Crazy Rich Asians
In 1995, Eleanor Young, her son, sister in law, and niece arrive at a London hotel with a reservation, only to be told condescendingly by the receptionists that the room she booked is not available. Eleanor and family are turned away by the concierge of the hotel and she is forced to call her husband using a public telephone. She then returns to the hotel, where the owner frantically meets her at the lobby and introduces her to the staff as the new owner of the hotel.
In the present, Rachel Chu, an economics professor at New York University (NYU) in New York City, plays poker with a teaching assistant to demonstrate to her game theory class that, in games involving both psychology and choice, “[t]he key is playing to win, instead of trying not to lose.”
Rachel accepts an invitation from her boyfriend Nick Young to accompany him to Singapore for his best friend Colin’s wedding. Nick’s mother Eleanor learns of the relationship from rapid online gossip. Rachel is shocked when Nick arranges a first class suite for the flight; he claims that his family is “comfortable.”
In Singapore, Rachel and Nick join Colin and his fiancée Araminta for dinner in a hawker centre. The next day, Rachel visits her old college friend Peik Lin, who accompanies her to a party thrown by Nick’s family. Rachel makes several faux pas and quickly realizes that Nick’s mother, Eleanor, dislikes her, but seems to make a good impression on Nick‘s grandmother, Su Yi.
Rachel attends Araminta’s bachelorette party at a resort owned by her family, while Nick attends Colin’s bachelor party aboard a container shiparranged by their boorish schoolmate Bernard. A woman named Amanda seemingly befriends Rachel, but deliberately undermines her confidence before revealing that she had previously dated Nick. Amanda sends out a text signaling some of the women who vandalize Rachel’s bed with a dead fish and graffiti calling Rachel a “gold digging bitch”. Nick’s cousin Astrid comforts Rachel, admitting that her life is not perfect either, as her husband Michael is having an affair. When Nick and Colin flee the ship to relax, Nick tells Colin he plans to propose to Rachel. Colin is concerned that Nick’s family’s disapproval and the couple’s cultural differences will be insurmountable.
her for concealing his wealth and takes her to make dumplings by hand with his family. Rachel admires Eleanor’s distinctive engagement ring; Eleanor tells her how she met her husband and the sacrifices she made to be a part of the family. While looking for the bathroom Rachel spots Eleanor, who tells her that Nick’s grandmother disapproved of Eleanor and denied Nick’s father the family ring, and tells Rachel she will never be good enough for Nick. Rachel considers leaving Singapore, but Peik Lin convinces her to stand up to Eleanor, giving Rachel a glamorous makeover before the wedding with help from Nick’s cousin Oliver. Meanwhile, Astrid tells Michael she knows he is cheating on her, and they break up.
Rachel meets Eleanor at a Mahjong parlour and explains that she declined Nick’s proposal in order to prevent the ruin of Nick’s relationship with his family. She tells Eleanor that one day, down the road, Eleanor will look back and realize that she is in Rachel’s debt. Rachel intentionally loses the Mahjong game to Eleanor, symbolizing her sacrifice, and then walks away with Kerry. Shortly afterward, Astrid and her son move out of Michael’s apartment. Rachel and Kerry board an economy-class flight back to the United States. However, Nick arrives and proposes again, this time with Eleanor’s ring. Rachel accepts and they stay in Singapore an extra day for an engagement party, during which Eleanor tacitly reveals her grudging respect for Rachel. In the mid-credit scene, Astrid exchanges glances with her ex-fiance, Charlie Wu. Classification: 12A