“Crazy Rich Asians” Is An Amazing Ad For Singapore

“Crazy Rich Asians” Is An Amazing Ad For Singapore

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The most talked about movie the past couple of weeks has been “Crazy Rich Asians.” I’ve been wanting to see it since it came out, and finally had the chance to do so last night. I don’t really like going to the movies, because usually I’ll just wait until a movie is on planes, because goodness knows I have enough time to catch up on movies there. But I made an exception for this movie.

Anyway, for those of you who live under a rock and haven’t even heard of the movie, here’s a trailer:

So, how was “Crazy Rich Asians?”

This blog obviously isn’t about movie reviews (I’d probably review them about as well as I review food), though I’ll still briefly share my thoughts, and then get into the real point of the post. Overall I thought the movie was very good, though I say that as someone who generally has a terrible taste in movies. I love a cheesy rom-com, and in many ways I think that’s what this was. But it was a good cheesy rom-com.

One of the things I respect most about the movie is that they wanted it to be authentic to “Asian” culture (I put “Asian” in quotes because obviously there are many cultures within Asia, but…) — the movie has an all-Asian cast, and they were focused on portraying characters in a different way than how you’ll usually see movies stereotypically portray Asian characters. Of course this still only tells the story of crazy rich Asians, so it’s not all that relatable to most.

At times I did think the casting was a bit odd. For example, Ken Jeong (Mr. Chow from “Hangover” fame) was cast in the movie, and the second he appeared on the screen everyone in the theater started laughing. It just seemed a bit off. Similarly, as funny as it is, I’m not sure what was up with the accent of the lady who plays Rachel’s friend in Singapore — is she from the deep south of the US?

So I really did enjoy the movie as someone who admits to having terrible taste in movies, though I’m surprised by how well this movie has been rated by critics.

My real takeaway from “Crazy Rich Asians”

The real point of this post is that oh my gosh, this movie is probably the best advertisement I’ve ever seen for anything. And specifically, that “thing” is Singapore. Wandering Aramean had the same takeaway.

At the end of the movie, the guy seated next to me said “now I want to visit Singapore.” Ford said he wanted to go back to Singapore. A friend said “wait, is Singapore really that amazing?” Truly the takeaway from this movie largely seems to be that Singapore is pretty awesome.

Now, I imagine part of the reason people have this impression is simply because the movie is two hours of showing crazy rich people in Singapore, so subconsciously we’ll associate that with the destination.

But the movie also does a remarkably good job showcasing the destination in a way that’s approachable for anyone visiting. This includes when they land at Changi Airport — the main character says “Changi has a butterfly garden. All JFK has is salmonella and despair.”

Then it showcases so many of Singapore’s major landmarks, including Marina Bay Sands, the hawker stands (including an explanation of how they work), Gardens by the Bay, and so much more.

If Singapore didn’t pay for placement here, they got the best deal ever. Especially when you consider that this is how they spend their money on advertising their destination:

One thing that surprised me is that they didn’t use Singapore Airlines branding for their plane scenes. I’m not sure if they just couldn’t get permission, or if Singapore Airlines wasn’t willing to pay, or what.

They fly an A380 from New York to Singapore with incredible first class suites nonstop, though the airline is called “Pacific Asean Airlines.” Given Singapore Airlines’ incredible first class suites, you’d think they would have just used the “real” airline.

Singapore Suites
Singapore’s “old” A380 Suites

That being said, I now want to fly Pacific Asean Airlines, because the product looked pretty darn good, and it’s not a first class suite I’ve seen before!

Bottom line

I’ve probably been to Singapore a couple of dozen times, and after watching the movie I almost wanted to plan a trip back there. That’s how well the movie showcases the destination. It’s funny that I feel that way because I like Singapore, but don’t necessarily love it.

I like it for a fairly quick stopover, and I love the food. But I do think the movie perhaps is slightly overselling the destination. Or maybe I’m just not getting invited to the right parties while in Singapore. 😉

If you watched “Crazy Rich Asians,” what did you think?

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  1. Donald Osborne Guest

    Update on the accents. Just chatted with an immigrant from Singapore (so this may only be one ex-Singaporean's opinion). She told me that most younger people in Singapore speak "Singlish". Almost a distinct language best described as a strong sing-song accent that is distinctly feminine. That is, it sounds attractive when used by females but comes off as extremely effeminate from males. It is called Singlish not just for the accent but because Chinese and...

    Update on the accents. Just chatted with an immigrant from Singapore (so this may only be one ex-Singaporean's opinion). She told me that most younger people in Singapore speak "Singlish". Almost a distinct language best described as a strong sing-song accent that is distinctly feminine. That is, it sounds attractive when used by females but comes off as extremely effeminate from males. It is called Singlish not just for the accent but because Chinese and Malay words and grammar are liberally mixed in so that it is not understandable by international English speakers. She said that most Singaporeans can switch in and out of Singlish with a more standard form of English. That being said, she said a pet peeve of many Singaporeans makes the accents in the movie completely accurate. That is, the upper crust of Singapore tend to adopt fake accents with the British being the most popular followed by American. For "Crazy rich Singaporeans", the use of Singlish is seen as low class, so much so that the government has had campaigns to eradicate it (e.g., the "Use Good English campaign"). Myself, I've been to Singapore many times for work and I found the accent almost identical to the Pidgin English evolved by plantation workers in Hawaii.

