Crazy Rich Asians
Last weekend I finally got the chance to see the film adaption of Crazy Rich Asians (I know, I'm like 3 months behind - living in France does have *some* limitations). And although I had already read the book, the movie for me was almost an entirely different experience.
I had a conversation the other day with a few coworkers about how upset they were when a film deviated from its book inspiration. From Harry Potter to Princess Diaries to Game of Thrones, each person seemed to have a different level of tolerance for what was acceptable. It seems the more important the book was to the person's life, the more they were determined to hate the movie. But I don't adhere to that philosophy because I think you end up missing out on some great films. From my perspective there's a very simple solution: separate the two and look at them as distinct stories. I know that's easier said than done, but when you learn to appreciate each as its own thing, you may come out of it with two different life lessons you never expected to gain.
I think this goes without saying if you've read my blog before, but spoilers ahead. You've been warned.
That's exactly what happened to me with Crazy Rich Asians. I read the book in anticipation of the movie, knowing that I was much less likely to read the book once I had seen the film (and that it would take 3 months after its premiere date in the US to make its way overseas). And it was a delight - quirky, witty, and relatable. As a Chinese American kid growing up in Minnesota, I am the quintessential banana, and I instantly related to Rachel Chu. A girl forever caught in between two cultures and trying to balance the best of both worlds. But it wasn't just Rachel's story that drew me in. Each character was intricate, complex, battling their own demons. Combatting duty, familial obligations, personal desires, societal expectations, Crazy Rich Asians reads more like an anthology story than just a simple rom com between Rachel and Nick. Every new persona gives you another piece of the puzzle, another perspective to see the complicated relationships of these crazy rich families. At the end of the day, it's a delightful story imbued with culture - my culture.
And it's one thing to see it written down on paper, in words. But something entirely different to see it realized on the silver screen. As the banana that I am, I spent my childhood, teenage, college, and even early adult years idolizing white protagonists because these were the best option. It's not that I didn't relate to them (actually I related to them a lot), after all most movies are human interest stories that are universally appealing. It's just that I didn't know what I was missing until I saw it in person. This movie, with the first with an all Asian cast in 25 years, with traditions that I grew up knowing like dumpling folding, with significant pieces of dialogue in my actual first language, made me realize what all the fuss was about when Black Panther came out. Let's be clear, I'm not trying to diminish what that film managed to accomplish, but for the longest time TV and film casts were black and white. Recently there's been a little brown, but it's nice to see a bit of yellow mixed in there finally. To say that this is the movie I've been waiting for my whole life would be--well--completely accurate.
But the movie, although mostly true to the book, had some very notable differences. Besides the fact that it has a time limit, which meant less character development for each person and even a few missing cast members, there were significant plot changes and some scenes that were completely fabricated. This should, by every rule in the book - pun intended, infuriate die-hard book fans... except I'm not a die-hard book fan, and, those were some of my favorite scenes. Astrid leaving Michael, Rachel and Eleanor playing mahjong, and Nick's proposal (the second one). None of these events take place in the book but define the essence of the movie. And not only do they define the essence of the movie but they really hit the nail on the head when it comes to Asian culture, and in Astrid's case, feminism.
Let's start with Astrid and Michael. In the books, they actually stay together thanks to some assistance from Charlie Wu (Harry Shum Jr's mysterious post-credits scene character). In the book, Michael isn't actually having an affair, he just wants out of the marriage so he thought this would be the most face-saving way to give Astrid and him an escape. Surprisingly, these moves are done out of care for her as well as a need for space on his part. And even though I like that the story is less black and white in the book (his side kind of makes sense no matter how amazing Astrid is), I love the message the movie gives through how things turn out. Traditional gender roles, although being challenged in this very day and age, are still a thing that plagues many relationships today. And Astrid, a confident, powerful, self-sufficient woman, is by no means immune to it. She tries so hard to make sure Michael maintains his masculinity, but as she says at the end, it's not her job to make him feel like a man - you can't make someone into something they're not. But the lesson goes deeper than those words. It's to remind all the strong, independent, women out there that no man should ever cause you to feel like you have to make yourself any less than you are in order for him not to feel emasculated. They should appreciate all of you, and if they don't, well you are more than capable of providing for yourself thank you very much. Girl power and stuff.
Now to the main antagonistic storyline of Eleanor and Rachel. The battle of the significant other and disapproving parent is a common one. Star-crossed lovers have been around before the days of Romeo and Juliet but have only proliferated since. There's something enticing about forbidden romance and most of the people I grew up with say that they don't care if their parents don't approve of their significant other. It's not the "Western" way, to let other people's opinions affect how you live your life. But having grown up in the west, all I can say is that it's a lie. You can't help but care what other people think about you, and the more important a person is to your life, the more important their opinion becomes. So naturally, whether your parents approve or disapprove of your significant other does have a significant impact, even if you won't admit it. This is something that most Asian kids understand, because ultimately, family always comes first. And in the mahjong scene, Rachel demonstrates to Eleanor that she's not just some banana who has completely forgotten her heritage. She knows that forcing Nick to choose between her and his family is a losing battle. So she throws her winning hand, both in life and in mahjong. And in doing so, shows to Eleanor that she is perhaps the perfect girl for Nick. Because as the rest of us have known from the very beginning, she's probably too good for him.
