Is ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ for real? Singaporeans weigh in
The film gets most things right about the city state, such as its majestic airport and the Newton Food Centre, and even has a few Singaporean expressions thrown in
Crazy Rich Asians mania (and the dashing Asian princeling that is Henry Golding) has taken the world by storm.
The plot is simple: Asian-American economics professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) travels to Singapore to attend a wedding with her boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding). On the trip, she realises that Nick’s family is among the wealthiest in Singapore, and struggles to gain acceptance from them.
Since the movie’s release in the US, Singaporeans have been clamouring to see their country portrayed on the big screen – for once, not as an exotic backdrop for a five-minute action sequence.
After waiting a whole week for Crazy Rich Asians to arrive in cinemas in Singapore, we are happy to report that director Jon M. Chu did his homework. Despite the jarring opulence that enrobes its characters, we got to see a Singapore that we know and love.
But just how accurate was it? Here’s what we think. (No spoilers, promise.)
1. Changi Airport is everything that Rachel describes and more.
Singapore first appears in the film when Rachel and Nick fly in from New York. As they walk through the world’s best airport, Rachel marvels at the fact that Changi Airport has a butterfly garden and a cinema, and then remarks that “JFK is just salmonella and despair”. And she’s right. Our airport is basically a giant mall with lots of shopping and dining options, and even a four storey-tall slide. Parents actually take their children to the airport for weekend outings.
2. Driving an open-top Jeep in the midday heat, though