  2. TMT Guest

    I'd like to add two important points to the debate.

    Firstly, whilst it may have been accurate in the past to remark that Singapore is boring, it's certainly not the case now. There's been an immense amount of change over the past 10-15 years in terms of nightlife, bars and general vibe. Okay, it's not Bangkok by any means, but it's no longer somewhere you'd get bored of after 48 hours. Saying Singapore is dull...

    I'd like to add two important points to the debate.

    Firstly, whilst it may have been accurate in the past to remark that Singapore is boring, it's certainly not the case now. There's been an immense amount of change over the past 10-15 years in terms of nightlife, bars and general vibe. Okay, it's not Bangkok by any means, but it's no longer somewhere you'd get bored of after 48 hours. Saying Singapore is dull is like saying London has terrible food: all it shows is that the commentator hasn't been there for a very long time!

    Secondly, speaking as someone who knows an excessive number of Singaporeans/Malaysians, the casting and accents are pretty realistic. As others have pointed out above, there can be a very broad range of accents within the same family depending on their educational background (ie. UK, US or Australian) and also depending on who someone is speaking with. The three main leads have all been correctly cast - Rachel/Constance is Asian-American, and both Nick/Henry and Eleanor/Michelle are local.

    One last remark: apparently the use of Malaysia to shoot much/most of the film wasn't just for cost reasons, but also because Kevin Kwan is barred from re-entering Singapore due to having skipped national service?

  3. Kirk Benson Member

    I saw it with my wife last week. She was obsessed with the set decorations since she has a background in high class antiques.

    My favorite line in the film was when Rachel's friend's dad reveals he was an art major, given that his house and clothing is a lesson in expensive bad taste.

    I've been to Singapore 3 times, always as stopovers, but that was over a decade ago. Lots of changes since then,...

    I saw it with my wife last week. She was obsessed with the set decorations since she has a background in high class antiques.

    My favorite line in the film was when Rachel's friend's dad reveals he was an art major, given that his house and clothing is a lesson in expensive bad taste.

    I've been to Singapore 3 times, always as stopovers, but that was over a decade ago. Lots of changes since then, and even wife seemed interested in seeing it (and she's not much of a traveller).

  4. Dan Allen Guest

    Its a propaganda film...that's why it was made

  5. Theresa New Member

    I loved the book! Seeing the movie this weekend. But Singapore is the most boring City in the world. After being there 2 weeks for work, I can’t imagine going back. So boring. I loved the crab restaurant I went to that had chili crabs but the commercialism was crazy. I thought the US was the most consumer culture in the world but I was wrong, it’s Singapore. My office was a 10 minute walk...

    I loved the book! Seeing the movie this weekend. But Singapore is the most boring City in the world. After being there 2 weeks for work, I can’t imagine going back. So boring. I loved the crab restaurant I went to that had chili crabs but the commercialism was crazy. I thought the US was the most consumer culture in the world but I was wrong, it’s Singapore. My office was a 10 minute walk from my hotel and I cut through 2 malls to get there. I don’t even live that close to 2 malls in the US. No plans to ever go there again. I don’t understand why this is a destination?

  6. Ken M Guest

    Loved the movie and love your post. I 100% agree on the two key points: Great advertising for Singapore and very surprising that SQ was not front and center. Big missed opportunity for SQ... Perhaps SQ's view is that the movie will be a demand-driver for them - my guess is that naturally SQ will take 50% of any / all tourists to / from Singapore - so if the City itself creates demand -...

    Loved the movie and love your post. I 100% agree on the two key points: Great advertising for Singapore and very surprising that SQ was not front and center. Big missed opportunity for SQ... Perhaps SQ's view is that the movie will be a demand-driver for them - my guess is that naturally SQ will take 50% of any / all tourists to / from Singapore - so if the City itself creates demand - SQ is there to deliver... Still though - in following the entire theme - it was a shame that they did not show off their Suites...

  7. Khai Guest

    Loved the movie! No ads for Malaysia but shout-out to Malaysia for the following filming locations:

    Opening scene of the hotel in London - E&O Hotel, Penang
    Fake New York airport - Kuala Lumpur International Airport
    Home of Nick's grandmother (Tyersall Park) - Carcosa Seri Negara, KL
    Bachelorette party scenes - Four Seasons Hotel, Langkawi Island
    Pontoon scene between Nick and Colin - Langkawi Island
    Container party scene - Parking...

