In August, Crazy Rich Asians hit theaters. It was a movie that I had been anticipating for a long time. Being of Chinese descent myself, I was excited to see what this majority Asian cast and crew could bring to the table. Boy, was it a ride. True, it wasn’t a movie that was particularly groundbreaking story-wise (though it holds up very competently in that regard); but in the sense of the cultural landscape we find ourselves in, it was a major breakthrough for Asian-Americans in mainstream cinema. Much has been said about the quality of the film, but beyond what the reviews are saying, it is important to address what the success of this movie means culturally for Asians (particularly the Chinese) everywhere, including myself.
It’s crazy to think that the last time a majority Asian cast and crew worked on a Hollywood film was The Joy Luck Club in 1993. Twenty-five years is a long time; an entire generation has been born that hadn’t seen a movie of the same ilk until 2018. Sure, we’ve gotten quite a number of great movies in between then and now, many of which I have enjoyed massively. However, I have always had to view these films through the lens of someone who didn’t have my cultural upbringing or roots. Rarely do I get to view a film and see characters I can relate to through that level portrayed in a positive, thoughtful, and genuine light.
Discarding the stereotypes
It wasn’t that long ago when Asian characters were mere afterthoughts to mainstream stories, often acting as throwaway fodders, incompetent sidekicks, mysterious fetish, and the occasional crazy maniac. Characters that come to mind are Cho Chang from Harry Potter, Lilly Onakuramara from Pitch Perfect, Kira Yukimura from Teen Wolf, Tina Cohen-Chang from Glee, Ben Chang from Community, and Constance from Ocean’s 8. Many of these are side characters in their particular franchises, their screen time varying between scenes with the leads, but with most of these often defined by a singular particular trait commonly associated to Asians. There are the smart, the sketchy, the repressed, and the downright insane characters. This was all Asians were to mainstream Western media; flat, two-dimensional backdrops to a larger main cast.
It’s as if Jon M. Chu took one look at this expanse of wasted Asian potential, and said enough was enough. Working very closely with author Kevin Kwan to bring his novel to life on screen, Crazy Rich Asians defies the stereotypes and tropes that have been reinforced for the longest time. Any doubts that Asians could carry a blockbuster movie, be attractive, or tell rich and layered stories were immediately quelled. The movie is not at all ashamed of its heritage, and tells its story through Asian, specifically Chinese, lenses—
my lenses.
This movie was a breath of fresh air. It was wonderful to finally get to see a story told from my cultural context. I could relate to the main characters, and I could understand the rules and traditions they upheld. They spoke a language that felt like home to me, known locally as Hokkien or Fukien. Rarely do you see a movie that understands the difference between Chinese dialects and what they mean to certain households. When characters butt heads with each other, I saw myself in their struggles and in their perils. Each character felt real, with a multitude of traits, and their own desires and fears. Seeing them on screen, it never felt like I had to pretend to be someone else—not for one second.
A landmark and a stepping stone
It is truly a special movie that we are blessed to have received in this day and age, but this cannot be the end. Movies like this should be the norm. Surely, there are Asian creators out there, desperate to share their stories to the world. Many times, these stories are never told. Hollywood isn’t a fan of letting Asians helm projects—something about lack of marketability, a sort of no-one-will-watch-this-because-it’s-not-white kind of mentality. This is unacceptable. Change needs to happen. It needed to happen 25 years ago, and it needs to now.
This year has been remarkable for diversity in cinema. Crazy Rich Asians has done remarkably in the box office, raking in over 170 million dollars worldwide. Surely, considering that big Hollywood studios speak the language of money, someone has to be taking note and can realize that people will go to see authentic Asian and Asian American stories told on the big screen. It’s proof that banking on Asians is no longer a risk; this is what people want to see. There is a market for this kind of storytelling, and perhaps the harder people hit on this head, the faster the higher-ups will get that message.
Let US enjoy this, for now
Has it been selfish of me to have talked about my take, my desires, my cathartic experience and my outlook in my cultural context in discussing Crazy Rich Asians? Perhaps. But for the first time in a long time, I don’t feel shackled by my race and how it is commonly viewed in the world to have my eyes, my complexion, and my upbringing. I’m sure many people just like me are feeling the same way, too. And can you believe it, who would’ve thought all it would take was a decently put together movie that allowed for Asians to do their thing and to tell their story? Who
would’ve thought?
There are plenty of movies that’ll come out in the later months, and even years, that might not even feature Asians in the slightest—some of which I might even enjoy. But this is a big win for me, and for many other people like me. So just let me—let us—have this one.
