Crazy Rich Asians Blu-ray Review: A Fun, Groundbreaking Film

By: Lynn Barker

In Crazy Rich Asians, based on a novel by Kevin Kwan, Chinese American NYU economics professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) will travel with her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding) to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore where she will meet Nick’s family for the first time. Big reveal! Her boo is the Asian equivalent of pre-Meghan Prince Harry; every girl wants him but his domineering mom Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) doesn’t want an “American” anywhere near her son. Will Rachel’s dark family secret call off her romance?

Nick asks Rachel to meet his familyCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Facing Prejudice  

Handsome Nick Young was once a tiny boy and his rich family was turned away from a posh London hotel despite their reservation, just because they were Asian. His strong mom Eleanor made a few calls and the hotel owner, a Young family friend, berated the staff, prepared to sell the hotel to the Young family and made sure this would never happen again.  You simply don’t cross Eleanor!

Nick's mom Eleanor doesn't accept RachelCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Singapore Trip?

NYU Economics professor Rachel Chu and Nick are a couple and he invites her to Singapore to his best friend Colin’s (Chris Pang) wedding and to meet his posh family. A Chinese radio host sees them together and news of their courtship goes viral until it reaches his mom who tells Nick that his “date” must stay somewhere else, not with the family. When their first class accommodations on the flight to Singapore shock Rachel (How rich is Nick?), he tells her about his eccentric family; especially film maker cousin Eddie who is dating one of his stars and his cousin Astrid (Gemma Chan), a famous fashionista who is married to insecure, lower class Michael.

Cousin Astrid approves of RachelCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Welcome to Singapore

Nick and Rachel are warmly greeted at the airport by Nick’s best friend Colin and his fiancée Araminta (Sonoya Mizuno) and the couples have a great night out doing the town. The next day Rachel visits wacky college friend Goh Peik Lin (Awkwafina) and her warm but also wacky family. When Rachel tells her friend that her man is Nick Young, Peik Lin almost faints. He’s like the Asian Prince Harry!

Rachel's bestie (Awkwafina) is delighted to see herCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Both girls go to the posh home of Nick’s grandmother (Lisa Lu). Nick’s mom is cordial but very cold to Rachel, rebuffing her hug. Astrid is nice to Rachel but other family members rebuff or tease her once they learn she was raised by a single mother and is far from rich. Grandmother seems friendly enough. Later, Eleanor makes it clear to Nick that he is expected to return home to run the family business and he can’t be with an American girl.

Parties Galore!

Rachel attends a posh island bachelorette party for Araminta and deals with Nick’s snippy, lawyer ex Mandy (Jing Luci) while Nick joins Colin and eccentric cousins at a stag party held far at sea on a cargo barge full of models, bands, etc. Neither Nick nor Rachel is very comfortable with all this. Nick shows Colin the engagement ring he intends to give to Rachel. Colin asks if she is ready for life in his family. On the island Rachel and Astrid grow close but someone sends a note calling Rachel a “gold-digger bitch”. She is in tears. Nick later calms her down but mom cruelly tells her she will never be enough for Nick. Peik Lin convinces her to hang in and gain Eleanor’s respect.

Rachel at the beachy bachelorette partyCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Posh Wedding

Colin and Araminta’s wedding is beyond glamourous and fancy. Rachel arrives, head held high, looking amazing and makes friends with a Malaysian princess who won’t even talk to Eleanor and her pals. Nick realizes his girl is a fighter and the two gaze lovingly at each other during the wedding, upsetting Eleanor.

A luminous Rachel arrives at wedding receptionCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

After the wedding, mom and grandma summon Nick and Rachel. Eleanor has had Rachel investigated and learned that she is illegitimate. Her mom wasn’t married to Rachel’s dad. They simply can’t have her in their family. This is shocking news to Rachel who, devastated, hides for days at Peik Lin’s house.

Peik Lin helps Rachel dress for successCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Final Outcome?

Can Nick go against family wishes and propose to Rachel? Can she learn the truth of her birth? Can she survive the rejection? Will Nick’s family ever accept her?

Nick plans to propose to RachelCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Special Extra Features

• Crazy Rich Fun – An intro to the movie as novelist Kevin Kwan explains the origin of his story and actors and filmmakers intro a world you might not have seen before. Casting, posh sets and locations are covered. Awkwafina admits she wants to be in a movie where she can make out with handsome Henry Golding! Fun.
• Deleted Scenes – There are seven of them and most add to the story; especially one featuring a heart-to-heart between Nick and his mom and another between Rachel and her mom in a dress store. Both address the prejudices of American Asians vs. European ones. Nice work!  Other scenes are extensions of the crazy bachelor party and wedding reception scenes.
• Gag Reel is short but sweet.. just the usual goofs, falls, cracking up and dancing on set. Not as “out there” as most of this type of thing though.
• Audio Commentary with Director Jon M. Chu and novelist Kevin Kwan is really fun and super informative. You get on set shooting tidbits and praise for the actors. “Look at those abs”! You learn about some ad-libbed dialogue. Watch the film first since these two guys are constantly talking.

Wrapping Up

Crazy Rich Asians is a classic romantic comedy with the predictable family squabbles trying to divide the young couple. However, acting by the all-Asian cast is wonderful, especially in a confrontation scene between the Rachel and Eleanor characters over a tense game of Mahjong. Awkwafina and others provide some hilarious comic relief. Everyone can relate, especially if you’ve ever liked someone whose family and friends thought you weren’t good enough for them.

Bernard throws a crazy, wild bachelor partyCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The glamorous, colorful locations and wardrobe are eye-popping and Constance Wu and Henry Golding make a convincing, beautiful couple. This is a great date movie and well worth collecting and gifting this holiday season.

Rachel befriends Malaysian royaltyCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Extras are shortish but quite fun and the audio commentary is well worth a listen. Gag reel is pretty tame compared to other films but a couple of deleted scenes fill in some relationship blanks nicely. Kidzworld awards 4 stars.

Crazy Rich Asians Blu-ray Rating: 

Crazy Rich Asians Blu-rayCourtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Buy Crazy Rich Asians Blu-ray & DVD set November 20^th

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