Crazy Rich Asians w. Amanda Wong

Hello, you and welcome to You Are Good at Feelings Podcasts about movies. Today we are talking about crazy rich Asians. We're talking about it with my great friend Amanda Wong. I am your host today, Alex Steed. Welcome, welcome, welcome. You Are Good at Feelings Podcasts about movies is exactly what it sounds like. This is a show where we talk about movies and then talk about the feelings they evoke, how they make us feel about who and how we are in the world. That's what we do. We are not film critics. We are here to dissect the movies we love and our feelings. Crazy Rich Asians is a 2018 American romantic comedy drama film directed by John M. Chu. From a screenplay by Peter Chilare and Adele Lim. It is based on a 2013 novel by Kevin Kwan. It follows Chinese American professor Rachel, who travels to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick. It is shocked to discover that Nick's family is one of the richest families in Singapore. Amanda Wong is a background artist in Vancouver. Projects include Star Trek Lower Decks, My Little Pony the Movie, Carmen Sandiego, DC Superhero Girls, Rick and Morty and more. I love Amanda. She's been on the show before. She will absolutely be on the show again. Love love love Amanda. How are you doing? What's going on in your world? How are you feeling? I'm recording this intro from Ottawa. It is grey right now. It's just crazy. And it's lovely to be here. Hello to everyone from Ottawa. I'm going to Toronto next week and I'm going to see friend of the show, Nico Stratus and friend of the show, Olivia Seng. I am so excited to be up north right now. Really fun, really good time. I know that so many things are going on in your lives, in all of our lives. So much is happening all the time. And you know, I usually say we get involved and we act and we do everything we can. We check in on our neighbors. We check in on our communities. We are active in our activism, so on and so forth. And that's how we stave off the dread. So I guess I just said that, you know, I'm not going to say anything different. I just want to check in on you right now. Make sure you're taking care of you and listening to that body and listening to your heart and listening to your brain and seeing what it needs. Because also, you know, sometimes I get so wrapped up in the things and in the productivity or the going out to do the thing or whatever that I forget to check in and go, where am I at? What do I need right now? So I just want to make sure you're doing that, that you are aware. And if you're not, maybe five big breaths right now, ask yourself that question and see where you are at. I just want to say, you know, I hear from a lot of you regularly, and I'm so touched to hear from you when I hear that, you know, hey, I'm going through X, Y or Z right now. And this show is helping. It's nice to feel held in this way. It's nice to talk about grief with y'all in this way or hear you talk about grief and be on the receiving end of that, you know, regularly. I just got one of those messages just now and I want you to know, you know, it is an honor and a pleasure to sit with you in these times. So I'm really glad and grateful that this means something to you and thank you for letting me know when you do. We're all going through it in one way or another. We have and we will again. And so it's nice to have this space with you in that way. What are you doing? What are you watching? What are you reading right now? Love to tell you what I'm doing. I am. I sent to one of the group chats of friends. I told them that I am thinking I'm thinking that this year is the year in which I devote myself to becoming a nineties trek franchise fan. I just checked out Star Trek for which we're doing for the show with Sandy Ernest Allen. I just checked that out for the first time. I loved it. God loves Star Trek for and then was like Sandy, how about for a bonus episode this month? So this is coming. You walk me through some great Star Trek, the next generation episodes. These will be my first Sandy. Do exactly that. I am in. I am hooked. I'm hooked on Star Trek. The next generation. I'm happy to report. So a lot of you shared your favorite episodes on Instagram and on Patreon and all that. So I can't wait to dive in and report back. I'm going to become insufferable about it. And then after that, I guess I have deep space nine. It's an exciting time to be me, a new Star Trek fan. With all that said, however you're participating, whatever you're going through, whatever you're watching, whether or not you've watched Star Trek, the next generation, whatever, don't forget that you, my friend, are good. Thank you so much for supporting us on Patreon and Apple Podcast subscriptions. You get bonus episodes like the upcoming Star Trek, the next generation bonus episode. You get extended cuts. You get all sorts of fun things for being over there and supporting us in that way. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you for supporting the show. We can't make it without you. We are indie media. We only have one source of income and it is y'all. And that's how the people work in the show. Pay some bills. