Movie Title: Crazy Rich Asians
Writer: Peter Chiarelli, Adele Lim
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, Michelle Yeoh, Sonoya Mizuno, Chris Pang, Jimmy O. Yang
Review: Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is happy to accompany her longtime boyfriend, Nick (Henry Golding), to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. She's also surprised to learn that Nick's family is extremely wealthy and he's considered one of the country's most eligible bachelors. Thrust into the spotlight, Rachel must now contend with jealous socialites, quirky relatives and something far, far worse -- Nick's disapproving mother, Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh).
I admittedly enjoy a good rom-com every now and then, and Crazy Rich Asians delivers. I like to laugh, and while there were certainly hilarious moments in this film, I found it to lean more on the rom than the com. Despite that, I thought this was a fantastic film that really excelled as a product of good storytelling and acting. Constance Wu and Henry Golding truly made you care about their characters, and I found myself invested in the outcome of their story. A lot of rom-coms can become complacent and formulaic, but this was far from that. There are plenty of brilliant happy moments, clever twists, and heartbreaking punches to the gut to keep you on your toes from start to finish. Michelle Yeoh is also fantastic, playing an impending mother-in-law who isn't thrilled about her son's new girlfriend. The lavish mansions and Singaporean settings are also beautiful. As far as rom-coms come, you would be hard-pressed to find many as well-made as Crazy Rich Asians. I highly recommend this film!
Fun Fact: This is Henry Golding's first movie; he was only a travel show host before this, but was introduced to the project after a producer met a studio accountant in Singapore, who suggested his name. However, Henry turned down the opportunity to audition for the role several times as he did not think he was good enough for the part and believed a legitimate actor would be better suited. It was not until the director, Jon Chu, reached out to him via a mutual Facebook friend that he was finally convinced to do the part.