    Loved the movie! No ads for Malaysia but shout-out to Malaysia for the following filming locations:

    Opening scene of the hotel in London - E&O Hotel, Penang
    Fake New York airport - Kuala Lumpur International Airport
    Home of Nick's grandmother (Tyersall Park) - Carcosa Seri Negara, KL
    Bachelorette party scenes - Four Seasons Hotel, Langkawi Island
    Pontoon scene between Nick and Colin - Langkawi Island
    Container party scene - Parking lot in Malaysia
    Eleanor's bible study group scene - Be-landa house, KL
    Jewellery store where Astrid was introduced - Astor Bar at St. Regis Hotel KL
    Mahjong scene - Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang

  8. Anastasia Member

    I've loved reading all the comments on here. I've never been to Singapore, so it's really interesting to see how people think the film portrays the place. I've always wanted to go, but now it sounds like if I go, it'd be for a few days before flying to some other places in southeast Asia.

    regarding the title: the book was was written by a man who grew up in Singapore before moving to...

    I've loved reading all the comments on here. I've never been to Singapore, so it's really interesting to see how people think the film portrays the place. I've always wanted to go, but now it sounds like if I go, it'd be for a few days before flying to some other places in southeast Asia.

    regarding the title: the book was was written by a man who grew up in Singapore before moving to the U.S., whose family was well off and who had crazy rich friends in Singapore. The book is based on his experiences, and he served as executive producer on the movie. So the title and the content of the book is not Hollywood trying to depict "Asians."

    I've been debating seeing the film, but now I might watch it on a flight to Singapore, as preparation for going there.

  9. Scott Guest

    I didn’t think the A380 had the range to fly JFK-EWR...

    And on the return flight, economy was 7-across so likely supposed to be a 767...?

    Surprised you didn’t pick up on those details!

  10. JRMW Guest

    I’ll echo others about the accent “problem” in the movie
    I’m from SF, home to many Asian families.

    It’s pretty common for families to have completely different accents, especially if their path has been circuitous

    My best bud has Malay-Chinese mother and Chinese father, who moved to Hawaii.
    Dad speaks almost no English. Mom has strong Malay accent when speaking English. Older brother strong Filipino-Hawaiian accent. My friend has minimal Hawaiian accent

    ...

    I’ll echo others about the accent “problem” in the movie
    I’m from SF, home to many Asian families.

    It’s pretty common for families to have completely different accents, especially if their path has been circuitous

    My best bud has Malay-Chinese mother and Chinese father, who moved to Hawaii.
    Dad speaks almost no English. Mom has strong Malay accent when speaking English. Older brother strong Filipino-Hawaiian accent. My friend has minimal Hawaiian accent

    That said, it’s also common for Hollywood to think Americans can’t tell the difference anyway. Like all the tanned white people played Native Americans in the 60s, or many movies where a Japanese actor portrays a Chinese character

    Lastly, my favorite portrayal of an awesome Asian man is John Cho as Hikaru Sulu.
    His scene as captain was kick ass
    “Refusal to do so will result in your obliteration. If you test me, you will fail”

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DL8vwOniFps

  11. Dan Nainan Guest

    PS forgot to mention one of the best things about Singapore. Yes, Hong Kong, Shanghai, etc. are wonderful, but what's great about Singapore is that the official language is English.

  12. Dan Nainan Guest

    I have been to Singapore many times and done many shows there. It's the most incredible, magical place. No crime, no gangs, no graffiti, no trash, no drugs, no black dots of gum all over the sidewalks like here in New York (the equally magnificent city where I live) and every other American city. Truly an incredible place, with friendly, warm people and of course incredible food. I know I'm probably in the minority but...

    I have been to Singapore many times and done many shows there. It's the most incredible, magical place. No crime, no gangs, no graffiti, no trash, no drugs, no black dots of gum all over the sidewalks like here in New York (the equally magnificent city where I live) and every other American city. Truly an incredible place, with friendly, warm people and of course incredible food. I know I'm probably in the minority but I find the weather fantastic – in the 80s and humid every day of the year.

    You can take a ferry and be in beautiful beaches in Indonesia in an hour, or you can hop on a plane and get to so many wonderful destinations in Asia in an hour or two. I understand that Langkawi was used for some of the island scenes, that place and the rest of Malaysia is also wonderful. They probably filmed in Malaysia a lot because it's far cheaper than Singapore.

    I thought the movie was absolutely wonderful. The casting was fantastic as well. For James K and others complaining about the casting, remember that Asia encompasses half of the population of the world, from many different countries.

    Lots of hilarious lines in the movie, we were laughing and laughing – we were looking around the theater and wondering why no one else was laughing – oh yes, because the audience was mostly Asian, and Asians don't laugh. :-)

  13. JP Guest

    Singapore Airlines was actually the airline featured in the books multiple times. When Nick and Rachel went to Singapore from NYC at the beginning of the book, it was in Suites Class on SQ.

