Book-Movie Comparison: Crazy Rich Asians

My general thoughts on adaptations are all over the map.  I’ve of course had many a “the book was better” reactions, but there are also those rare adaptations that get everything just right, and I often find I’m better able to appreciate a movie despite its differences from the book if I see the movie first (or, at minimum, haven’t read the book recently – when I read right before watching, the movie almost inevitably suffers by comparison.)  Crazy Rich Asians, though, is one of the instances where I actually prefer the movie to the book (spoilers.)

The film hits the major points of the book, especially where Rachel, Nick, and Eleanor are concerned.  We get Rachel’s shock of discovering her boyfriend is basically “the Asian Prince William,” his mother’s disapproval of Rachel’s lack of wealth/connections, and Singapore socialites’ vendetta against the “gold-digger” trying to “steal” the island’s most eligible bachelor.  The only significant cut that really feels like a loss is the way Astrid’s plot gets trimmed down (but, since no one should cast Harry Shum Jr. just for a cameo, I’m sure we’ll be getting more of her, and Charlie Wu, in the sequel.)  Additionally, most of the characters are portrayed very faithfully to the book, and the movies nails the difference between the classy extravagance of the old-money Youngs and the gaudy ostentation of the new-money Gohs.

But despite being pretty faithful on that macro level, the movie also makes a number of changes that, in my mind, create a better, richer story.  First, there’s the more fleshed-out theme of Rachel being an outsider, not just because she’s middle-class, but also because she’s Asian-American.  “Too Asian for America, too American for Asia” is a type of alienation that resonates with so many Asian-Americans, and the film beautifully brings out these themes.  Eleanor is suspicious of Rachel’s “passion” about her work, thinking she’d prioritize her own interests/ambitions over any future family with Nick.  The driving force behind the Rachel-Eleanor conflict is “she will never be enough for my son because she does not belong,” and it comes to a fantastic head in the climactic mahjong scene (an invention of the movie); through this conflict and with Rachel’s moral victory in the game, this story of extraordinary wealth and luxury becomes at the same time incredibly grounded in human relationships and personal identity.

Another improvement is Rachel being at least slightly prepared for her first real encounter with Nick’s family.  It never made sense to me that the Youngs are so uber-wealthy and famous among the crème de la crème but simultaneously so “non-showy” about it that the Gohs have never even heard of them, so I like that, here, Peik Lin freaks out that the Nick Rachel’s dating is Nick Young, immediately giving her the 411 on the Young family wealth.  Nick not preparing Rachel himself is still a boneheaded move, but at least, with Peik Lin’s help, she’s not completely blindsided.

And, at least Nick actually has a reason for not telling Rachel.  Essentially, he uses the classic “monarch pretends to be a commoner” defense, knowing that Rachel loves him for him rather than his money and not really wanting to change her image of him until he has to.  While he still shouldn’t have done it, this motivation is a lot more understandable than his “how should I have known this would be weird for you?” shrugging in the book when everyone was saying, “Dude, you have to warn Rachel before she gets into the lions’ den.”

As for the film’s ending, it’s a big departure from the book, and I absolutely love it.  I already mentioned my adoration for the mahjong scene, which is what makes Eleanor realize that Rachel is the real deal.  But I really love the proposal scene in the airplane aisles, too.  It’s so charming, with Nick impatiently helping people with their luggage and climbing over seats to get to Rachel, and what’s more, it’s not just about the romance of it.  Right as I’m thinking, “Nick, the sweet proposal isn’t going to make a difference if she still thinks it will cause a rift with your mom, that’s why she said no the first time,” they pull out the money shot:  the ring box with Eleanor’s ring inside.  Without a word, it conveys everything it needs too.  Masterful scene, so elegant – I love it so much.