It’s one highly anticipated summer blockbuster, but the Crazy Rich Asians movie trailer is getting some big reactions... what's yours?
Yep, we saw them gallivant around Singapore last year shooting the film and leaving trails on social media revealing where the cast was hanging out post-shoot. Now, The Crazy Rich Asians movie trailer has dropped worldwide and people around are definitely having reactions and it’s not hard to see why.
Crazy Rich Asians is a big deal. A book about the disgustingly, ridiculously rich families populating the 71,400 hectares of Singapore (and gaining worldwide attention) is pretty huge for a place that is often mistaken as a part of China. And let’s not forget the magnitude of a film with an all-Asian cast in Hollywood: because even in these times, people of colour don’t get as much recognition for their work and craft.
It’s also been 25 years since Joy Luck Club – the last time we saw a major mainstream production with a dominant Asian cast. We’re thrilled about more Asian stories hitting the mainstream (it’s about time), but this is one perspective on the Asian experience that’s drawing out some pretty strong feels.
Here’s just the tip of the iceberg:
Hey, where the real Singapore at?
I just watched a trailer of a film set in Singapore (twice, just in case I missed something) and there was not a non-East Asian person nor a Singaporean accent to be found https://t.co/jdcxRPaHfW @CrazyRichMovie
— Kirsten Han @kixes.bsky.social (@kixes) April 23, 2018
Where are the lahs and lors?
Overreacting much?
Singapore is a Chinese Wakanda. Um, what about the other people who live in Singapore that aren’t Chinese?
+1 Support from academia
Just went to the premiere of #crazyrichasians. It was absolutely incredible. And hilarious. It’s going to make a fortune.
— roxane gay (@rgay) April 24, 2018
A heads up from American writer, professor, editor and commentator Roxane Gay. Okay, pretty credible.
“Global Asians. All kinds of Asians.”
#CrazyRichAsians is the kind of big, beautiful, vibrant rom-com Hollywood needs; the kind it hasn’t seen (or done well) in a while. That’s why it works. And it happens to star a big, beautiful, vibrant ensemble of Asians. Global Asians! All kinds of Asians. That’s why it matters.
— jen yamato (@jenyamato) April 24, 2018
Really, all kinds of Asians?
The gateway to more diversity in Hollywood
If you support this movie, “I guarantee it will green-light 4 others with Asian leads.” – @jonmchu at the first screening of @CrazyRichMovie tonight in DTLA.
Packed house. Majority Asian audience. The energy is palpable. #CrazyRichAsians pic.twitter.com/ZEy5HrxJnP
— Tre'vell Anderson (@TrevellAnderson) April 24, 2018
While the content of the film may be problematic to some, the blockbuster status of the film will open doors to more films starring Asians and POCs. Whatever it takes, they say…
Representation and Hollywood
From the trailer of the movie 'Crazy Rich Asians': Crazy Rich EAST Asians and their brown backdrop people. Does a win…
Posted by Alfian Sa'at on Friday, April 20, 2018
While Crazy Rich Asians may be a win for Hollywood, Chinese privilege is not a new narrative in Singapore.
Our editor Selina did some research in the expat community and the sentiment seems to be the same: everyone is excited to see Singapore being repped on the big screen (along with some lusty comments on lead actor, the British-Malaysian Henry Golding). Among the locals, issues like the actors not having Singaporean accents and everyone being Chinese is being flagged. On a deeper level, arguments about how the experience of East Asians and Southeast Asians are not the same have also been raised. While there has been mostly praise from the worldwide community about the film, there have also been backlash about the lack of representation and diversity in the film (which follows true to the book as well), generalising the experience of “Asians” as the same and more.
Real talk: is it even a movie about Singapore or just about a couple of good looking rich Chinese who happen to live here? To begin with, Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan was a light beach read, not a Nabokov novel. If anything, this is closer to the fantasy genre than a literary (and cinematic) classic.
Regardless, we’re curious to check it out in the cinema when it’s out (even more so given the backlash): just don’t expect the United Colours of Benetton…
Crazy Rich Asians is out in August.