Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Crazy Rich Asians has all the hallmarks of a cliched romantic comedy. Rich boy wants to marry "poor" girl and has to face down his family and their expectations. Throw in the zany best friend, clash of classes jokes, and the standard rom-com structure of the manufactured conflict to keep the lovers apart until they chase each other down and confess their love to each other proving love does conquer all. Yup. You've seen it a thousand times before.

So what keeps Crazy Rich Asians from feeling so typical? Perhaps it is musical movie director Jon M. Chu's kinetic touch. Or perhaps the completely delightful Awkwafina who is fun to watch in anything she's in. Or perhaps the charismatic Michelle Yeoh who commands the screen whenever she's on it. Constance Wu has a strong leading lady vibe, the kind of rom-com charisma which a rising star needs. There is just something fresh feeling about what should be a fairly recycled movie plot.

Crazy Rich Asians never quite transcends its genre. But it does manage to be pleasantly fun and that is likely enough to make it worth seeing on a night when all you want is a standard rom com like you've seen a thousand times before.

Crazy Rich Asians
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong
Director: Jon M. Chu
Writers: Peter Chiarelli, Adele Lim