  14. Kenneth Tan Guest

    At the end of the credits, there was money provided by the Singapore Film Commission and the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia. So it was not free production placement.

  15. John Member

    @Benny — Nothing free about it. Hollywood studios will ask major brands to pay to be featured in movies. A brand might refuse either because it’s concerned about the reputational impact of a goofy movie, or if they don’t want to pay for the placement. If no brand pays for placement, Hollywood will just use a fake brand or generic items that don’t have visible branding.

  16. Lilly Ming Guest

    Totally agree with most of the people here who feel that Singapore is enjoyable in small doses. Like Dubai, it is a false and manufactured place which frequently comes across as shallow and soulless. For a less sterile and more interesting and authentic Asia then I would far rather visit Hong Kong, Hanoi, Bangkok, Manila or the myriad of fascinating places in Mainland China. For the truly "Crazy Rich Asians" then you have to get...

    Totally agree with most of the people here who feel that Singapore is enjoyable in small doses. Like Dubai, it is a false and manufactured place which frequently comes across as shallow and soulless. For a less sterile and more interesting and authentic Asia then I would far rather visit Hong Kong, Hanoi, Bangkok, Manila or the myriad of fascinating places in Mainland China. For the truly "Crazy Rich Asians" then you have to get acquainted with the appropriate crowd in Shanghai.

  17. Grant Member

    @Callum- no one in the world thinks of “America” as anything but the 48 contiguous states sandwiched in the temperate zone between Canada and Mexico, plus Alaska and Hawaii.

    Oh, except aggrieved American leftists offended by everything and pseudo egghead intellectuals who can’t quite complete their PhD. Which describes you?

  18. Ivan Guest

    @Donald Osborne

    Singapore may be small but they produce many talented people, perhaps not many talented actors. A Singapore company piloted the first self driving car ahead of Google, apple, Uber etc. I believe the talent of the people is directly correlated to the countries success.

  19. Ivan Guest

    I find Singapore to be a pretty amazing city but, in terms of infrastructure, sanitation, safety and blending green space into an urban environment.

    They being said I can't see spending more than four days there. The people are polite but not particularly warm, it's quite expensive and a little too sterile in general. This is in contrast with other countries in the region. I find KL and BKK to be much more vibrant....

    I find Singapore to be a pretty amazing city but, in terms of infrastructure, sanitation, safety and blending green space into an urban environment.

    They being said I can't see spending more than four days there. The people are polite but not particularly warm, it's quite expensive and a little too sterile in general. This is in contrast with other countries in the region. I find KL and BKK to be much more vibrant.

    I also appreciate the beautiful beaches and nature in the region which is non existent in Singapore.

    As cities go Kota Kinabalu and Chiang Mai are two of my favs. Guess a prefer crazy middle class Asians

  20. The Door Bitch Guest

    "Or maybe I’m just not getting invited to the right parties while in Singapore."

    ProTip: Hang out at Westin's lobby on Saturday nights from around 10pm till late and turn on your G app. The hotel is favoured by the SPG fanboys for its discrete privacy and slightly more isolated location (the hetero families prefer the Sentosa hotels & outdoor spaces for their weekend staycations).

    The parties at Westin range from the milder birthday...

    "Or maybe I’m just not getting invited to the right parties while in Singapore."

    ProTip: Hang out at Westin's lobby on Saturday nights from around 10pm till late and turn on your G app. The hotel is favoured by the SPG fanboys for its discrete privacy and slightly more isolated location (the hetero families prefer the Sentosa hotels & outdoor spaces for their weekend staycations).

    The parties at Westin range from the milder birthday bashes with free-flowing champagne to the wilder "sessions". The crowd consists mainly of young working professionals in their 20/30s, some who even fly in from nearby KUL/CGK just for the weekend. Been to one party with around 40-50 guys in one of their suites....

    Good luck and enjoy! :)

  21. Bill Member

    If you’re ever back in Singapore for more than a few days you’re more than invited to me and my friends parties haha. We are not crazy rich but we sure love to have parties.

    And that’s what Singapore is. For those who don’t live in Singapore , it is best to experience Singapore in small doses then use Singapore as a springboard to visit nearby south East Asian cities.

    For those who...

    If you’re ever back in Singapore for more than a few days you’re more than invited to me and my friends parties haha. We are not crazy rich but we sure love to have parties.

    And that’s what Singapore is. For those who don’t live in Singapore , it is best to experience Singapore in small doses then use Singapore as a springboard to visit nearby south East Asian cities.

    For those who lives in Singapore or are citizens there, we have no choice but to make the best of it. Make friends, throw parties else it be pretty boring and travel a lot to other destinations since Singapore is so small there's not much else to see after living there a while.

    Thank goodness for cheap and good budget carriers in Asia for that.

  22. Jake Guest

    A Vlogger is over there and having a blast. And he denies any sponsorship. Check him out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-P1-YVEhxs

    I agree with everyone who thinks Singapore is AWESOME, and can't wait to return to visit!