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you for making this possible, especially in these times where indie media is often under attack. Please join me in supporting our friends in Gaza and in Palestine more generally. Palestine Children's really fun. It's a great way to contribute. There's all sorts of ways, of course, you can find a link to that in the show notes, but there's all sorts of campaigns. There's all sorts of ways in the support is needed and our struggles are interlinked. It's important to help materially, if and when we can. If you can't, you know, look into what's going on and spread the word. All right. I think that's it for this intro. You don't need more information about what's about to happen. You can just dive into the actual episode and hear us talk about Crazy Rotations. I love this episode. I had a really great time with Amanda. I love Amanda. I love the movie. I love all of it. We had a blast. So let's get into Crazy Rotations. Hello, Amanda Wong. Hello, Alex Steed. How are you doing this fine Sunday? I'm doing great. I'm so excited to do this episode with you. I'm really excited that you're doing it. I saw you in Vancouver for breakfast not long ago and you were like, hey, you want to talk about Crazy Rotations? I'm so glad that you proposed that. It was so funny because I was just complaining about somebody else nakedly networking and I'm like, oh, I hate that. And then I was just like, oh, why don't I come on your show and do Crazy Rich Asians? So I think that's different. We're friends. You've been here before. And you know what? We all contain multitudes and sometimes, you know, sometimes it's okay when I do it. Yeah. Sometimes you're competing multitudes. I love it. Who are you and why is this a movie you would like to talk about? So my name is Amanda Wong and I work as an artist in Vancouver, BC. I've primarily worked in TV animation and previous projects I've worked on are the Netflix, Carmen Sandiego, the Milo Pony movie, Rick and Morty season four. And then my favorite that I bring up all the time, Star Trek Lower Decks, because I'm a huge Trekkie. Right now I'm working in video games and I work for a company that did some games called Don't Starve and Oxygen Not Included. This is not great, but I'm not a gamer, but they treat me really well. Beautiful. And I'm excited to talk about Crazy Rich Asians because during that period, this movie was a really big deal. And I think it's a really interesting case study, especially because I am Chinese-Canadian and I live in Vancouver, which has a very high Asian population, potentially the city in North America with the highest Asian population, but don't quote me on that. And so as a person who observed this phenomenon when it happened and as a person who works in media and as a person who is Asian, what was your observation of like the sort of like before and after of this movie coming about? So prior to this movie, I think it really was incredibly dire if you were an Asian actor and you wanted to work in Hollywood. There were so few opportunities. A lot of the times you were restricted to auditioning for period pieces. And then there was a lot of anger that was building up in the 2010s and a lot of discourse about yellow face and whitewashing and cultural appropriation because sometimes when there were opportunities where you could have hired an Asian actor, they would end up hiring a white, more established actor. And in the marketing of this movie, this movie is often toted as like the first Asian-American movie or the first movie with a contemporary Asian-American ensemble cast in 25 years since 1993's The Joy Luck Club. You can quibble on this a little bit because there were various movies like Better Luck Tomorrow or Saving Face in 2004. And then there were period pieces like Memoirs of a Geisha and Letters from Iwo Jima. But the fact that you have to like really nitpick it really shows how few movies there were like this. Sure. Yeah. So this movie is a film adaptation of the book Crazy Rich Asians, which was by an author named Kevin Kwan in 2013. He grew up in Singapore from a very rich, very old family similar to the one that is in this story. And I think that the book and the movie have very different thematic aims because Kevin Kwan wrote that book because he felt that in the fiction market in North America, there would be Asian period pieces and then there would be stories about Asian-Americans, maybe not that many, but like that's what he said. But there weren't really any stories set in contemporary Asia and he wanted to introduce Americans to this world that he grew up in. On the other hand, Crazy Rich Asians as a movie, I think the filmmakers wanted to talk more about Asian-American identity and also make this big splashy piece being like, we're here, we deserve to be in Hollywood and we deserve for an audience to come see us and see what we can do and see different roles in a movie that are not necessarily stereotypical, where you can see different Asians that are like funny or like sexy or complicated. Do you have any sort of take on like what the after effect is? We were just saying before we jumped on that we were both like, I can't believe this movie is eight years old because it feels I've increasingly have an age where some phenomenon that happens. I think it just happened the other day and we're almost a decade out from this coming out. Do you have any sense of like what the success of this movie has meant for titles that have sort of an Asian creative team either in the back end or the front end of the movie? So what I think is a little bit unfair to this movie and movies like this is sometimes they work more as like a proof of concept primarily and then you can't really judge it on its own merit. But unfortunately, since we do live in a capitalist society, they were like, let's take this risk and see how well it does and see if audiences are willing to see an all Asian cast. And then this movie financially did so well. Like the budget was only 30 million. And then internationally, it did 230 million, which is like almost eight times what its production budget was. By the way, not to interrupt, but it is crazy to me that this budget is 30 million dollars because this movie looks amazing. Like this is like an incredibly good looking movie. And it feels like. Oh, I'm so glad you said that. Yeah, it's like it's a giant movie. There are like huge set pieces like they're all over the place. Like it is surprising that it was only 30 million dollars. Oh, I think it's such a lovely movie. Like it's so brassy and bold and all the sets are very lovely and the fashion is lovely. And as a hilarious anecdote, apparently they made a prop jewelry for this pivotal ring by the end of the movie. Yes. And then