Crazy Rich Asians exploded onto the scene in 2018, becoming an instant hit and one of the highest-grossing rom-com movies of all time. With an all-Asian cast, the film transports the audience to Singapore to revel in the life of the rich, not just well-off, but crazy wealthy. The movie is an easy one to watch again and again for many reasons.
Rachel Chu and Nick Young’s romance is a classic tale of a prince (sort of) and a commoner overcoming societal and familial boundaries through the strength of their love. Rachel has been unaware for almost the entire year of their relationship in New York that she has been dating one of the most eligible bachelors in all of East Asia, the inheritor of the Young family business, Nick. It isn’t until Nick’s friend is set to be married and the two fly over to join the wedding party that Rachel understands the chasm between them.
Rachel is shoved headfirst (not the best move from Nick, in our opinions — but it’s a movie, so we’ll let it slide) into Nick’s exceptionally rich family lifestyle and all the pressures that come with it. Now — we come to trope number two, the disapproving mother. Yes, this trope is an oldie and has often been worn out, but when it is played to perfection by the fabulous Michelle Yeoh, we simply say thank you and bathe in her awesomeness. She is honestly amazing in this role.
The film goes big on everything, and because it pulls no punches, it works so well; we have jealous backstabbing exes, we have makeover scenes, we have big reveals, and everything, and we mean everything, is dripping in excessive wealth. So sure, it is very easy to watch this film repeatedly, but if you are hankering for something different, here are our options.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
If you love the trope of cultures colliding, a strong and rather insane family relationship, and the pressures that come with trying to fit in with said family, you can count on My Big Fat Greek Wedding to deliver all of that and more. It is the highest-grossing rom-com of all time; despite having been released over two decades ago, no one has knocked it off its pedestal, not even Crazy Rich Asians (which comes in at number six for rom-coms at the box office).
In this film, we watch from within the culture as Greek American, Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos), tries to go beyond what her family expects of her and branches out, and in doing so, finds love in the form of Ian Miller (John Corbett). Now it’s just a trick of getting her extremely Greek family on board with her non-Greek partner.
Always Be My Maybe
If you loved the Asian representation in Crazy Rich Asians, another great rom-com featuring a phenomenal Asian cast is Always Be My Maybe, with comedians Ali Wong and Randall Park bringing the humor in their lead roles. Though we aren’t transported to Singapore or anywhere in Asia for this film, the main story is set against the narrative of the Asian-American experience, Vietnamese and Korean, respectively.
Another aspect similar in style is, despite growing up together as childhood friends, the two lead very different lives as adults, with Wong playing celebrity chef extraordinaire Sasha Tran and Park playing Marcus Kim, a slightly directionless character who has a small band and works for his dads air-conditioning business. When the two try to be together, their lives clash as Marcus struggles to deal with Sasha’s fame and success.
Mamma Mia!
If you loved how Crazy Rich Asians transported you to Singapore, then Mamma Mia! is another excellent destination rom-com. Here we get to sit back and let the story unfold in the setting of a beautiful Greek island as characters dance and sing their way through the stunning scenery. Much as the music plays a big part in Crazy Rich Asians, in Mamma Mia! it plays an even more integral role, bringing us all of ABBA’s best hits.
Family bonds and expectations also play a massive role in this film, with Donna’s daughter Sophie attempting to do what she thinks everyone else wants to please everyone.
Pretty Woman
Pretty Women is your go-to movie if you want a rags-to-riches story. The classic 90s pairing of Richard Gere and Julia Roberts makes for some excellent chemistry, with Gere playing the wealthy Edward Lewis, who, in a moment of weakness, hires sex worker, Vivian Ward, played by Roberts. He pays for her to join him in his lavish hotel, and My-Fair-Ladies her, taking her out to fancy events, giving her money for new clothes (the best bit of the film), and opening her up to cultural experiences she would never have otherwise.
Though it is quite different from Rachel’s situation in Crazy Rich Asians, Vivian has to overcome her feeling of not belonging and other people’s perceptions of her while figuring out whether Edward’s world is really where she belongs. Pretty Woman is iconic and well worth a watch.
