"Crazy Rich Asians" Review

Though much of the chatter surrounding "Crazy Rich Asians" has stemmed from it being the first major studio film in Hollywood to star Asian-Americans in twenty-five years (the last one was "The Joy Luck Club"), the film offers far more than a tokened milestone.

"Crazy Rich Asians" stars Constance Wu as Rachel Chu and Henry Golding as Nick Young. Together they play a couple in love but with one major secret set to be revealed: Nick comes from a highly affluent Singaporean family. Rachel on the other hand grew up as Asian-American raised by a single mother, and became a successful economics professor. On the surface level, "Crazy Rich Asians" is impressive for achieving the aforementioned milestone, showcasing a lush and scenic production design (much of the film was shot in Singapore), and for the classy glamour of Hollywood stemming from the lush classical and jazz scoring.

But there are so many other nuances more deserving of celebration, in particularly that the primary focus throughout the film being on its female characters. Many Asian women have been forced to take a back seat to the men in our own cultures due to old-fashioned, traditional ideas about gender roles. In the darkest and most dangerous manifestations of it, violence and toxicity can poison relationships of all kinds. The most meaningful character arcs and journeys in this film show a diverse group of women all learning something about themselves and the people around them, being ultimately changed for the better.

Crazy Rich Asians is now playing in U.S. cinemas.