Crazy Rich Asians - Review

Routine, downtrodden, played out, exaggerated. These words and many more could describe the romantic comedy genre, a type of film so outplayed that there have been films about being haunted by dead exes, couples rekindling love while searching for buried treasure, witches using spells to make others fall in love, and even convincing the family of a man in a coma that you’re his girlfriend.

However, in recent years the genre has seen new life breathed into it thanks to smaller stories told from new points of view (“The Big Sick,” “Love, Simon”). “Crazy Rich Asians” is definitely a new point of view, but its anything but small.

From frame one, “Crazy Rich Asians” flows from scene to scene with delicate and impactful camera movements. Each moment is framed elegantly, and it feels like the first film in a long time that could be viewed and enjoyed purely based on its sets and cinematography. Director Jon M. Chu (“Now You See Me 2,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation”) and Cinematographer Vanja Cernjul (“30 Rock,” “Nurse Jackie”) work to make each location and moment pop with color and beauty, regardless of whether the scenes are short and filled with talking, or a grand overhead shot.

A delightfully upbeat score from Brian Tyler (“Iron Man 3,” “Now You See Me”) helps accentuate the moments of Nick Young and Rachel Chu. Young, played by Henry Golding, oozes charm from every pore of his body, and it’s a testament to the sharp script that he never feels condescending or mean. He’s just a charming, genuine guy who’s easy to like.

The supporting cast frequently steals the show, with Awkwafina (“Ocean’s 8,” “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising”), Ronny Chieng (“Ronny Chieng: International Student”), Nick Santos (“Superstore”), and Ken Jeong (“Community,” “The Hangover”) constantly providing belly laughs and moments of clarity. Their down to earth nature help prevent the film from becoming a spectacle of excess. Gemma Chan (“Humans,” “Submarine”) is wonderful as Nick’s cousin Astrid, although her subplot could have been given more time to shine.

However, the two showstopping scene stealers are Constance Wu (“Fresh Off the Boat,” “EastSiders”) as Rachel and Michelle Yeoh (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Sunshine”) as Nick’s commanding mother Eleanor. Wu is an absolute delight, exuding intelligence and wit at every moment. On the contrary, Yeoh plays Eleanor with a calm demeanor that hides a fiery spirit. All it takes is a smirk and she shuts down conversations and disputes in a flash.

While it may be gorgeously shot and written with a sharp tongue and quick wit, thanks to screenwriters Peter Chiarelli (“The Proposal,” “Now You See Me 2”) and Adele Lim (“One Tree Hill,” “Las Vegas”), this is still a romantic comedy. It can’t break free of every cliché, and it does fall prey to many of the same beats that virtually every rom-com treads over.

Not that it’s boring or bad, quite the opposite. It uses those elements and has fun within the clichés without completely reinventing them. It helps that, again, it does all of this with a script that’s quick witted and could easily be compared to the best work of romantic comedy legend Nora Ephron.

Most of all though, underneath the family politics and the gorgeous excess, this is a film that it never afraid to have fun. It keeps a consistently exuberant energy throughout the entire runtime that simply invites its audience to smile. Half of the time it feels like its actors aren’t even acting, just all hanging out together, having a good time and making each other laugh, and this wonderful sense of fun is what really makes this film shine.

It also can’t be understated how much love fills “Crazy Rich Asians.” While that may seem like an obvious point, it is a romantic comedy after all, it feels so genuine. Love between friends, family, significant others, it all comes across so effortlessly. Instead of simply delivering a story of two people who seem to be together just because they can stand each other, Chu and his crew have created a story where people genuinely are in love, and its all the better for it.

“Crazy Rich Asians” is a ridiculously good time. It may not reinvent the genre, but it certainly has fun within the clichés and well-trodden story beats. It’s charming cast, witty script, and delightful sense of fun help deliver a romantic comedy that is just crazy fun. 4.5/5