Took advantage of Cineplex's half-price movie Tuesdays to finally watch Crazy Rich Asians tonight. I read the first book three years ago and could always picture this world of grandeur and excess to be made into a movie, so I actually wasn't surprised when it was finally announced that it would happen. What I wasn't expecting was how good it would be and how much I enjoyed it. For the most part, it was loyal to the book with some minor exceptions for the sake of movie flow and sequel opportunities, but even without comparing it to the novel, it was just a good rom-com, period. It's charming and exuberant, and surprisingly relatable despite its overindulgent settings. I genuinely loved the entire cast and how they portrayed their characters, too; I especially enjoyed Awkwafina's Peik Lin, who pretty much stole the show. My favourite scene, though, was at the mahjong parlour, where Rachel confronts Eleanor. It was such a quietly epic, ultra classy "fuck you" executed in the most Asian way possible. Though it makes me proud to see an all-Asian cast in a big budget, Hollywood film (in which Asians are often underrepresented), Crazy Rich Asians isn't just a great "Asian movie." It's a great movie that just happens to be about Asians.
Yeah, I think we all love that mahjong scene. I also love that, unlike many other romantic comedies (and I like even most of the bad ones!), CRA earns its happily ever after. It's not just the magical power of love overcoming all. The mahjong scene does it. I've seen it twice and will probably go once more in the next couple of weeks!
ReplyDeleteYeah, CRA almost made me cry like, six different times. So I knew it was something special, lol. I think I'll watch it again, too. It's too good not to. And it's rare for me to ever watch a movie in theatres more than once. :)
Delete