If you are looking for a summer rom-com to watch, I highly recommend this one. Based off of a bestselling book, the movie does a pretty good job adapting the story to the big screen, while bringing something different.

The movie stands alone on it's own, but also is an important milestone for Asian Americans-- it's the first english language studio film featuring an all Asian cast, and finally goes beyond the typical characters that Asians get to portray. No tech nerds or Kung Fu masters here.

I also think this movie will help a lot of Sigforum members understand that Asians aren't just successful immigrants that come from 3rd world countries, and dispel the notion that everything in that side of the world is just rice paddies and cheap manufacturing.

Anyway, the movie was fun, touching, and the people in it can be very easy on the eyes.

I know my wife wants to see it; are you saying I might like it too? I pretty much figured this was one she would see with her friends.

It isn't so much about Asians as it is about Americans of Asian descent who discover what modern wealthy Asia is like. It is a universal story, not just an Asian one.

The landmark is that this is the first Big Studio all Asian cast in 25 years...since Joy Luck Club

Aeteocles , you could have easily had a role in this movie...maybe even the lead

Been looking forward to this. As a secret Asian man (you would be unlikely to guess I'm part Chinese and you'd never guess my blond and blue brother is) I must support my people. It's a long time coming. Wife read the book and said it was a riot. I'm thrilled that folks that look like her have staring roles in a mainstream movie. Also, Constance Wu and Jimmy Yang are great.

quote:

Originally posted by 9mmepiphany:
The landmark is that this is the first Big Studio all Asian cast in 25 years...since Joy Luck Club

I would offer a caveat, that there was Better Luck Tomorrow in '02 Justin Lin's first non-docu film, however that was an independent made film, well outside of the big tent studios. Ironically, John Cho (the guy who coined MILF in American Pie) has a small but, important part.

Looking forward to seeing this. Hearing a lot of positive feedback. I don't care for Awkwafina but, that's just me.

Awkwafina's character was hilarious

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:

quote:

Originally posted by 9mmepiphany:
The landmark is that this is the first Big Studio all Asian cast in 25 years...since Joy Luck Club

... however that was an independent made film, well outside of the big tent studios.

That is the key difference.

The producers had a chance to take it, plus the 2 sequels, to Netflex for big bucks, but decided to gamble with a big studio to make a statement

7 1/2 out of ten
Pretty darn good as movies go , in this day and age.

very good casting, good music, nobody got blown up.

pretty good story , its called a comedy but I only chortled once.

and some say its a romance , maybe for a 5th of it , yeah.

glad we went

Solid, entertaining date movie. Hard to believe but, Hollywood doesn't make Rom-Com's anymore, especially not like this. At it's most basic, it's a Cinderella story, with a modern day Singaporean/Chinese perspective. Simple girl in relationship with great guy, goes to meet his family, discovers an entirely different world. The tone is light with comic relief throughout, some of it Chinese specific so, it'll go over many viewers head's.

Go a bit deeper and you see what American Chinese deal with and how they are viewed by the various overseas Chinese communities. Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan all have developed their own Westernized versions of Chinese culture...which are entirely different than mainland ChiCom Chinese. It's not an unusual story, every ethnicity and culture that's immigrated to America has dealt with this, what's different is Hollywood has never shown it from a Asian perspective.

Just got back from taking the family to see it.

Solid 8.5, maybe a 9.

The Rom-Com lives...just wished the audio was a little clearer. Really funny...and I don't think they were "insider Asian" jokes

Loved the contrast of the Poker game at the beginning and the Mah Jong game toward the end

"God forbid we lose the ancient Chinese tradition of guilting your children..."

A friend pointed out that during the MJ game, Eleanor was the dealer since she threw the dice...that made her "East".

Rachael who was sitting across from her was "West"

Hey, I've never played Mahjong.

What the heck was happening? Who won, and why?

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
Hey, I've never played Mahjong.

What the heck was happening? Who won, and why?

Asked the wife. The piece Rachel had and eventually gave up was the piece mom needed to win. It was the only way mom could win. When Rachel flipped her tiles and walked out she was showing mom she let her win. It’s like she knowingly folded the winning hand in poker then showed it to let her opponent know she had her beat. It syncs with the dialogue in the scene re: marriage and the son.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
Hey, I've never played Mahjong.

What the heck was happening? Who won, and why?

It all refers back to the early scene where Rachel is playing poker with her TA and talking about playing to win instead of not to lose.

Every move means something: which set each player is trying to collect, which tiles are in the discard pile, what Rachael was saying as she picked up the critical tile, Eleanor brushing the other woman's hand aside to pick up the bamboo 8,the glances between the two mothers as Rachael walked out

Here's the best write-up I've read so far http://blog.angryasianman.com/...g-in-crazy-rich.html

The Director considered this a critical scene in the movie...it's not in the book...and the movie could have ended right there

quote:

Originally posted by 9mmepiphany:...and I don't think they were "insider Asian" jokes

Light cultural touch-points:
- The flower party
- Grandmother taking a closer look at Rachel's face
- Color red and dumplings (it's explained but, some still won't get it)
- MJ game (not a light moment but, pivotal)

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
Hey, I've never played Mahjong.

What the heck was happening? Who won, and why?

Eleanor, Nick's mom won.
9mmephphany's link explains it best. Rachel allowed Eleanor to win, while greasing up the tracks in their dialogue towards Eleanor's perceived victory. The reality, Rachel satisfies everything (not in the material sense) that Eleanor desires in a daughter-in-law by giving-up Nick for his family as well as letting Eleanor win.
MJ is all about creating matches, like gin rummy and to a lesser extend like hearts and spades. The bamboo-8 analogy hadn't occurred to me but, well explained.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: corsair,

Gemma Chan is really easy on the eyes:

Yes, she is