Tag: Gemma Chan

Gjoh Peik Lin’s (Awkwafina) (r.) wealthy father is played by the very funny Ken Jeong, (l.) who meets Rachel (Constance Wu). (center)

CRAZY RICH ASIANS

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

The 100^th Anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party is in 2049, so that means that the Chinese family in “Crazy Rich Asians,” must have fled China around 1949 to Singapore.

We are still in quarantine, with no cinemas open yet, so I found that for around $5, I could buy a DVD at Walmart, which is what I did for “Crazy Rich Asians.”

I have since, watched this film about six times. I love it. It has everything that the pandemic is denying me.

I can live vicariously in a world that has unlimited money to buy things and, it features many large, fun gatherings (a welcome home party, bachelor parties, Academy Award style weddings, and a huge, over the top engagement party).

I also connected with the Cinderella type theme.

Unbeknownst to Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), a pretty New York economics lecturer, is that her boyfriend for about a year, is Nick Young (Henry Golding), heir to a wealthy, Chinese family in Singapore.

Nick casually invites Rachel to go with him to Singapore to attend his best friend’s wedding, Colin Khoo (Chris Pang).

Rachel, who has a best friend in Singapore, Goh Peik Lin (Awkwafina), agrees to go with him, still not knowing what she is getting into.

Luckily for Rachel, she has the type of personality that attracts many allies.

Of course, she has Goh Peik Lin, whose family is also rich, so she has some means behind her predicament, since she is the product of being raised by a single mom, Kerry Chu (Tan Kheng Hua).

Gjoh Peik Lin’s wealthy father is played by the very funny Ken Jeong. I love his reaction to Rachel, when she tells him that her boyfriend is Nick Young.

Rachel also acquires allies within Nick’s family, his cousin Astrid (Gemma Chan) and his cousin Oliver (Nico Santos).

What is missing from this family picture, are the fathers of our two main characters, Nick’s father and Rachel’s father. My imagination went wild in both cases.

Anyway, when Rachel first arrives at the Singapore airport, she realizes that this is a very special place. “This airport has a butterfly garden and a movie theater!”

I, personally, would have found everything that I needed just at the airport.

The food and the music in this film were the elaborate frostings on top of the cake.

And, the best friend’s wedding, is the most beautiful wedding that I have ever witnessed.

Nick’s mother, Eleanor Sun-Young (Michelle Yeoh), studied to become an attorney, but gave up that future for the keys to the kitchen, an absent husband and an overbearing mother-in-law.

But, like Rachel’s mom, she gets a beautiful child.

This film, “Crazy Rich Asians” is guaranteed to cure the pandemic blues on every level.

Nick (Henry Golding) introduces Rachel (Constance Wu) to his mother, Eleanor Sun-Young (Michelle Yeoh).

Cast:

Constance Wuas Rachel Chu, Nick’s girlfriend and Kerry’s daughter^[5]
Henry Goldingas Nicholas “Nick” Young, Rachel’s boyfriend and Phillip and Eleanor’s son^[6][7]
Michelle Yeohas Eleanor Sung-Young, Nick’s domineering mother and Phillip’s wife^[8]
Gemma Chanas Astrid Leong-Teo, Nick’s cousin and Michael’s wife, a fashion icon and socialite^{[9][note 1]}
Lisa Luas Shang Su Yi, Nick’s grandmother and the matriarch of the family^[12]
Awkwafinaas Goh Peik Lin, Rachel’s charismatic confidant and best friend, and Wye Mun’s daughter^[13]
Ken Jeongas Goh Wye Mun, Peik Lin’s wealthy father^[14]
Sonoya Mizunoas Araminta Lee, Colin’s fiancée and heiress to a billion dollar resort chain^[15]
Chris Pangas Colin Khoo, Nick’s childhood best friend and Araminta’s fiancé^[16]
Jimmy O. Yangas Bernard Tai, Nick and Colin’s former classmate^[16]
Ronny Chiengas Eddie Cheng, Nick and Astrid’s cousin and Fiona’s husband from Hong Kong^[16]
Remy Hiias Alistair Cheng, Eddie’s brother and Nick and Astrid’s movie-making cousin from Taiwan^[12]
Nico Santosas Oliver T’sien, Nick’s second cousin^[16]
Jing Lusias Amanda “Mandy” Ling, Manhattan lawyer and Nick’s former girlfriend^[17]
Carmen Sooas Francesca Shaw, Nick’s snobby ex-girlfriend^[18]
Pierre Pngas Michael Teo, Astrid’s husband^[16]
Fiona Xieas Kitty Pong, Alistair’s girlfriend and Taiwanese soap opera star^[19]
Victoria Lokeas Fiona Tung-Cheng, Eddie’s wife from Hong Kong and Nick’s cousin-in-law^[20]
Janice Kohas Felicity Young, Astrid’s mother and Su Yi’s eldest child^{[11][note 1]}
Amy Chengas Jacqueline Ling, Mandy’s heiress mother and Eleanor’s friend^[21]
Koh Chieng Munas Neena Goh, Peik Lin’s mother^[22]
Calvin Wong as P.T. Goh, Peik Lin’s brother^[23]
Tan Kheng Huaas Kerry Chu, Rachel’s mother^[23]
Constance Lauas Celine “Radio One Asia” Lim, gossiper and member of Radio One Asia^[24]
Selena Tanas Alexandra ‘Alix’ Young-Cheng, Su Yi’s youngest child^[23]
Daniel Jenkinsas Reginald Ormsby, manager of the London Calthorpe Hotel^[25]
Peter Carrollas Lord Calthorpe, owner of the London Calthorpe Hotel^[25]
Kris Aquinoas Princess Intan, a wealthy royal^[23]
Tumurbaatar Enkhtungalag as Nadine Shao, one of Eleanor’s best friends^[26]

Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan has a cameo appearance during the Radio One Asia sequence.^[27] Singer Kina Grannis cameos as Colin and Araminta’s wedding singer during the marriage sequence, and Harry Shum Jr. makes a brief appearance as Astrid’s ex-fiancé Charlie Wu in a mid-credits scene.