By Melissa Antoinette Garza
I had wanted to see CRAZY RICH ASIANS (2018) when I first saw the trailer. Though I haven’t yet read the book, I was attracted to it because of the cast. Constance Wu in the lead was certainly a draw. She’s one of today’s funniest comedians and to see her running the show was sure to be a treat. I also find much enjoyment in Ken Jeong’s performances and most recently I’ve been enamoured with Nico Santos on the NBC sitcom SUPERSTORE. Having both Jeong and Santos in supporting roles made me even more intent on seeing this. Sadly, that was a nightmare few months so I missed its run and have been awaiting the digital release ever since. I just noticed it on AMAZON for $5.99 to rent and with the time enough to jump in, here we are.
The film opens in 1995 London at the Hawthorne Hotel where Eleanor Young (Michelle Yeoh) is greeted with both a racist bellboy and manager. Despite having a reservation, she’s asked to leave and told to go to China Town. It isn’t until they realize that she has purchased the hotel with her husband that they change their tune.
Fast-forward to today and down-to-earth Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is an economics professor who incorporates poker and the ability to bluff as mechanisms to teach. She dates Eleanor’s son Nick Young (Henry Golding). Nick picks her up and asks that she attend his friend Colin’s (Chris Pang) wedding in Singapore.
Little does she know that Nick is extremely well known, very rich and very loved by a lot of beautiful women. He’s like the world’s most eligible bachelor so many aren’t too keen with their relationship. Word gets back to Eleanor during a bible study with a bunch of gossips that Nick is dating someone. She tries to downplay it, but begins to worry as she’s the first girl he’s bringing home.
When they get to the airport, Rachel is shocked that she not only has first class accommodations, but a private suite. Nick explains that he didn’t tell her about the money because he always has looked at it as his family’s. She still thinks it’s odd that he never told her, but is more concerned that his family will like her than anything else.
Things don’t get off to a great start as Eleanor says that she’s redecorating and that Rachel and Nick will have to stay in a hotel. Rachel questions it, but Nick lies and says that he wants her all to himself.
Thankfully, Colin and his fiance Araminta (Sonoya Mizuno) are very welcoming. Araminta even invites her to the upcoming bachelorette party. Rachel happily accepts.
Rachel then goes to visit her friend from college Peik Lin Goh (Awkwafina). Her parents Wye Mun (Ken Jeong) and Alix Young (Selena Tan) flip when they find out she’s dating Nick Young. They tell her that Colin’s wedding is the biggest event in Singapore. Peik tells her that she can’t go to the party that night wearing the simple dress she has. Instead, she gives Rachel a makeover and drives her to the house.
Both ladies are in shock at how enormous and elaborate the estate is. The inside is even bigger than the outside revealing that the small get together at Nick’s grandmother was a huge spectacle with hundreds of guests.
Rachel finally meets Eleanor who though all smiles makes a few chiding remarks and delivers an icy reception. Other introductions are smoother though the fam is split between really cool people and really annoying people…so pretty much every family reunion party ever.
Some of the catty bitches who want to bed Nick are there and Rachel is far more ladylike than I am. When she mistakes the nanny for his grandmother, some gals start snickering. Those bitches would have left bruised and without their pearly whites had I been there. I hate catty bitches. I hate them so goddamn much. They are the antithesis to every feminist everywhere. They try to suck the life out of any woman that dares glow to their full potential.
Thankfully just when I’m about to go crazy on these gals, Oliver T’sien (Nico Santos) comes over to save the day. He introduces himself as the rainbow sheep of the family but states his position is secure because he can find them antiques and odd eccentricities that the family wants. He offers both Rachel and Peik a friendly gent to chill with. He takes a lady on each arm and informs them of why so many are assholes. These jealous devious wenches and envious little bitches need to get knocked down a peg or two. They even break into her house and gut a fish to scare her off.
Meanwhile, Eleanor tries to put her claws into her son. She wants Nick home and working for the family business so that her husband can take some time off. Nick wants to return to NYC and tells her so. She struggles to be supportive and when he brings up that he brought home a Chinese Professor and she should be proud, Eleanor corrects him and says, Chinese American.
Damn…..that’s harsh! I don’t know why it’s harsh – but damn, mom! If that gorgeous fem goddess isn’t good enough for your son, who the fuck is?
At the bachelor party, Nick has to deal with some of his prick cousins badmouthing Rachel and their relationship. He nearly gets into a physical fight but then walks away. Money complicates so much. A few of these bastards are acting as though Rachel is a golddigger when the girl didn’t even know. Thankfully, Nick doesn’t listen and confides to Colin that he’s going to pop the question. Good on him! Colin tries to be supportive, but says that it will be hard for Nick to take over the family business and marry her.
The next day, everyone gets together to put dumplings together. Rachel being a lovely fucking person tries to reach out to Eleanor again. Eleanor takes her aside and not only shoots down her kindness, but tells the poor gal that she’ll never be good enough for Nick.
This kills Rachel and I see why. Eleanor is like Joan Crawford on a bad day. She’s gorgeous and you soooo want her to like you, but no matter what you do when she looks at you she sees a wire hanger.
Thankfully, Rachel doesn’t wallow in self-pity. Instead, Oliver and Peik help her find the perfect dress to shine at the wedding and shove it up everyone’s ass. Eleanor must fall, but I still respect the hell out of her. How is that possible? I think this movie has made me develop a strange crush on Michelle Yeoh. Any chance she’ll ever go dominatrix? Please….but please! I just want to see her as the head warden of a female prison in the 1970s.
One other shining star was the performance of Gemma Chan as Astrid Young Teo. Astrid was a sympathetic friend to Rachel, but also had some serious baggage going on with her own relationship. Her husband who didn’t come from money felt inadequate because she was rich. It forced her to walk on eggshells and hide her purchases as to not hurt his ego. When she finally gets tired of building up a man who refuses to grow, she has an epic take-down speech that is all kinds of feminist glory.
At the wedding, all is spectacular and Rachel though snubbed by Eleanor shines in a gorgeous ensemble. Things take a bad turn when Eleanor reveals she hired a private eye and found out a secret about Rachel. She believes that Rachel had been hiding the truth, but the info is news to her. Rachel flees and is ready to throw in the towel forcing Nick to make a drastic move to safe their relationship. He flies in Rachel’s mother (Kheng Hua Tan) to help smooth things over.
In the end, a final showdown between Eleanor and Rachel culminates over an intense battle of mahjong where Rachel despite holding all the cards agrees to leave Nick. The scene kills me. Both women are just so terrific and fierce yet all sorts of femininity. Only Nick has the power to change Rachel’s mind.
Overall, I love this film. It’s a female powerhouse cast that rocks it out of the park. Any woman who has ever walked into a spouse’s family can relate to the tension one can feel in the best of circumstances. One always worries about not being accepted. When you see that fear happening on screen, especially to someone who is gentle and kin and sweet like Rachel is portrayed, it breaks the heart. This is an emotional love story that tugs on the strings like few others. Constance Wu made me cry.
I highly suggest this baby. I’m going to end up purchasing so I’d skip the $6.00 temp rent and go straight to the $20 investment.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8/10