  23. mk Guest

    So let me see, who hate Singapore here.
    First, those who find it boring? What? crying bebause not enough smelly sewage, beggars, drugs and cheap hookers for you like in Bangkok or Manila?
    Second: who find it artiificial? And New York / Paris etc are real cultural centres? Can agree a little, but then again there are just few cities, 400 or more years old, better than singapore its pretty logical they have...

    So let me see, who hate Singapore here.
    First, those who find it boring? What? crying bebause not enough smelly sewage, beggars, drugs and cheap hookers for you like in Bangkok or Manila?
    Second: who find it artiificial? And New York / Paris etc are real cultural centres? Can agree a little, but then again there are just few cities, 400 or more years old, better than singapore its pretty logical they have deeper cultural background, but Singapore is closing up fast, you would be surprised how many good cliassical concerts and art shows are there
    Third: who find it expensive - well, maybe go try to make little money and then start complaining. Do you complain about Apple and Armani everyday also ,because of prices. Or Singapore Airlines, cause there are no mileage mistakes?

  24. Maria Guest

    "At times I did think the casting was a bit odd. For example, Ken Jeong (Mr. Chow from “Hangover” fame) was cast in the movie, and the second he appeared on the screen everyone in the theater started laughing." -Lucky

    You didn't explain how Ken Jeong's appearance in the film was odd. The audience's reaction is not a reason, as the director and producers have no control over their misguided reactions.

  25. Morgan Guest

    I haven't seen it yet though I am soon going to it looks so amazing and really good I can't wait to see it.

  26. schar Guest

    I love singapore and cant wait to visit!

  27. Al Guest

    As a Singaporean who's lived in a bunch of other cities RTW, rather a lot of misinformed views here! It's a great place to live generally, if you earn above average income. Which here is around USD3k a month and not what you see in the movie. And as with many cities, the veneer you see as a tourist scratches the surface. Lots to see and do if you hang out with locals. And dare...

    As a Singaporean who's lived in a bunch of other cities RTW, rather a lot of misinformed views here! It's a great place to live generally, if you earn above average income. Which here is around USD3k a month and not what you see in the movie. And as with many cities, the veneer you see as a tourist scratches the surface. Lots to see and do if you hang out with locals. And dare I say, the feeling of safety no matter where you tread cannot be understated.

    I'd rather not see the movie, gross misrepresentation of Singapore and its multicultural mix based on reviews, but fiancee is keen so I shall perform my duties ;)

  28. Benny Guest

    Singapore airlines probably regretting it now. So much free publicity.

  29. Callum Guest

    @Tom - Probably just as often as Europeans and Asians say "I vacationed in America" when it varies from the southern tip of Argentina to the northern tip of Alaska.

    @Mous - I found Singapore nice looking but incredibly boring and a horrible climate. Give me New York, Paris or London any day...

    The airport on the otherhand is incredible!

  30. Aaron Diamond

    "Singapore is a beautiful city. Is truly is an amazing place compared to rubbish cities like New York, Paris, Rome or London."

    Um, no.

  31. Kevin Guest

    “Changi has a butterfly garden. All JFK has is salmonella and despair.” - Truer words cannot be spoken. LOL.

  32. Mous Guest

    Absolutely rubbish!!! Singapore is a beautiful city. Is truly is an amazing place compared to rubbish cities like New York, Paris, Rome or London. Let’s just be honest here and give credit when credit is due.

  33. Chris New Member

    Lucky - the producers approached Singapore airlines but they decline, saying they weren’t sure if the movie would represent SQ in a good light.

    https://www.thewrap.com/crazy-rich-asians-how-mega-rich-world-was-created-for-30-million/

  34. RF Diamond

    SQ should have been the airline in this movie.

  35. e* Guest

    Hey Ben! I wrote a blog post on Crazy Rich Asians too, from my Asian-American travel hacker's perspective. :)

    Regarding Singapore Airlines...they refused to be associated with the movie which is understandable given that hardly anyone had any faith in this movie in the beginning. Hope they change their mind for the sequel! https://www.thewrap.com/crazy-rich-asians-how-mega-rich-world-was-created-for-30-million/

  36. Julia Guest

    "As for appearance – they’re all Chinese. Ethnically. Except Henry Golding who is mixed. It makes sense for them To be cast this way to an Asian person."

    Well, Awkwafina is half-South Korean. And Sonoya Mizuno is Japanese.

  37. Akosua Guest

    @Lucky: in the book, Rachel and Nick actually fly First class on Singapore Airlines’ A380. As an aviation geek, i was quite miffed that they didn’t have the airline in the movie!

    But it really is a great ad for Singapore. Time for me to plan another trip then...

  38. Xinnie Guest

    @Ella, definitely agree with you here. I thought the cast they chose is phenomenal. Very close to what I was imagining when I was reading the trilogies.