Notting Hill
Notting Hill is another 90s classic that once again features Julia Roberts (we love to see her), only this time, the roles are reversed. Roberts plays one of the biggest film stars in the world, Anna Scott, who changes the life of the sweet and droopy-eyed character of William Thacker, played by Hugh Grant. The two have to overcome several obstacles, including exes, distance, and the fact that one of them is a celebrity that cannot go anywhere without a gaggle of paparazzi following them. So relatable.
Much like Nick and Rachel, Anna and William’s love has to overcome a lot of obstacles in order to be together. Unlike Nick and Rachel, family is not an issue, with William’s sister and friends supporting him, leading to one of the sweetest dinner parties in cinematic history.
You People
If you are up for a movie that looks at what it’s like to overcome cultural and generational differences and family expectations, then this new film on the block, You People, is a great option. When a Jewish guy falls in love with a Black woman, the two realize just how difficult it is to bring their families on board with their relationship.
Ezra (Jonah Hill) cannot get the acceptance of his girlfriend Amira’s (Lauren London) father, Akbar (Eddie Murphy), a devout follower of the Nation of Islam, no matter how hard he tries. Meanwhile, Amira has to put up with Ezra’s mother (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) trying way too hard to “accept” her blackness as she makes comment after comment that leave her feeling bothered. The two find the obstacles almost insurmountable as they try to reconcile all aspects of their lives.
The Big Sick
This story is less of a rom-com and a little more dramatic as, after falling for Emily (Zoe Kazan), a white woman, Pakistani comedian Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani) lets her slip through his fingers as he believes he must marry a Pakistani woman selected for him by his first-generation parents. Things take a dark turn, though, when he learns Emily has been rushed to hospital, where he immediately heads to see her and discovers she has been put in a medically induced coma.
Kumail then has to deal with Emily’s parents, who are well aware of their daughter’s break up and Kumail’s actions. Though a bit hostile at first, the three understand one another better after sharing their pain and stress over Emily’s condition. It is a beautifully told story, written by Nanjiani and his wife, Emily V. Gordon, based on how they actually met, and it was nominated for Best Screenplay at the Academy Awards, so well deserving of a watch.
Monster-in-Law
If what you loved about Crazy Rich Asians was the relationship between Rachel and Nick’s mother,r Eleanor, then Monster-in-Law is a safe bet. Here the “you’re not good enough for my son” trope gets put on full throttle with over-the-top humor between leads Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda. A little less dignified than Yeoh’s Eleanor, Fonda goes full ham as she attempts to oust her soon-to-be daughter-in-law with the rivalry front and center of this film.
This film is a guilty pleasure, so go all out and sit down with some popcorn and ice cream as you enjoy the ensuing daftness.
Monsoon Wedding
Like Crazy Rich Asians, this film also centers around a large wedding which is brings in all the family. We are in Asia once more, though this time in India, South Asia, for an elaborate traditional Indian wedding. Monsoon Wedding brings chaos and grandeur as family members from all over the globe return to Delhi for the arranged marriage of Aditi (Vasundhara Das) and Hemant Rai (Parvin Dabas).
Here we see a modern family embracing tradition and culture, but many things are challenged as the past comes to light and mistakes are made. If you like the ensemble feel of Crazy Rich Asians, being transported somewhere new, as well as the story all taking place around a wedding, then Monsoon Wedding could be right up your street.
The Joy Luck Club
Throughout Crazy Rich Asians, Rachel is othered for being raised in America, with her “Americaness” being a big part of Eleanor’s dislike for her. This exploration of the differences between those raised Asian in America vs. Asians who have grown up in Asia was something many could relate to in today’s world, especially the Asian American community. Another fantastic film for this would be The Joy Luck Club.
The film follows the relationship between Chinese American women and their Chinese immigrant mothers as they open up about their own stories and experiences and learn to bond through understanding and acceptance. The film was recently selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
No matter what part of Crazy Rich Asians you love the most, the above list is bound to have something for everyone. Sure, you could watch it for the eleventh time, and we wouldn’t judge you, but you could also pick something new and broaden your horizons.
