Crazy Rich Asians restored my faith in the rom com.
New York born Rachel Chu and her boyfriend Nick Young travel to Singapore for his friend’s wedding. Rachel discovers that Nick’s family is the richest in Singapore—practically royalty.
In a plot twist straight out of Jane Austen, Nick’s mother Eleanor doesn’t approve of Rachel—she’s not wealthy, has no family but her single mother, and isn’t the right sort for her son.
Worst of all, she’s American. Eleanor would never accept a marriage between Rachel and her son.
Even after same grade-A meddling by Eleanor, Nick proposes to Rachel, promising to cut his family out of his life and start over with Rachel.
She turns him down, and tells his mother why over a game of mahjong:
“I just love Nick so much. I don’t want him to lose his mom again. So, I just wanted you to know that one day, when he marries another lucky girl who is enough for you and you’re playing with your grandkids while the Tan Huas are blooming and the birds are chirping that it was because of me.”
Then she drops her tiles.
I don’t know anything about Mahjong.
But I know a winning hand when I see one.
As in any good rom com, Nick chases her down at the airport and proposes to her a second time. Rachel is about to decline again, but when he opens the ring box, it isn’t the sparkling diamond he presented the first time.
It’s his mother’s emerald ring—a Young family heirloom.
And a signal that Eleanor approves, freeing Rachel to accept without reservation.
The first time I saw it, I squealed with glee.
Talk about sticking the landing.
This is part of my Movies I’m Grateful For series, running daily through the month of November.
Other films include: Splash | New Moon | The Lucky One | Thelma and Louise | Katy Perry: Part of Me
Agreed. This is a deluxe rom-com with all the trimmings, but super glam, funny with Aquafina, and ticks all the boxes. This is the correct answer.
Perfect execution.
Aw, but nope.
Your lack of appreciation for the rom com is well-documented, so you are exempt. 🙂
I thank you!