Crazy Rich Asians

Romantic comedies are a hard sell for me.  I think most of them are cheesy and incredibly predictable but the trailers for Crazy Rich Asians made me laugh out loud so I put it on my list.  I had the chance to see a sneak peek last night and I actually really liked it.  Granted, it is rather predictable, but I enjoyed this humorous take on the Cinderella story.  Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is an economics professor at N.Y.U.  She has been dating Nick Young (Henry Golding) for almost a year when he suggests that she accompany him to Singapore to attend his best friend's wedding and meet his family.  She suddenly realizes that Nick is more than he appears to be when they end up in first class on the plane.  She meets his wealthy and traditional mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh), who thinks she is an outsider, and his jealous ex-girlfriend (Jing Lusi), who thinks she is just a gold-digger.  She does have a few allies, including Nick's cousin Oliver (Nico Santos), and Peik Lin (Awkwafina), a college roommate who lives in Singapore, but will her love for Nick overcome his family's disapproval?  When all is said and done it is a traditional romantic comedy with a plot that does not deviate from the usual tropes.  However, Wu and Golding are extremely charismatic as the main couple and they have a lot of chemistry together.  It is really easy to root for them to be together.  Yeoh imbues Eleanor with a bit of vulnerability so the character has some depth and you understand her perspective.  Awkwafina and Santos provide plenty of comic relief (everyone in this screening laughed out loud multiple times, as did I), especially lunch with Peik Lin's family and the make-over montage.  I also really liked the message about being true to yourself (although a subplot involving Nick's cousin and her husband seemed superfluous to me).  Finally, all of the over-the-top and glamorous parties are so much fun and provide for some great escapist entertainment, particularly the wedding and bachelor party.  I recommend this movie because it is so much fun!