Crazy Rich Asians is agreeable romantic comedy/drama fluff. It's familiar and, at times, borders dangerously close to soap opera material, but it has sumptuous art direction, just enough laughs, and a winning central performance by the lovely Constance Wu to keep it afloat.
Wu is Rachel Chu, a Chinese-American who is a college professor of economics. She is dating the charming Nick (Henry Golding) and only finds out on a flight to Singapore for his best friend's wedding that Nick's family is rich beyond comprehension. However, Rachel not only has to prove herself to Nick's strict, uptight mother (Michelle Yeoh), but also has to deal with catty ex-girlfriends.
Sometimes the comic-relief character, Rachel's best friend (Awkwafina), can be a bit much, but she does generate a few chuckles. Ken Jeong, in what is pretty much a cameo as the best friend's father, does get some big laughs.
I must admit that I've been crushing on Constance Wu ever since the first episode of Fresh Off the Boat, and she's such a delight here, too. She is the emotional core of the movie, and we stick with the film because her character is funny and relatable.
Crazy Rich Asians is based on the novel by Kevin Kwan and is the first major Hollywood studio picture with an exclusively Asian cast since 1993's The Joy Luck Club. And it's a good movie. Could it have been a little edgier? Sure. But it's pleasant enough.
