinions regarding who her son should (and shouldn't) consider marrying.

There's something reminiscent in Crazy Rich Asians of those wealth-porn TV shows of the 1980s - Dallas and Dynasty - only here the effect is even more extreme. Once the central couple touch down in Singapore, palatial splendour bounces from the screen in every frame. The experience is one of having your cake and eating it. On the one hand the film satirises the snobbery, bitchiness and arrant materialism of the country's landed rich, with Rachel's disbelief keeping us a step removed from it all. But equally we're stunned by and encouraged to enjoy the sheer opulence on display, to salivate over how this sub-set of humanity lives. Even the cinematography has a rich quality, complimenting what's on view - whether the glitz of the younger crowd or the exquisite taste of the Young family mansion. The direction meanwhile keeps things zipping along, slowing down at points to focus on the story's intriguing central confrontation.

Constance Wu is a radiant lead and an emotional centre in the midst of all the OTT glamour. She brings dignity and heart to Rachel, and the script allows her to be proactive in sorting out her own romantic destiny. Model-turned-actor Henry Golding has enough charisma as Nick to spark a genuine sense of connection, while Michelle Yeoh turns her performance as his mother into a career high-point (up there with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). As Eleanor she is frostily imperious - more formidable in her quiet disapproval than if she ever raised her voice. It's the story's dramatic core and a fascinating show-down between old-money attitude and aspiring professional self-belief, between indigenous Asians and so-called 'bananas' (white on the inside) who have embraced Western culture. 

As for the com required to compliment the rom, it comes from all the swipes at rich folk and their sense of entitlement, but also courtesy of some riotous performances. Nico Santos is a flamboyantly camp Young-family cousin who sweeps to Rachel's aid, while Awkwafina (the kooky skateboarding one out of Ocean's 8) makes serious moves towards stealing the film as Rachel's fast-talking best friend Goh Peik Lin. Full of hilarious unfiltered opinions - and part of an impressively taste-free nouveau riche family - she makes serious moves with limited screen time to steal the whole damn film. I kept wondering when she'd next be on screen.

Crazy Rich Asians has been accused of ignoring Singapore's wealth divide, but in fairness that's a whole other movie - maybe one that needs making. This is primarily a Cinderella story with a fresh and exotic setting and a heroine who can take care of herself, once she has stopped being dazzled by all the sparkle surrounding her. It's big, it's ritzy, it's a multi-course visual banquet - but it's earthed by a surprising amount of heartfelt emotion. And for the frothy feel-good movie of 2018, that's pretty commendable.

Gut Reaction: Kind of swamped by all the crazy riches on show, but totally entertained and surprisingly invested in the characters by the end (which packed quite the emotional wallop).

Where Are the Women?: All over it and looking glam. For Wu and Awkwafina this is star-making stuff. For Yeoh it's a reminder of what a class act she already is.

Ed's Verdict: 8/10. A part of me rebelled against the gratuitous revelling in riches, but ultimately this was irresistible. Glossy escapism for sure, but with enough wit, charm and irony to make it truly memorable.