Michelle, you know, it's like, what the hell is that? And then they're like, this is the best we can do. We have a small budget. And then Michelle was like, I'll just use my own ring. And then she donated a piece of jewelry from her private collection. But anyway, to get back on the topic, I think because this movie did so well, it did show Hollywood, which I think the executives tend to be relatively risk averse. They're like, OK, there is a market for this. We can take a few more risks. And I think after that, there were so many more Asian projects. Like, you know, Marvel did like Shang-Chi after this. And then Adele Lim, who was a writer on this movie, did a later movie called Joy Ride. And then, you know, in television, Ali Wong and Stephen Yuan started beef. And unfortunately, I couldn't find any pieces on the legacy of this movie. But there is one very specific example. And that's Ki Hui Kwan was interviewed saying that he had left the industry because there were no opportunities for him. And he eventually worked, I think, in stunts below the line as production crew. And then he did see this movie and said, oh, I think things are better now. And he said he got major FOMO. So he started auditioning again. And then he ended up being cast in everything, everywhere, all at once, which he won an Oscar for. Yes. And I think if you don't have opportunities for Asian actors like that, then you they'll never be able to win these prestigious awards. Like Michelle, you also won an Oscar for everything, everywhere, all at once. And depressingly, that was the first actress of color since Halle Berry in 2002 or something like that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it's I don't know. I also didn't expect like this. I didn't expect to like be also just for the text of the movie to be crying by the end of this movie by sort of we're recording the minute after I finished the movie and I was just crying. So it's very funny to be here now talking about this. I also like that like the style. I don't I'm unfamiliar with the book and you sort of talked a bit about the difference. But like I don't often this like feels like a 90s. Yes. Romantic movie, like a romantic comedy, where it's just like there's like a large ensemble where going different place or it feels like Mamma Mia in that way, too. Like we're going different places where meeting different people. There's like family lore and we have to, you know, of course, overcome generational and cultural baggage as a means of like establishing our identity and being true to love. No, I agree. I think this movie has a really good throwback five. It does just in the design of it. And like, you know, the text is so big and bold. And then the score has like all this brass and it's like kind of jazzy. And then the soundtrack, which I think is a bop, like has all these retro songs. I love the soundtrack. And yeah, and also this movie came out during a time when romantic homies were kind of on the way down. So it's also pivotal because it's like one of the most successful ones, especially in the 2010s. So, you know, on its own, I also think this movie is very enjoyable. And to be honest, I cannot be cynical about it. And I also cry at the end every time. Like it's so hard at the end, but we can talk about the movie itself later. Yeah, I was a little surprised when I like realized what was coming together that as a person who never in a million years would voluntarily listen to Coldplay's version of their own song, Yellow, was like, am I crying to a Mandarin language cover? And the answer is yes. Yes, I was. There was actually a really important reason why the last song was Yellow. Got to look up my notes. But John M. Chu, the director of this movie, wanted that song specifically. And he wrote a heartfelt letter to Coldplay to ask for the rights for it because he says, though the song is not about race, the term yellow is fraught with negative associations for Asians as frequently used as a slur, a reference to the color of Asian skin and used in ominous phrases like yellow peril. June Zell says he remembers being called yellow in a derogatory way throughout high school. So he wrote the band a letter and said, for the first time in my life, it described the color in the most beautiful magical ways, the color of the stars, her skin, the love. It was an incredible image of attraction and aspiration that made me rethink my whole image. And if you allow me to use the song in this movie, it would give a whole generation of Asian Americans and others the same sense of pride that I got when I heard your song. That's really wonderful. Yeah. And then they approved it. So, yay. I did catch that as commentary and I was appreciating it, but I had no idea the background of him writing the band to make that pitch. And imagine the band's like, no. Give us a quarter million dollars. I'm so glad that that worked out. It's really it's a it's a beautiful part of the movie. OK, so do you feel moderately prepared for us to volley back and forth, trying to explain what the plot of this movie is? Because this is my kryptonite in that it involves many different people's stories, different couple stories, different family member stories, different locations. This is going to be a gauntlet, but I think we can get through it. OK, we'll give it a shot. So this movie opens in London, 1995. Oh, yeah, different times. No, yes, back to back to London. It is an amazing setup where this Chinese family enters this hotel and then is immediately treated horribly by the racist staff who not only not honor their reservation, but lie and say that the hotel is full. And would they consider looking in Chinatown for their family to stay? Yeah. And then as a visual symbol of the growing power of the wealth that is happening in Asian countries, Michelle Yo's character, when they're thrown out of the hotel and she is in a tiny phone booth in the rain, says angrily in Cantonese to her husband to take care of this. And