Crazy Rich Asians has been a new treat for many when it comes to romantic comedies, being a new, crazy, rich flavor of sweets that students definitely cannot miss out on. From the appropriate comedic and romantic scenes that just make your heart warm, to the dramatic and shocking reveal as different events unfold that change some aspects of the story. This film really gives you a view into the life of truly crazy and rich Asians which one would imagine so, bringing a nice brightening story that really shows romantic comedies not being as bad as many make them to be.

In this novel, we follow the romantic journey of Economic Professor Rachel Chu (played by Constance Wu) as she sets out to Singapore with her longtime boyfriend, Nick Young (played by Henry Golding), to his best friend’s wedding. During Rachel’s first time in Asia, she learns about Nick’s family past and his heritage, discovering that his family is one of the wealthiest families in the country which Nick has neglected to tell. This put’s an unwanted target upon the girlfriend of the bachelor, having to deal with the jealousy of others and the disapproving of Nick’s own mother of Rachel and her family’s past. Although it’s not so bad, as Rachel learns to stand her ground with the support of her friend Goh Peik Lin (played by Awkwafina), as well as with Nick’s closest cousin Astrid Leong-Teo (Played by Gemma Chan) who goes through her own story ark alongside Rachel. From here, Rachel plays along with the family, getting every opportunity she can to show her capableness of being an appropriate lover of such a famous bachelor.

The story itself is very enjoyable, seeing the different slopes and uprises that Rachel and many other characters go through. The movie is in it of itself is just two hours of the same situation the characters try to overcome when in looking at it as a whole. Although with there being little to no downtime with all the drama and information both the viewer and characters learn throughout the period, many are able to keep up and become very invested in the movie. That is only if you are into the cute romance/comedy the movie brings, with the drama being a side dish that is served with the main platter. The acting doesn’t fall short either, having each actor bring the characters to life with their quirks and characteristics that the actors drive home very well. It’s impressive how they are really able to bring such characters this close to reality, having Rachel’s friend Goh Peik Lin and her family be pretty crazy on paper is actually tough to try and reenact in person and make them convincing to the viewer.

However, this does not hold true when it comes to some of the aspects of the movie that are left out of the story itself, with the film composition of the movie itself. It is true that the characters are a bit lacking when it comes to diversity and originality, following the tropes of a regular, fancy romance movie and does nothing to improve upon them or set a new high. Although this is counteracted with the actors themselves doing a very good job at making these characters as believable and relatable as they can, showing that such crazy rich people are still human. Not only that, the cinematography wasn’t too great either, as many shots were just normal candid ones that barely just worked as it is a movie about these crazy rich Asians, so of course, you will always have to show them and what they’re doing when it comes to plot. With there being only a few significant scenes that showed off what the crew was capable of in cinematography if they tried, most of the shots are just boring and uninspiring which just makes them very forgettable. The editing gets the job done as it tries to compose these shots all into one great movie, working with what it’s got to keep the viewers interested and changing subjects so that viewers are not bored of such cinematography. Again, nothing new or special was done for most of the scenes when it comes to editing but gets everything done and presented with some key moments that are not very forgettable.

Whilst recognizing parts of this movie that are pretty glaring problems with the film, you always have to recognize the good that comes out of the film as well. As brought up to film nerd Conor, he states, With having the characters be described as “crazy rich”, one would expect great viewings that these people can afford, such as the gigantic and styled mansions, to a literal shipment boat that is used to house one of the biggest bachelor party that one hasn’t seen the likes of before. The setting of the movie really spits out the adjective rich, helping the viewers really be indulged in the movie and its plot and really giving the sense that we are with these characters as they witness such distinct sights and environments. As stated before, this movie doesn’t do much in the cinematography department, only really getting some scenes right and showing their true potential. One of those significant scenes that many will personally remember and really shows off the movie’s scenery is the wedding scene that REALLY gets the job done. Having the bride slowly walk down the aisle in this gorgeous dress as she angelically walks to through the puddle of water, with the shot being on the water as it fills and moves to each step, showing only the reflection first then cutting to the sight of a true bride. With it all being perfectly supported by a cover of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley, with the movie cutting out all the sound and only leaving the song quietly playing throughout the scene.

 Crazy Rich Asians is a really beautiful and fun film that sets itself as part of the top in romantic comedies, not failing compared to others that try at the same formula. With many finding it an enjoyable watch throughout its time, with only a few mishaps here and there, it is a film that students will be delighted once they see the love that most of the cast puts into this picture.

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