  39. JL Member

    @Scrub,
    Been there done that. A lot of "jokes" gets lost in translation or needs some cultural context for it to be funny.

    I remember a scene in one of the transformer movies, that the character this is advance tech blah blah blha, must be made in Taiwan. It was not nearly as funny to the chinese audience.

  40. Ella Goh Guest

    @James K-

    Accents in (rich) Asian families, particularly in Singapore and Malaysia, can differ wildly even within families. Eleanor Young in the movie would have had a Malaysian/Singaporean accent because she might not have been sent to a British school. Nick Young and his cousin played by Gemma Chan would have one because he was sent to boarding school there. His grandmother definitely wouldn't have one because she would have been brought up in...

    @James K-

    Accents in (rich) Asian families, particularly in Singapore and Malaysia, can differ wildly even within families. Eleanor Young in the movie would have had a Malaysian/Singaporean accent because she might not have been sent to a British school. Nick Young and his cousin played by Gemma Chan would have one because he was sent to boarding school there. His grandmother definitely wouldn't have one because she would have been brought up in Asia as a female back then. He might have a cousin with an American accent who was sent to boarding school in America or to an international school in Singapore. That wouldn't make all of them "unrelated" just because of their different accents!

    As for appearance - they're all Chinese. Ethnically. Except Henry Golding who is mixed. It makes sense for them To be cast this way to an Asian person. Don't really get what you mean by diff appearances. You can have a child who is a born and bred American Puerto Rican (who sounds american) with Puerto Rican parents (who sound like they're from Puerto Rico). That doesn't make the child different, ethnically, from their parents. Both are Puerto Rican ethnically. Same logic applies here.

  41. JL Member

    Lucky,

    while the "crazy rich" part is not relatable to most, the "asian" and more importantly, the contrast between asian and asian american values is highly relatable. there were many scenes, ie: dumpling, mahjong, various conversation scenes, etc., that deeply portrays the experience of an asian american. it is a rom-com, but it also is a very emotional movie.

  42. Scrub Guest

    My friends all think I'm weird for never going to movie theaters and only catching up on my movies on planes. I'm comforted to see that someone cool like Lucky does the same.

    Question: Is this thing's title implying "rich Asians who are crazy" or "Asians who are crazy rich"? Or is it maybe deliberately ambiguous? (I haven't watched it, so I wouldn't know.)

    A little observation (anecdotal, definitely not a large enough sample size...

    My friends all think I'm weird for never going to movie theaters and only catching up on my movies on planes. I'm comforted to see that someone cool like Lucky does the same.

    Question: Is this thing's title implying "rich Asians who are crazy" or "Asians who are crazy rich"? Or is it maybe deliberately ambiguous? (I haven't watched it, so I wouldn't know.)

    A little observation (anecdotal, definitely not a large enough sample size to really say anything) about people's sense of humor: the one time I went to a movie theater in mainland China (watching Zootopia), all the Chinese people tended to laugh at stuff that was cute but not strictly funny, whereas I seemed to be the only one laughing at the stuff that was probably actually intended to be funny (the counter for the population of that town of rabbits increasing rapidly in real time, for example).

  43. DCS Diamond

    Of course the movie was made in Malaysia. It would have cost at least 3x as much to do in Singapore than it did to film in Malaysia...

    Anyway, I am returning for my yearly [small] dose of Singapore in about three and half months.

  44. Justin Guest

    @cgnyny: I agree that SIN T1 is not as good as the overall Changi reputation. T3 on the other hand is pretty great. Still, what really makes Changi stand out to me (regardless of terminal) is the efficiency. Immigration lines are rarely long, the automatic immigration gates are fantastic for residents and security is rarely the hassle it is in many airports in the U.S.. The proximity to the city (20 minute taxi to CBD)...

    @cgnyny: I agree that SIN T1 is not as good as the overall Changi reputation. T3 on the other hand is pretty great. Still, what really makes Changi stand out to me (regardless of terminal) is the efficiency. Immigration lines are rarely long, the automatic immigration gates are fantastic for residents and security is rarely the hassle it is in many airports in the U.S.. The proximity to the city (20 minute taxi to CBD) is also a god-send relative to many other cities. Altogether, it really makes using Changi super-easy. Having used to live in Singapore and now in NY, I've really gotten to see the best and the worst of major international hubs.

    As an aside, my favorite airport terminal in Asia is not actually Changi, but rather the international terminal at Haneda.

  45. James K Guest

    @Donald Osborne

    I'm not faulting them for not casting native Singaporean actors, just for casting people who looked and sounded nothing alike

  46. CS Guest

    Yea it reflects the incredible shallowness of Singapore, an island purely for the rich ($150,000 Toyota anyone?). So there's that. An honest ad.

  47. Aaron Diamond

    It would have been nice if the movie acknowledged the Malay and Indian communities of Singapore as well. I mean, the movie might as well have been called 'Crazy Rich Chinese-Singaporeans (and a Few From Honk Kong)".

