Crazy Rich Asians

Crazy Rich Asians has generated a lot of hype so the chance of not meeting the high expectations is high lol. A lot of criticisms come from people who treat this as a documentary of life in Singapore. For goodness sake, people should separate fiction from non-fiction. I am not bothered about the factual accuracy as this is a work of fiction. I am more bothered with some scenes which feel like advertisement by Singapore Tourism Board (STB). I do not normally watch rom-coms but as the first Hollywood movie which features a lot of Singapore, it will be interesting to see how Hollywood depicts the place I live in. In addition, I would like to step out of reality for a while to see what my life could have been if I were a crazy rich Asian.

I actually enjoy the movie more than I expected. Despite the over-the-top displays of wealth, they are still not unimaginable. The characters and the conflicts/issues/problems faced by them are truly Asian. I am not crazy rich (I am not even a rich) but as a Chinese, I can vouch for the accuracy of the Asian values depicted in the movie. Filial piety, family traditions, and upholding to family expectations/standards are real life matters that we have to deal with, no matter how rich, how 'westernised', or how modern the young generations will be.

There so many things that happen in the movie that I am also facing. I have been living away from my parents for years and growing up in Singapore exposes me to more westernised or modern way of thinking. With me hitting the marriage-able age, I can relate to what Nick and Rachel are experiencing. No matter how 'banana' we are, as Asians, we still uphold family values as something important in our life. My mum and even my aunts share the same sentiment as Eleanor: when a girl gets married, the girl is expected to be part of the guy's family and putting love aside, it is all about 'sacrificing' for the guy for the marriage.

The 'competition' over who is richer etc may seem crazy but unfortunately for Asians, comparing status/wealth is a reality of life. I am personally not finding a girlfriend because I am overly conscious with my homeless status here. Where will I stay after wedding? Or even before wedding, which parents will allow their daughter to get married to a homeless guy? Sigh..

As a rom com, I think the romantic part may be lacking a little bit although the comedy part is quite well executed. Not that I mind about it since I enjoy laughing more than seeing people make love. Haha..

I am glad that Crazy Rich Asians does not disappoint and stands up to the hype. Although it is a fiction, both the 'crazy' and the 'rich' aspects are still realistic and relate-able. Some parts of the acting feel a bit raw and awkward but overall I still think the acting is alright. No doubt the star here is Michelle Yeoh who plays Nick's mom. I don't know how she does it but somehow she is able to behave similarly cold throughout the movie yet I can feel the mother's affection to Nick vs her dislike to Rachel. I hope the movie does well because there are rumours that a sequel maybe planned. If there is a sequel, I will definitely look forward to it. Until then, let's see if I am curious enough to read the book.