I want to just take a moment here to say how amazing it is to see mahjong being played (and not explained at all) in a movie, choreographed and timed so perfectly with the dialogue. This might actually be my favorite scene in the entire movie, in the entire story actually.
Lastly, the proposal, take two. I love how imperfect it was, which is what makes it all that more perfect. Like Jim's gas station in the rain proposal to Pam from The Office, Nick declaring his love for Rachel in the economy section of an airplane with all the passengers watching is so endearing. He had this romantic evening all planned out, but life is full of curveballs. It's a little messy, full of obstacles like passengers loading their luggage into the overhead compartments, but if you can find the right person to spend it with you, it doesn't matter how messy it gets. It doesn't get more romantic than that. But the best part of this scene? When Nick opens that ring box and in it is Eleanor's ring. I'm not an easy crier when it comes to movies, but this moment definitely brought tears to my eyes.
Why is this so significant? Well earlier in the movie, Eleanor tells Rachel how Nick's father had that ring custom made for her because Nick's grandmother refused to give them the family ring. Eleanor has spent her entire married life losing a battle against her mother-in-law, something she didn't want to see Rachel and Nick go through. All of her actions are done out of love for him, she only wants what is best for him, like most Asian parents. But after Rachel folds, Eleanor realizes that what's best for Nick may not be for her to decide, and that at the end of the day his happiness is the most important thing, and being family means letting each other be happy, something that Rachel understands too. This prompts her to give them her approval, symbolized through her engagement ring. It's a seemingly convenient fairytale ending for our Cinderella story, but for someone like me who battles this everyday with her mother, it represents the ultimate understanding between parent and child: the most important relationship of all.
So to summarize, this film, although not 100% true to the book, gave me something much more valuable than the book did. It carried a message of family and understanding, the most essential things in my life and culture. It captured a part of me that I could never fully explain to someone who didn't grow up the way I did and made it visible to the world. Oh and let's not forget the breath-taking cinematography and amazing costumes (wedding scene anyone?!). I know this film is about the less than 1%, and it's in no way perfect. We still have a long way to go, but just let me have this one, ok? It has literally been a lifetime for me, and I really hope I don't have to wait another lifetime for history to repeat itself.
I had a conversation the other day with a few coworkers about how upset they were when a film deviated from its book inspiration. From Harry Potter to Princess Diaries to Game of Thrones, each person seemed to have a different level of tolerance for what was acceptable. It seems the more important the book was to the person's life, the more they were determined to hate the movie. But I don't adhere to that philosophy because I think you end up missing out on some great films. From my perspective there's a very simple solution: separate the two and look at them as distinct stories. I know that's easier said than done, but when you learn to appreciate each as its own thing, you may come out of it with two different life lessons you never expected to gain.
I think this goes without saying if you've read my blog before, but spoilers ahead. You've been warned.
That's exactly what happened to me with Crazy Rich Asians. I read the book in anticipation of the movie, knowing that I was much less likely to read the book once I had seen the film (and that it would take 3 months after its premiere date in the US to make its way overseas). And it was a delight - quirky, witty, and relatable. As a Chinese American kid growing up in Minnesota, I am the quintessential banana, and I instantly related to Rachel Chu. A girl forever caught in between two cultures and trying to balance the best of both worlds. But it wasn't just Rachel's story that drew me in. Each character was intricate, complex, battling their own demons. Combatting duty, familial obligations, personal desires, societal expectations, Crazy Rich Asians reads more like an anthology story than just a simple rom com between Rachel and Nick. Every new persona gives you another piece of the puzzle, another perspective to see the complicated relationships of these crazy rich families. At the end of the day, it's a delightful story imbued with culture - my culture.
And it's one thing to see it written down on paper, in words. But something entirely different to see it realized on the silver screen. As the banana that I am, I spent my childhood, teenage, college, and even early adult years idolizing white protagonists because these were the best option. It's not that I didn't relate to them (actually I related to them a lot), after all most movies are human interest stories that are universally appealing. It's just that I didn't know what I was missing until I saw it in person. This movie, with the first with an all Asian cast in 25 years, with traditions that I grew up knowing like dumpling folding, with significant pieces of dialogue in my actual first language, made me realize what all the fuss was about when Black Panther came out. Let's be clear, I'm not trying to diminish what that film managed to accomplish, but for the longest time TV and film casts were black and white. Recently there's been a little brown, but it's nice to see a bit of yellow mixed in there finally. To say that this is the movie I've been waiting for my whole life would be--well--completely accurate.
