Crazy Rich Asians
★★★
Crazy Rich Asians is a vibrant spectacle that despite having a compelling cultural twist to the rom-com genre, falls prey to predictable beats and tropes. In fact, I think this film works much better as a straight-forward drama. Yes, its comedic scenes garner some laughs here and there, but it is a very serious movie that is afraid to go too deep into its subject matter. Jon M. Chu does a great job of making this a slick film with a lot of inviting colors, which easily eases the audience into this world of luxury. Constance Wu is perfectly cast as the outsider that is thrown into the lives of Asia’s rich and famous. I'm surprised that she's not more of a household name because she hold her own against an amazing supporting cast that includes the loud (Awkwafina) and the intimating (the always great, Michelle Yeoh).
Despite giving us an interesting peak behind-the-curtains of a world that is unfamiliar to most Americans, there aren't many surprises. It wants to be both romantic and a comedy, yet it fails at both of those aspects. It's in the family drama where this film is at its best. There are many memorable scenes, including a mahjong duel for the ages, and I think this movie would have been much more effective if placed in a different genre.
