Crazy Rich Asians is a 2018 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Jon M. Chu from a screenplay by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Kevin Kwan. The film stars Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, Nico Santos, Lisa Lu, Ken Jeong, and Michelle Yeoh, and follows a young Asian-American woman who travels to meet her boyfriend's family, and is surprised when she discovers they are among the richest in Singapore.
Crazy Rich Asians was released in the United States on August 15, 2018, by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is noted as the first film in the modern setting by a major Hollywood studio to feature a majority Asian cast since 1993's The Joy Luck Club.[3] The film has grossed $53 million worldwide and received positive reviews from critics, who have praised the performances and the production design. Two sequels are currently in development.
Plot[]
Rachel Chu, an economics professor at New York University (NYU), accepts an invitation from her boyfriend Nick Young to accompany him to Singapore for his best friend Colin's wedding; Nick will be the best man, while Rachel can meet Nick's family and see her old school friend Peik Lin. Nick's mother, Eleanor, learns of the relationship from rapid online gossip. Rachel is shocked when Nick arranges a first class suite for the flight; he reveals that his family are wealthy real estate developers.
In Singapore, Rachel and Nick join Colin and his fiancée Araminta for dinner in a street vendor marketplace. The next day, Rachel visits Peik Lin, who accompanies her to a party thrown by Nick's family. Rachel makes several faux pas and quickly realizes that Eleanor dislikes her, but makes a good impression on Nick's grandmother.
Rachel attends Araminta's bachelorette party at a resort owned by her family, while Nick attends Colin's bachelor party aboard a party barge arranged by their boorish schoolmate Bernard. A woman named Amanda seemingly befriends Rachel, but deliberately undermines Rachel's confidence before revealing that she dated Nick. Some of the women defile Rachel's bed with a dead fish and a message calling her a "gold digging bitch." Nick's cousin Astrid comforts Rachel, who is determined not to make a scene. Astrid admits that her life is not perfect either, as her husband Michael is having an affair. Nick and Colin flee the barge to relax alone on the water elsewhere, where Nick tells Colin he plans to propose to Rachel. Colin is happy for him, but concerned that Nick's family's disapproval and the couple's cultural differences will be insurmountable.
Nick finds Rachel is upset over the women's harassment and Nick's secrecy about his family. He apologizes and takes her to make dumplings by hand with his family. Rachel admires Eleanor's distinctive engagement ring; Eleanor tells her that Nick's grandmother disapproved of Eleanor and denied Nick's father the family ring. Eleanor tells Rachel she will never be good enough for Nick. Rachel considers leaving Singapore, but Peik Lin convinces her to challenge Eleanor. Peik Lin and Nick's rebellious cousin Oliver give Rachel a glamorous makeover immediately before the wedding. Meanwhile, Astrid tells Michael she knows he is cheating on her and they break up. At the wedding, Rachel makes a good impression on everyone. But at the reception, Nick's mother and grandmother call Rachel a liar and forbid Nick's relationship with her. Rachel believed her mother, Kerry, was widowed in China before Rachel's birth, but a private investigator revealed that Rachel was conceived through an adulterous affair, after which Kerry abandoned her husband. Rachel runs away and Nick chases after her, even though his grandmother threatens to disown him.
Rachel goes to stay with Peik Lin. Kerry arrives and explains that her husband was abusive. She and an old classmate fell in love, and when she became pregnant she left China, fearing her husband's reprisal. Nick requested and arranged Kerry's presence; she urges Rachel to see him. When they meet up, Nick proposes.
Rachel asks Eleanor to meet her at a mahjong parlour. Over a game, Rachel tells Eleanor that she declined Nick's proposal, not wishing to cost him his family. She notes that any future marriage and family Nick has with Eleanor's approval will be possible because of a poor nobody like Rachel. Eleanor reveals a winning hand after drawing a tile Rachel discards, but Rachel then reveals that her own hand would have won, had she kept the tile.
Eleanor visits Nick, and Astrid moves out of Michael's apartment with their son. Rachel and Kerry board an economy flight home. Nick arrives and proposes again—this time, with Eleanor's ring. Rachel accepts and they stay in Singapore an extra day for an engagement party. Eleanor and Rachel acknowledge each other.
In the mid-credit scene, Astrid exchanges flirtatious glances with her ex-fiance, Charlie Wu.
Cast[]
- Constance Wu as Rachel Chu
- Henry Golding as Nick Young
- Michelle Yeoh as Eleanor Young
- Gemma Chan as Astrid Leong-Teo
- Lisa Lu as Shang Su Yi
- Awkwafina as Goh Peik Lin
- Harry Shum, Jr. as Charlie Wu
- Ken Jeong as Goh Wye Mun
- Sonoya Mizuno as Araminta Lee
- Chris Pang as Colin Khoo
- Jimmy O. Yang as Bernard Tai
- Ronny Chieng as Eddie Cheng
- Remy Hii as Alistair Cheng
- Nico Santos as Oliver T'sien
- Jing Lusi as Amanda Ling
- Carmen Soo as Francesca Shaw
- Constance Lau as Celine Lim
- Pierre Png as Michael Teo
- Fiona Xie as Kitty Pong
- Victoria Loke as Fiona Tung-Cheng
- Janice Koh as Felicity Leong
- Amy Cheng as Jacqueline Ling
- Koh Chieng Mun as Neena Goh
- Tan Kheng Hua as Kerry Chu
- Selena Tan as Alexandra Cheng
- Kris Aquino as Princess Intan
Accolades[]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critics' Choice Awards | January 13, 2019 | Best Acting Ensemble | Crazy Rich Asians | Nominated |
| Best Comedy | Won | |||
| Best Actress in a Comedy | Constance Wu | Nominated | ||
| Best Production Design | Nelson Coates, Andrew Baseman | Nominated | ||
| Detroit Film Critics Society | December 3, 2018 | Best Ensemble | Crazy Rich Asians | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | January 6, 2019 | Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Nominated | |
| Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical | Constance Wu | Nominated | ||
| Hollywood Film Awards | November 4, 2018 | Breakout Ensemble Award | Crazy Rich Asians | Honoree |
| Humanitas Prize | February 8, 2019 | Comedy Feature Film | ||
| International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards | 22 February 2019 | Maxwell Weinberg Publicist Showmanship of the Year – Motion Picture | ||
| National Board of Review | January 8, 2019 | Best Acting By an Ensemble | Won | |
| People's Choice Awards | November 11, 2018 | The Comedy Movie of 2018 | Nominated | |
| The Comedy Movie Star of 2018 | Awkwafina | Shortlisted | ||
| Constance Wu | Shortlisted | |||
| Producers Guild of America Awards | January 19, 2019 | Best Theatrical Motion Picture | Crazy Rich Asians – Nina Jacobson & Brad Simpson, John Penotti | Nominated |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | December 10, 2018 | Best Comedic Performance | Awkwafina | Nominated |
| Best Costume Design | Mary E. Vogt | Nominated | ||
| Satellite Awards | February 17, 2019 | Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical | Crazy Rich Asians | Nominated |
| Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy/Musical | Constance Wu | Nominated | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | January 27, 2019 | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Crazy Rich Asians | Nominated |
Sequels[]
Two sequels, based on the novel's follow-ups China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems, were for a while in development, but are now on prolonged hiatus. It was confirmed that both Constance Wu and Henry Golding, have both signed on to reprise their roles for the two sequels. In 2022 it is shown that the sequels are still in progress.
Reception[]
Gallery[]
Videos[]
External links[]
- Crazy Rich Asians on Wikipedia
- Crazy Rich Asians on IMDb