The Biggest Romantic Comedy Of The Last Decade Is On Netflix
Family dynamics have always been a good foundation for film plots as many of us can connect to the insane, comical, and oftentimes dramatic inner workings of a family. And, that’s precisely what director Jon M. Chu saw in the 2013 Kevin Kwan-penned novel, Crazy Rich Asians when the filmmaker adapted it for the big screen in 2018. Featuring a wide variety of stars paired with a punchy plot and relatable situations, the production was one of the biggest titles of the year and now you can see it for yourself as it’s streaming on Netflix.
The Set Up
Adapted for its feature-length format by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, Crazy Rich Asians follows Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), a Chinese-American professor who takes time off to travel with her boyfriend Nick (Henry Golding) to his best friend’s wedding abroad in Singapore.
Although they’ve been together for quite some time, Nick never told Rachel about his home life – specifically that his family is one of the wealthiest in the country and that he’s not only one of the most sought-after men to marry but that his mother (Michelle Yeoh) is an impossible woman to please.
The Cast
As we mentioned, the cast for Crazy Rich Asians is absolutely stacked. Along with Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Henry Golding (A Simple Favor), and Constance Wu (Fresh Off the Boat), the call sheet for the family comedy-drama also includes the likes of Gemma Chan (Eternals), Awkwafina (Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens), Ken Jeong (The Hangover film series), and more.
Box Office
At the box office, Crazy Rich Asians easily covered its production budget of $30 million, collecting an impressive $239 globally. Clocking in at the 40th place overall for the biggest earners of the year, the movie was just behind David Gordon Green’s Halloween and Steven S. DeKnight’s Pacific Rim: Uprising with the top three grossers overall being Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Black Panther, and Avengers: Infinity War.
The Ripple Effect
Perhaps even more impressive and important than the money it earned was the ripple effect that Crazy Rich Asians had on Hollywood. Michelle Yeoh’s future Everything Everywhere All at Once co-star Ke Huy Quan credited the production with reinvigorating him to get back into acting after he left the entertainment world behind in the early 2000s because of the industry’s lack of Asian representation.
But, the movie wasn’t without its criticism, as many were unhappy with the casting of non-Chinese characters to play Chinese roles.
John M. Chu
For director Jon M. Chu, Crazy Rich Asians was the boost he needed to carry his career to the next level.
Having previously helmed titles including Step Up 2: The Streets, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and Now You See Me 2, the comedy-drama put Chu’s name on the map, leading him directly into his follow-up project, a feature-length adaptation of Quiara Alegría Hudes and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s four-time-winning Tony Award musical, In the Heights.
Next, Chu is attached as the helmer behind another musical’s big screen takeover as his vision will be soon seen in the Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo-led Wicked.
Head over to Netflix now to see what all the buzz is about as Crazy Rich Asians is now streaming.