  48. Donald Osborne Guest

    @James K:

    There are Singaporeans in the movie, but just in bit parts. Therefore, no doubt they auditioned for the major roles but simply lacked the talent for a Hollywood movie. I've watched some of the biggest Singapore made movies on flights to Asia like "I not stupid" and "Ah boyz to men". Have a look yourself and you'll find the acting worse than kids making Youtube videos. To be fair, it's a tiny country...

    @James K:

    There are Singaporeans in the movie, but just in bit parts. Therefore, no doubt they auditioned for the major roles but simply lacked the talent for a Hollywood movie. I've watched some of the biggest Singapore made movies on flights to Asia like "I not stupid" and "Ah boyz to men". Have a look yourself and you'll find the acting worse than kids making Youtube videos. To be fair, it's a tiny country so you really can't expect any talent at an international level to emerge from it.

  49. Tom Guest

    Asia is the vastest/most populated continent with the accordingly vast diversity of geography, cultures and traditions etc., ranging from nothern Japan to southern Indonesia and across from eastern Phillipines to the western Middle East. This film does not cover this range so why is it titled Crazy Rich Asians instead of Crazy Rich Singaporeans?

    My guess is that it’s a film for the US market whom the majority consider the rest of the world only...

    Asia is the vastest/most populated continent with the accordingly vast diversity of geography, cultures and traditions etc., ranging from nothern Japan to southern Indonesia and across from eastern Phillipines to the western Middle East. This film does not cover this range so why is it titled Crazy Rich Asians instead of Crazy Rich Singaporeans?

    My guess is that it’s a film for the US market whom the majority consider the rest of the world only as the continents, which do not contain much variety beyond the usual stereotypes. How often has it been said by Americans “I’ve vacationed in Europe/Africa” as though the differences from Greece to Iceland or from Egypt to South Africa where negligable compared to the differences between Florida and Washington State; historically, culturally etc.?

  50. cgnyny Guest

    I visited Singapore in March for the first time and saw the movie this past weekend. Yes, the movie is a great ad for the city. But after my 3 days there, I was ready to move on (though I could have eaten in the hawker stands for days and days as the food is that delicious!). The newer parts felt Disney-fied, while the older sections had more charm and authenticity (even tho equally touristy)....

    I visited Singapore in March for the first time and saw the movie this past weekend. Yes, the movie is a great ad for the city. But after my 3 days there, I was ready to move on (though I could have eaten in the hawker stands for days and days as the food is that delicious!). The newer parts felt Disney-fied, while the older sections had more charm and authenticity (even tho equally touristy). Anyway its worth a visit if you're in the area, but I wouldn't just go to Singapore alone (unless you're close by).

    And I must be missing out on something at Changi. I flew out of Terminal 1 (non Singapore Airlines/Star Alliance airline) and while nice, its didn't meet the hype! (Maybe I need to go back to the SQ terminal!).

  51. Bill n DC Diamond

    I stayed one night at the Marina Bay Sands Orchid Suite with views in both directions (inter Harbor & Gardens by the Bay on my 1st RTW Trip in 2013. The roof top breakfast & views + the infinity pool were fun. The Super Trees were just getting started.
    I don’t like thAt I’m giving Sheldon Adleson - I like to be upfront with my hypocrisies- and the whole place appears to be a...

    I stayed one night at the Marina Bay Sands Orchid Suite with views in both directions (inter Harbor & Gardens by the Bay on my 1st RTW Trip in 2013. The roof top breakfast & views + the infinity pool were fun. The Super Trees were just getting started.
    I don’t like thAt I’m giving Sheldon Adleson - I like to be upfront with my hypocrisies- and the whole place appears to be a fascist Potemkin village, But I’d love to go back with hubby to see the Gardens again

  52. Elijah Gold

    Singaborean men are plastic fantastic, women the same. Spent many layovers there when cabin crew. Vile place to visit IMO. Wouldn’t waste my money seeing this movie trash. Go see The Insult instead.

  53. James K Guest

    The movie's casting was really odd. Tony Young is Malay, Michelle Yeoh who plays his mother is Malaysian-Chinese, his cousin Gemma Chan is British-Chinese, his grandmother Shang Su Yi is Chinese, etc. Their appearance and accents differ wildly.

    It would be like me making a movie about a British family in which I cast Adele, Timothy Spall, Idris Elba, Sean Connery, Dev Patel, and Ed Sheeran as relatives.

  54. Leon New Member

    Awkwafina, the lady who plays Rachel’s friend in Singapore, is a rapper and born in nyc.

  55. Ray Guest

    As someone who is Asian American, the big thing about this movie for Asian Americans is that it's the first *Hollywood* movie in a while with a majority Asian American cast. Nearly all movies with a majority Asian cast, even Hollywood ones, cast only Asians from Asia and not Asian Americans, leaving AAs shut out of Hollywood except to play very stereotypical and often racist roles.

    Another big deal is that this movie actually...

