Inserted in between these rub it in your face wealth scenes are what appears to be tourism ads. When some of these Asian actors demand that they want to be represented in Hollywood, how about bringing something fresh to the table that will make people sit up and listen?
Instead the opening scene is the race card being played in such a cringeworthy bogus way that paves for an unbelievable plot right to the end. Another incredible bombshell is that Rachel, the fermale protagonist (Constance Wu) has no idea that her boyfriend Nick (Henry Golding) comes from a super rich and famous family. It’s 2018, she’s a cool professor – go feminism but she’s has never googled his family – surely a take down on her intelligence. Wu is in superb form in her comedy sitcom but here, she’s a stunned deer who gets shoved around.
Then there’s how Singaporeans are depicted. The women are all preened and dripping with brand labels. When they are not eyeing the commoner Rachel up and down and gossiping, they are shopping or having crazy parties. I have never heard of Singaporeans partying away into the night and causing scenes. They are one of the most ultra conservative Asians on earth.
The movie has another go at western culture in the dumpling making scene. Chinese parents pass down traditions or values as well as recipes so their children will never resort to microwaving macaroni cheese and feel so much resentment towards their parents to ship them off to nursing homes. And not to forget these crazy rich Asians also act like westerners and party hard like they’re in Magaluf. Spot on!
It’s so sad to see my rich culture that already has an excellent film industry pander to Hollywood. Michelle Yeoh is South East Asia’s screen legend even way before she ventured into the universally acclaimed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. There are other notable Asians who have been given a platform in Hollywood – Jacky Chan, Gong Li, Ang Li, Lucy Liu. İncele
