How to top an original is usually a decent question if not the best question since trying to top an original movie is sometimes kind of a question as to ‘why’. But with Crazy Rich Asians it sounds as though the writer already has two sequels penned and ready to go that will bring into further detail the lives of Rachel and Nick and how their lives will go now that they’re married. It’s one thing to be dating a person whose family doesn’t approve of you, at least in part, but it’s another to be married and still not have the complete confidence of that family since now you’re kind of stuck and don’t have an easy way out. Some might want to disagree, but divorce is usually a costly business and apart from that, when real love is involved it’s even worse since a person has to decide if it’s worth it to stick around and deal with a family that doesn’t like them or continue forward and hope that things work out for the best. By the end of the first movie Rachel has at least won Eleanor’s respect for standing up and saying something, but after marriage, with the expectations that Nick has to deal with, one can only guess what’s going to happen since the whole idea of a family needing to approve of marriage is still a very common thing today, but it’s obviously not the last word when it comes to a loving couple.
Thinking of how to top this is going to be interesting since now that the marriage has taken place there are several different directions to go, not the least of which is a child, which can be another huge sticking point with a family that has already proven to be a bit snobbish. It sounds horrible, but a family that bases so much on class and status can be every bit as ridiculous about kids as they can about marriage since so many things have to fit the mold that some folks are so concerned with that if they don’t, well, then things aren’t bound to work. The second and third movies already sound like something that might get a little complicated, but topping the first movie is going to be tough considering how high the bar has been raised. On top of that, anyone still griping about the casting might need to finally sit down and admit that what has been seen thus far has gained more approval than those who are too narrow-minded to accept anything but authentic Asians in the key roles.
It’s amazing in this day and age that people are still this hung up on appearances and that a person that at least looks Asian in a convincing enough manner can’t be allowed to take on a role without garnering a great deal of negative feedback. People are entirely too hung up on appearances, and while it’s obvious that casting someone for an Asian role who doesn’t look remotely Asian and might even look a bit more European would be a serious faux pas, the fact is that the cast of this movie managed to accomplish the task of fitting their roles quite nicely. The level of dissent offered to this and any other movie that apparently doesn’t live up to the expectations of those that believe that certain roles should be taken by those that are of one hundred percent Asian origin is a bit ludicrous. This isn’t as bad as John Wayne playing Genghis Khan after all, or even Robert Downey Jr. playing the role of a man of color as a parody. Henry Golding rocked the role of Nick and he did so with a great amount of skill that many people can agree was appreciated, despite the fact that he’s half-British and half-Malaysian. That didn’t matter in the slightest to those that are there to watch the movie and have fun with it. Just as a side note, plenty of other actors have taken on various roles without belonging to the race or culture that the initial character, and despite any problems with dialogue or setting, or even the story itself, they’ve been widely accepted so long as they’ve done a good enough job. Golding did just fine obviously, so moving on from any detractors that have anything else to say should be simple. Sadly, that’s the easy part.
Topping the first movie is going to take some doing, but it does sound as though those in charge are hopeful that it can and will happen with the coming sequels. Time will tell if they’re successful, but until that time comes along we’ll be able to continue to enjoy the first movie and wonder what will come next in terms of Nick and Rachel’s marriage.
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