Screening at Majestic Cinemas Nambucca until September 20
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Crazy Rich Asians is the latest romantic comedy to hit Majestic Cinemas, and it does not disappoint!
The screen adaption of Kevin Kwan’s book by the same name follows Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) a Chinese American, and her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding), as they travel to Singapore for a wedding and to meet Nick’s family.
Rachel is a strong, and smart lead character; she was raised by a single mother from the middle class, is an economics professor at New York University, and can speak fluent Mandarin.
Nick is her boyfriend, who unknown to Rachel, is from one of the richest families in Singapore and is heir to the family fortune and company.
The director (Jon Chu) hilariously juxtaposes Rachel’s middle-class upbringing of buying clothes on sale and flying economy class, with the bright colours Young family’s opulence.
We are shown scenes of extravagant bachelor and bachelorette parties on private boats and islands, gilded mansions with walk-in wardrobes, exuberant shopping sprees, and an array of sports cars, giving us just a sneak peak of what it might be like to live like the crazy rich.
However, the movie subtly ties in heavier issues like identity and family.
Rachel considers herself Chinese, but Nick’s mother disagrees because she did not grow up in an Asian country to learn the cultural values.
This is reinforced as Rachel is the daughter of a single mother, while Nick has a large, close knit family who value the importance of putting your family before yourself, even if that means not dating the woman you love.
Chu bounds this journey of love and self discovery with the hilarious quips and missteps from Rachel as she tries to find her footing in this part of Nick’s life.
With all the components of a good rom-com, this contemporary take exceeds expectations and provides a refreshing take on the genre.
The chemistry of Wu and Golding will have you believing in true love and wanting their relationship to work, while the supporting characters (of particular note Ken Jeong of The Hangover) complement the story.
Also of particular note is the soundtrack.
Clearly recognisable tunes from Coldplay and Elvis have been given an oriental twist that fit so perfectly into the movie.
Crazy Rich Asian has many positive reviews from critics and they are well deserved. Don’t miss your chance to see it on the big screen.
