Thoughts on Crazy Rich Asians...

Hello, friends!

A few months back, i was scrolling through Facebook and I saw a trailer for Crazy Rich Asians (CRA), a movie starring Constance Wu (of Fresh Off the Boat fame) based on a series of books by Kevin Kwan. If I could have, I would have bought the tickets right then and there for opening night. Alas, I had to wait and finally got around to watching it a few weeks ago.

Let me make one thing clear: CRA is not a perfect movie. The book was more a satire but the movie was definitely a rom-com, meaning a lot of the subtleties were missed and the "message" of the book got muddled a bit. There are legitimate concerns about the representation (or lack thereof) of other ethnic groups in Singapore beyond the Chinese. I preferred the book's version of Peik-Lin to Akwafina's portrayal (although, Akwafina totally nailed the version she was asked to do). I don't think it will be winning an Oscar this year. All I can speak to is my own experiences with watching the movie. I loved it. I absolutely loved it. There are 3 big reasons why.

1) The Black Panther-esque level of representation. Black Panther was amazing at least in part because it was a predominantly Black cast focusing on a Black superhero, totally crushing it in a genre that isn't exactly known for its diverse representation. In many ways, CRA was like that for Asian Americans. All the major characters were Asian or Asian American. American Romantic comedies don't usually feature Asian actors. With the success of Fresh Off the Boat, the inclusion of Kim's Convenience on Netflix, and now CRA, (with John Cho's "Searching" also out now), it really felt like a big moment in terms of breakthrough in mainstream media.

2) That soundtrack. "Material Girl" by Madonna. "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" made famous by Elvis. "Yellow" by Coldplay. What do these songs have in common? They were all on the CRA soundtrack and there were all covered in Mandarin for the movie. Every time I heard a new cover of an "American" song in Mandarin, my heart swelled with pride and I giggled a little. Much of our (being America's) cultural history includes White folk borrowing from Asian cultures to make something "new." To see this in reverse was pretty entertaining. Also, the covers were really good.

3) There were moments where Constance Wu nailed it. There have been a few moments in entertainment when I really connected with a character. I remember having my lunch made fun of like Eddie on Fresh Off the Boat. I've had multiple occasions where I attempt to say something in Mandarin or Cantonese only for the native speaker to not understand me like Janet in Kim's Convenience. I felt that same connection at multiple points during CRA when Constance Wu's Rachel is reminded that she is a foreigner and that she doesn't belong. It was something about her eyes. There was a look in her eyes that I resonated with. It was subtle but it was there.

If you haven't seen CRA already, please go! Also, go see Searching (which looks great). Watch Kim's Convenience on Netflix and if you have Hulu, catch up on Fresh Off the Boat (at least season 1). Support Asian Americans in the entertainment industry! We're pretty great. =0).

Have an excellent day!

~Adam