But the movie, although mostly true to the book, had some very notable differences. Besides the fact that it has a time limit, which meant less character development for each person and even a few missing cast members, there were significant plot changes and some scenes that were completely fabricated. This should, by every rule in the book - pun intended, infuriate die-hard book fans... except I'm not a die-hard book fan, and, those were some of my favorite scenes. Astrid leaving Michael, Rachel and Eleanor playing mahjong, and Nick's proposal (the second one). None of these events take place in the book but define the essence of the movie. And not only do they define the essence of the movie but they really hit the nail on the head when it comes to Asian culture, and in Astrid's case, feminism.
Let's start with Astrid and Michael. In the books, they actually stay together thanks to some assistance from Charlie Wu (Harry Shum Jr's mysterious post-credits scene character). In the book, Michael isn't actually having an affair, he just wants out of the marriage so he thought this would be the most face-saving way to give Astrid and him an escape. Surprisingly, these moves are done out of care for her as well as a need for space on his part. And even though I like that the story is less black and white in the book (his side kind of makes sense no matter how amazing Astrid is), I love the message the movie gives through how things turn out. Traditional gender roles, although being challenged in this very day and age, are still a thing that plagues many relationships today. And Astrid, a confident, powerful, self-sufficient woman, is by no means immune to it. She tries so hard to make sure Michael maintains his masculinity, but as she says at the end, it's not her job to make him feel like a man - you can't make someone into something they're not. But the lesson goes deeper than those words. It's to remind all the strong, independent, women out there that no man should ever cause you to feel like you have to make yourself any less than you are in order for him not to feel emasculated. They should appreciate all of you, and if they don't, well you are more than capable of providing for yourself thank you very much. Girl power and stuff.
Now to the main antagonistic storyline of Eleanor and Rachel. The battle of the significant other and disapproving parent is a common one. Star-crossed lovers have been around before the days of Romeo and Juliet but have only proliferated since. There's something enticing about forbidden romance and most of the people I grew up with say that they don't care if their parents don't approve of their significant other. It's not the "Western" way, to let other people's opinions affect how you live your life. But having grown up in the west, all I can say is that it's a lie. You can't help but care what other people think about you, and the more important a person is to your life, the more important their opinion becomes. So naturally, whether your parents approve or disapprove of your significant other does have a significant impact, even if you won't admit it. This is something that most Asian kids understand, because ultimately, family always comes first. And in the mahjong scene, Rachel demonstrates to Eleanor that she's not just some banana who has completely forgotten her heritage. She knows that forcing Nick to choose between her and his family is a losing battle. So she throws her winning hand, both in life and in mahjong. And in doing so, shows to Eleanor that she is perhaps the perfect girl for Nick. Because as the rest of us have known from the very beginning, she's probably too good for him.
I want to just take a moment here to say how amazing it is to see mahjong being played (and not explained at all) in a movie, choreographed and timed so perfectly with the dialogue. This might actually be my favorite scene in the entire movie, in the entire story actually.
Lastly, the proposal, take two. I love how imperfect it was, which is what makes it all that more perfect. Like Jim's gas station in the rain proposal to Pam from The Office, Nick declaring his love for Rachel in the economy section of an airplane with all the passengers watching is so endearing. He had this romantic evening all planned out, but life is full of curveballs. It's a little messy, full of obstacles like passengers loading their luggage into the overhead compartments, but if you can find the right person to spend it with you, it doesn't matter how messy it gets. It doesn't get more romantic than that. But the best part of this scene? When Nick opens that ring box and in it is Eleanor's ring. I'm not an easy crier when it comes to movies, but this moment definitely brought tears to my eyes.
Why is this so significant? Well earlier in the movie, Eleanor tells Rachel how Nick's father had that ring custom made for her because Nick's grandmother refused to give them the family ring. Eleanor has spent her entire married life losing a battle against her mother-in-law, something she didn't want to see Rachel and Nick go through. All of her actions are done out of love for him, she only wants what is best for him, like most Asian parents. But after Rachel folds, Eleanor realizes that what's best for Nick may not be for her to decide, and that at the end of the day his happiness is the most important thing, and being family means letting each other be happy, something that Rachel understands too. This prompts her to give them her approval, symbolized through her engagement ring. It's a seemingly convenient fairytale ending for our Cinderella story, but for someone like me who battles this everyday with her mother, it represents the ultimate understanding between parent and child: the most important relationship of all.
So to summarize, this film, although not 100% true to the book, gave me something much more valuable than the book did. It carried a message of family and understanding, the most essential things in my life and culture. It captured a part of me that I could never fully explain to someone who didn't grow up the way I did and made it visible to the world. Oh and let's not forget the breath-taking cinematography and amazing costumes (wedding scene anyone?!). I know this film is about the less than 1%, and it's in no way perfect. We still have a long way to go, but just let me have this one, ok? It has literally been a lifetime for me, and I really hope I don't have to wait another lifetime for history to repeat itself.
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