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Crazy Rich Asians
Sep. 30th, 2018 08:26 pmI’ve had to add Skate Kitchen and Pick of the Litter to the list of movies I’ve missed this year (Pick of the Litter is a documentary about adorable puppies being trained as guide dogs. Feel my pain), but I did finally manage to see Crazy Rich Asians and it is delightful.
My very favorite character is Peik Lin, Rachel’s best friend from college, who acts almost as Rachel’s fairy godmother when Rachel shows up in Singapore with a wardrobe hopelessly inadequate to meet her boyfriend’s family - which, Rachel has just discovered, is super-mega-rich-rich-rich. Peik Lin equips Rachel with an appropriate dress, drives her to the party, and pops joyfully out of the car to take advantage of the situation when Rachel’s boyfriend Nick invites her in.
“You have a cocktail dress in your trunk?” Rachel asks.
“Of course. I’m not an animal.”
She also bolsters Rachel’s confidence after it has been demolished by Nick’s mother Eleanor, who is probably my second favorite character, in a “you are a worthy antagonist” kind of way rather than a “I would so want to hang out with you in real life” way. There’s this wonderful scene where Eleanor opens up to Rachel about her own struggles to fit into this super-rich family after her marriage, and it seems like she might be thawing toward the younger woman, maybe offering to mentor her through this difficult transition…
And then she rests a hand on Rachel’s cheek and tells her, “You will never be enough.” Well, that just burns it down and salts the earth.
Quite frankly, Nick’s family situation seemed difficult enough that a part of me was rooting for Rachel to say “Fuck you all” and go back to New York and her job as an economics professor. But on the other hand, Nick is a total dreamboat, the perfect fantasy rich boyfriend: super wealthy but sweet and charming and not at all entitled. Rather than remain at a sleazy bachelor party brimming with bikini-clad babes, Nick and his best friend escape to hang out in a quiet cove and chat about the women they love.
Also, Nick takes his shirt off a lot for the camera, A++ deployment of the female gaze. I can see why Rachel decides to stay and fight for him.
And the food shots are to die for. The street food scene at the beginning! The behind-the-scenes view among the caterers in the kitchen! The overflowing banquet tables. The dumplings. I made the mistake of not eating before I went to the movie and came out absolutely ravenous.
My very favorite character is Peik Lin, Rachel’s best friend from college, who acts almost as Rachel’s fairy godmother when Rachel shows up in Singapore with a wardrobe hopelessly inadequate to meet her boyfriend’s family - which, Rachel has just discovered, is super-mega-rich-rich-rich. Peik Lin equips Rachel with an appropriate dress, drives her to the party, and pops joyfully out of the car to take advantage of the situation when Rachel’s boyfriend Nick invites her in.
“You have a cocktail dress in your trunk?” Rachel asks.
“Of course. I’m not an animal.”
She also bolsters Rachel’s confidence after it has been demolished by Nick’s mother Eleanor, who is probably my second favorite character, in a “you are a worthy antagonist” kind of way rather than a “I would so want to hang out with you in real life” way. There’s this wonderful scene where Eleanor opens up to Rachel about her own struggles to fit into this super-rich family after her marriage, and it seems like she might be thawing toward the younger woman, maybe offering to mentor her through this difficult transition…
And then she rests a hand on Rachel’s cheek and tells her, “You will never be enough.” Well, that just burns it down and salts the earth.
Quite frankly, Nick’s family situation seemed difficult enough that a part of me was rooting for Rachel to say “Fuck you all” and go back to New York and her job as an economics professor. But on the other hand, Nick is a total dreamboat, the perfect fantasy rich boyfriend: super wealthy but sweet and charming and not at all entitled. Rather than remain at a sleazy bachelor party brimming with bikini-clad babes, Nick and his best friend escape to hang out in a quiet cove and chat about the women they love.
Also, Nick takes his shirt off a lot for the camera, A++ deployment of the female gaze. I can see why Rachel decides to stay and fight for him.
And the food shots are to die for. The street food scene at the beginning! The behind-the-scenes view among the caterers in the kitchen! The overflowing banquet tables. The dumplings. I made the mistake of not eating before I went to the movie and came out absolutely ravenous.
