Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the novel by Kevin Kwan, I wondered if the film adaptation could possibly capture its glamor, extravagance, and humor.
I needn’t have worried.
Director Jon M. Chu has succeeded in creating an unforgettable romantic comedy with an all-Asian cast and an Asian-American lead, set against the stunning backdrop of Singapore.
Native New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) accompanies her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding) to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. While Rachel is excited and nervous about meeting Nick’s family, she has no idea about the extent of his family affluence and influence. Nick is the son of an obscenely wealthy family and one of Singapore’s most eligible bachelors.
Rachel becomes an instant target for Nick’s disapproving mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) and a host of jealous relatives and socialites. A series of adventures and misadventures follow as Rachel attends a never-ending stream of social events featuring over-the-top meals and décor.
At first covert, Eleanor’s behavior quickly becomes more overt; she informs Rachel that she has no pedigree and is simply not good enough for her son. A former girlfriend of Nick’s and her posse indulge in some mean-girl tactics, intended to intimidate Rachel. When Rachel’s confidence falters, she is propped up by Goh Peik Lin (Awkwafina), a hilarious college roommate, and her nouveau riche family.
From start to finish, I found myself immersed in the antics of these delightful and not-so-delightful characters. I particularly enjoyed the ending–a slight departure from the novel–but one that will linger in the memories of rom-com enthusiasts. And possibly pave the way for a sequel.
From my book review of Crazy Rich Asians: “A modern-day Romeo and Juliet story with dashes of the Kardashians, hints of Dallas and Falconcrest, and heavy doses of the snobbery and social rules found in Downton Abbey.” You can read more here.
I’ve been thinking about Second Acts, so this blog was perfectly timed. My first novel debuted this year, but before we discuss the now we need to talk about the before, the first act. I really want to lie and tell you this amazing story of my beginnings, but I can’t. My first act was tough, so tough that I longed to hide in the dark forever. I learned at an early age that everyone had an angle and absolutely no one could be trusted.
Petie spent a large part of her career working at Walt Disney World — “The Most Magical Place on Earth” — where she enjoyed working in the land of fairy tales by day and creating her own romantic fairy tales by night, including her new series, The Cinderella Romances. She eventually said good-bye to her “day” job to write her stories full-time. These days Petie spends her time writing sequels to her regency time travel series, Lords in Time, and her cozy-mystery-with-a-dash-of-romantic-suspense series, the Mystery Angel Romances.
Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries from Midnight Ink featuring San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti. The Tail of the Dragon, third in the series, will be released on August 8, 2018.
After spending over three decades dreaming about the novels I would write during my retirement years, I was totally unprepared for the tyranny of the blank page. Thankfully, that first bout of writer’s block didn’t last too long. Inspiration came a month later at a creative writing workshop.
When she retired after too many years in journalism, Lillian Marek felt a longing for happy endings and stories where the good guys win and the bad guys get their just deserts. Having exhausted her library’s supply of non-gory mystery stories, she started reading romance novels, especially historical romance. This was so much fun that she thought shed like to try her hand at writing one. So she took her computer keyboard in hand, slipped back into the 19th century, and began.
Writers need and crave inspiration.
Joanne Guidoccio 