Imagine a life where everything in your house is gilded and ornate. A life where you have lavish parties every weekend in your towering mansion that kings and queens envy. We can all dream but in reality, the vast majority of us do not have this luxurious lifestyle. Rachel Chu is like us in that way. She did have her reputable job as an economics professor in New York and the love of her life, Nick Young, but up until Nick and Rachel were on a plane to Singapore to go to meet his friends and family, Rachel never thought she might be apart of something extraordinary. As they were unexpectedly riding in first class, she learns something surprising about Nick: he comes from one of the most wealthy and famous families in Singapore. Before she knows it, Rachel is thrown into the renowned life of  Nick’s crazy rich family with his disapproving mother, Eleanor Sung-Young, constantly trying to break them apart, his privileged extended family, a shopping spree on a private island, and some dumpling making . This movie, Crazy Rich Asians, fully emerges you into a dazzling romantic comedy filled with extravagant parties, quirky friends, and heart melting moments that  make you happy and that make you laugh and cry.

    Unlike most chick flicks, Crazy Rich Asians stays clear of the typical cliches that allow you to predict the whole plot before the first 10 minutes. There are twists throughout the whole movie that keep you intrigued. Rachel’s outgoing friend, Peik Lin adds humor and color to the film, with her crazy funny lines that have become iconic in the romcom world, like her line, “She just thinks you’re some unrefined banana. Yellow on the outside, and white on the inside.”, and her outfits that are just as outgoing as she is. But, throughout the film Peik Lin has proven to be Rachel’s best friend who she can rely on for good advice, a hug, or a laugh at any time. Peik Lin is always there for Rachel when she goes through some tough times, and is there to cheer her up.

The hatred that Michelle Yeoh (Eleanor) brought to the screen was incredible, I was constantly on the edge of my seat waiting for her and Rachel to have a big argument. More importantly, Rachel and Nick’s relationship is so sweet that you can see how much they love each every step of the way. Even despite Eleanor advising against it, Nick always stands by Rachel and is never blinded by his family. You can truly see this when “I can’t help falling in love with you” starts to play at Nick’s best friend Collin’s wedding and they give each other the look while the music is playing softly in the background. You can’t help but be happy

Constance Wu plays Rachel Chu with such a mix of emotions that she is able to carry you along with her and make you feel what she is feeling. You can see a mix of panic and concern, but, at the same time, strength whenever she talks to Eleanor. Everytime she looks at, talks about, or talks to Nick you can see that she loves him so much that she would do anything for him. Constance Wu plays this character who is independent, confident, and proud of who she.

The acting of all the characters puts you inside of their lives. They make you adore who you are supposed to love and absolutely despise the conflict-causers in the story. You want to meet all of the characters because of how real they seem. Even if the story is silly and being that rich isn’t a regular occurance for ordinary people, it is relatable because the problems are presented in a way that you can understand, but also stays clear from the sickening cheesiness found in other romantic comedies. I have no shame in saying that while watching Crazy Rich Asians, in my seat at a packed movie theater, I cried twice, I laughed out loud five times, and I was smiling when I walked out.