Crazy Rich Asians Review

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Photo Credit: IMDb.com

Crazy Rich Asians is an absolute must-see for the beginning semester. Set in modern day, it starts with the life of Rachel Chu, a Chinese-American economics professor who lives in New York. She has happily been in a relationship with her boyfriend, a dashing young man who is known by the name of Nick Young. When Nick receives an invitation for his best friend’s wedding back in Singapore, Rachel takes the chance to finally meet his family. Much to her surprise, the mild-mannered and sweet boy she met is the firstborn heir to his family’s vast fortune. The movie follows Rachel as she tries to navigate falling head first into the world of the vastly wealthy and her relationship with Asia’s most eligible bachelor.

Going into the picture, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I knew it had good reviews and a promising premise since it had been based on a book, but other than that, nothing. What I watched was a beautifully executed love story that would warm the heart of any romantic.  Overall, I thought some parts felt a bit self-indulgent. Without getting too far into spoilers, the way the family shows off wealth is potentially off-putting for some people. However, I found it sort of like a breath of fresh air. As the perpetual fear of student loans and god only knows how many other financial troubles await me, it was nice to see someone who just didn’t have to worry about it. It was nice to watch someone who seemed to be a genuinely likable person sit in the lap of luxury, even if she did have to fight for it. Another thing that I appreciated was just how dedicated to the culture the movie was. Admittedly, I knew nothing about Singapore or the culture that it has, but that too was like a breath of fresh air for me. Seeing Rachel speak with English subtitles underneath her just felt so genuine, and I can’t quite recall the last time I’ve seen a Hollywood movie do that before (except for maybe Star Wars, but alien tongues don’t count in my book). Not to mention that the movie wasn’t afraid to be a little ridiculous. Sure, the comedic relief was a bit over the top, but I liked that about them. They are the type of people we wish we could be for our friends, completely unbound by social norms and unafraid to shout into the streets looking like a crazy person just to show support for those you care about. I like that about those characters. Also, I won’t ruin the ending, but the movie ends on a truly touching note that I found to be very sweet.

Overall, if you aren’t a big fan of rom-coms, this movie probably isn’t for you. However, if you want something that will brighten up your weekend a little bit more, I say why not give it a go with an open mind.

Benji Gutsin is a senior. They are an English major with a concentration in creative writing and a History minor. They like to write short stories in their spare time and have been writing a novel that they hope to publish one day.

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