    As someone who is Asian American, the big thing about this movie for Asian Americans is that it's the first *Hollywood* movie in a while with a majority Asian American cast. Nearly all movies with a majority Asian cast, even Hollywood ones, cast only Asians from Asia and not Asian Americans, leaving AAs shut out of Hollywood except to play very stereotypical and often racist roles.

    Another big deal is that this movie actually has an Asian male love interest which is a huge deal if you're an Asian American guy, because it's been since Bruce Lee since an Asian American man has been cast and portrayed as someone desirable. Most movies with Asian Americans (even a major Netflix one that just came out at the same time as CRA) pair an Asian woman with a white man, because that's what Hollywood assumes white audiences want to see. There's a whole history of white men fetishising Asian women that goes back over a hundred years while simultaneously stereotyping men of color (all colors) in a negative light.

    With all that being said, sorry to digress so much away from travel on your blog, but it's great seeing all kinds of people enjoy this movie. Thanks for taking the time to write about it lucky.

  56. Steven Guest

    @ Real Alpha Male - if you want more possibilities to date handsome successful men in their mid 30s, I would recommend you try Tinder

  57. Tim Guest

    I used to go to Singapore weekly for work. If you spend enough time there you know it's a tale of two cities. The rich and the poor. Not overly friendly people and very expensive to visit. The best thing I loved about SG was Changi Airport. The rest of it meh! Kuala Lumpur in my opinion is a far superior city.

  58. Benny Guest

    Singapore airlines refused. They were approached to be the airlines in the movie but they declined. I’ll see if I can find the article I read that in.

  59. Mike D Guest

    Absolutely incredible movie. Rich in both plot and character development

  60. Wanderlust crave Guest

    Same here. A year of working in Singapore and suddenly I had an overwhelming desire to go back. And I definitely wasn’t getting invited to THOSE parties.

  61. Real Alpha Male Guest

    Singapore is WAY overrated IMHO. Annoying heat the whole year, poor dating possibilities for handsome successful men in their mid-30s.
    Better go to Tokyo, Hong-Kong to experience the real baller life.

  62. DeltaCharlie Guest

    My wife is from Singapore - we visit Singapore about a dozen times a year. Singapore is best enjoyed in small doses. I am generally bored after about a week and the bling factor disappeared after the first few times. I prefer other cities in South East Asia, such as Bangkok, Hanoi, Manila, KL, etc.

  63. Sam Guest

    Half the movie was filmed in Malaysia. Just sayin'.

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Donald Osborne Guest

Update on the accents. Just chatted with an immigrant from Singapore (so this may only be one ex-Singaporean's opinion). She told me that most younger people in Singapore speak "Singlish". Almost a distinct language best described as a strong sing-song accent that is distinctly feminine. That is, it sounds attractive when used by females but comes off as extremely effeminate from males. It is called Singlish not just for the accent but because Chinese and Malay words and grammar are liberally mixed in so that it is not understandable by international English speakers. She said that most Singaporeans can switch in and out of Singlish with a more standard form of English. That being said, she said a pet peeve of many Singaporeans makes the accents in the movie completely accurate. That is, the upper crust of Singapore tend to adopt fake accents with the British being the most popular followed by American. For "Crazy rich Singaporeans", the use of Singlish is seen as low class, so much so that the government has had campaigns to eradicate it (e.g., the "Use Good English campaign"). Myself, I've been to Singapore many times for work and I found the accent almost identical to the Pidgin English evolved by plantation workers in Hawaii.

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TMT Guest

I'd like to add two important points to the debate. Firstly, whilst it may have been accurate in the past to remark that Singapore is boring, it's certainly not the case now. There's been an immense amount of change over the past 10-15 years in terms of nightlife, bars and general vibe. Okay, it's not Bangkok by any means, but it's no longer somewhere you'd get bored of after 48 hours. Saying Singapore is dull is like saying London has terrible food: all it shows is that the commentator hasn't been there for a very long time! Secondly, speaking as someone who knows an excessive number of Singaporeans/Malaysians, the casting and accents are pretty realistic. As others have pointed out above, there can be a very broad range of accents within the same family depending on their educational background (ie. UK, US or Australian) and also depending on who someone is speaking with. The three main leads have all been correctly cast - Rachel/Constance is Asian-American, and both Nick/Henry and Eleanor/Michelle are local. One last remark: apparently the use of Malaysia to shoot much/most of the film wasn't just for cost reasons, but also because Kevin Kwan is barred from re-entering Singapore due to having skipped national service?

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Kirk Benson Member

I saw it with my wife last week. She was obsessed with the set decorations since she has a background in high class antiques. My favorite line in the film was when Rachel's friend's dad reveals he was an art major, given that his house and clothing is a lesson in expensive bad taste. I've been to Singapore 3 times, always as stopovers, but that was over a decade ago. Lots of changes since then, and even wife seemed interested in seeing it (and she's not much of a traveller).

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