The most recent movie that has been the subject of the internet, receiving rave reviews, arousing public curiosity, and getting critical feedback is Jon M. Chu’s dramatic comedy Crazy Rich Asians. What makes this film so special or important?
Besides featuring an all-Asian cast, the movie also mocks and picks fun at many Asian stereotypes (being lactose intolerant, smart, the scary/strict mother-in-law). After watching the movie the first time (I watched it twice), I think there were some humanistic/social issues and phenomenons that were addressed, particularly comparing Asian culture with Asian American/American culture. I think the production team did a great job keeping the authenticity of the culture, although that is not to be confused with the stereotypes and behaviors of the characters. The night market scene featured many well-known dishes such as satay, as well as some native Asian dialects (Mandarin, Hokkien/Taiwanese).
Another aspect that I appreciated about this film was the strong, indepedent women ideas it portrayed through the characters. Past portrayals of Asian women in American films seemed to depict Asian women as very docile, dainty, submissive, and often sexualized. However, the women in Crazy Rich Asians are very different, regardless of whether they were Asian or Asian American. Nick’s grandmother appears to have a matriarchal position in the Young family, as she is very well-respected and seems to have authority and a final say in things. Although Nick’s father is never shown in the movie (he is apparently on a business trip), Nick’s mother seems to also have a lot of authority and respect within the household. Rachel’s mother is also very respectable because she came to America on her own and raised a child. As a single mom in a new environment, there are many struggles down the journey (language barrier, money to support the family, getting a job, all while not being able to contact loved ones back in the homeland). Rachel stands up to the harsh treatment from Nick’s mother as well as the bullying she receives from Amanda and her friends who are jealous of Rachel’s relationship with Nick. While others may think that she is “not enough” for Nick due their difference is societal status, Rachel stays true to what she believes and she knows that she is enough. Rachel’s friend Peik Lin is one of my favorite characters. She helps Rachel to keep herself grounded and reminds Rachel that she should not try to please Nick’s mother but instead get Nick’s mother to respect her. Peik Lin is a humorous character, but she also is very straightforward and blunt because she’s not afraid to speak her mind. Astrid is one of my favorite characters because she stands up for herself against her husband, who was involved in an affair with another woman. My favorite quote from the movie is, “It was never my job to make you feel like a man. I can’t make you something you’re not,” which Astrid says to her husband, referencing the inferiority complex that her husband was experiencing due to how he was a commoner married to a crazy rich woman. These portrayals of Asian women are very different from the older portrayals of Asian women (geisha girls, prostitutes, submissive to men).
When I first watched the movie, I was thinking like, “Wow, this is exactly the kind of movie we need!” Other than real Asian movies, I haven’t seen an all-Asian cast in a film in my life, so this was really exciting for me. However, a friend of mine shared an article with a different perspective on the greatness of Crazy Rich Asians. While I certainly do feel like this film was a step in making progress in the Asian American community, after reading this article I couldn’t help but agree with some of the author’s points. The main cast of the film was predominantly East Asians with the stereotypical pale/fair skin tone. If there were any brown Asians in the film, they were shown as the support cast: housemaids, cooks in the kitchen, etc. So there are still ways for us to be better at representing Asians in the American movie scene, but we are definitely making progress.
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