the next thing you see, they come back inside the hotel. The manager tries to throw her out again. And then the owner of the hotel comes down and says, Oh, Eleanor, I just heard that your family has bought this hotel. Welcome. You there, go get them their sweets. And not only does I think the scene show the point of this movie, which is that these people are very rich and very powerful, but there is a passing shot of the main leads character in this movie looking up at his mother as, you know, someone who protects him and has a very strong loving relationship with him. And as a viewer, you can get a sense of like why she would idolize this woman and want to keep her approval. And we'll later learn, right, that the family is sort of like come from like multi-generational development affluence in Singapore. Is that ultimately the family story? Yes. OK. So in the book and a little bit in this movie, they explain the difference between the families that are in this movie that have generational wealth because they were the Chinese people that left China hundreds of years ago and then inherent that money and also grow that wealth through various different businesses, like real estate development and shipping, which is different than some of the other families that you see like Aquafina's family who are new. Vowreish, it's a very classic setup, I think, of like old dynasties and like class and like old money. Yes, absolutely. Because of this movie, I actually became friends with the man who plays Aquafina's brother. Oh, fantastic. Who's there? Tickles, he takes pictures. Yes. It was really round about because I was so excited about this movie that I would just do art and like post it online. And it turns out that the brother was played by a man who he's he lives in Malaysia and he auditioned for this movie. And I think, you know, he had never gotten fan art himself before. And my understanding is like most people are very excited when they see drawing of themselves. So then he became friends. And he told me that there was a lovely experience making this movie. I'm really glad to hear that. And that he did a lot of improv, which the director kept all of it. So perfect. Anyway, so the movie flash forwards to a scene in New York City present day, 2018, where we are introduced to our protagonist who was played by Constance Wu and her name is Rachel Chu. And she is an economics professor at NYU. Yes. Yes. She does a demonstration of game theory playing poker with a student. I have no idea whether it's real or not. I did take econ, but that was like 23 years ago. And I'm like, works for me. I worked at the company that became Groupon while it was becoming Groupon. And we were assigned. Yeah, we were assigned so many behavioral economics books. And this was like out of one of the chapters of the behavioral economics books. OK. Yeah. I mostly just remember that I ended up taking econ the year after the movie A Beautiful Mind came out. And my professor was so annoyed that everyone was like, oh, game theory, like a beautiful mind. And he's like, OK. Oh, my God. It's so funny. This episode that we're talking about right now is going to come out the week after our beautiful mind episode. Oh, wow. The timing is very funny. And then as the class ends, we meet Rachel Chu's boyfriend, the impossibly good looking Nicholas Young. And the next time we see them, they're in a restaurant sharing a dessert when Nicholas or Nick offers to bring her to Singapore for his best friend's wedding. He says nothing about his family and nothing about the wealth that they own. And while they are talking, there is another Asian woman who spots him because he's very well known. Syrup just takes a picture of him. And then there is an amazing sequence of the power of Asian gossip internationally, which I really like because it's like so snappy and colorful. Yeah, I love that scene. And within, you know, one minute of him being seen, his mother is aware of the situation. I'm going to tell a story that might get me in trouble with my family. So I really hope they never listen to this. But in 1997, when I was 13, I did not have internet at my home. I had to go to my friend's house to visit the internet. And then she did not really have the internet, like as we see it now as like the worldwide web. She had something called National Capital FreeNet in my hometown, which is Ottawa, Canada, which only connects you to anyone else who has logged in within the Ottawa network. And I happened to use my friend's computer to complain about my cousin in Hong Kong because I thought he was very bratty and spoiled one time. And then a week later to this day, I have no idea how this happened. My aunt in Hong Kong called my mother so angry about it and said that I was slandering her son on the internet. And I lied my face off and said, I don't know what they're talking about, mom. We don't even have internet at our home. So how could I have said it? And I still don't know how that happened. I don't know who ratted me out, which Asian within the Ottawa local internet. But that happens. I don't know how this news spread across the ocean to Hong Kong. Oh, my God. Yeah, I feel like this scene feels like so rooted in a reality, but then also people's anxiety about that reality. And I really just appreciated it. Like, it's like, even if it's something you personally are not worried about, like what the scene telegraphs is being like, oh, this is a thing. A lot of people worry. Yeah, close knit families and the speed of which news travels in like WhatsApp groups and group chats and things like that, especially where there's some element of celebrity because of the wealth of this family. These are people who are watched for a lot of different reasons. Yeah. And then just as a fun fact, during this scene, there is a cameo from the author of the original book. But anyway, moving on next, we see I think the next scene is a scene between Rachel and her mother because they are trying to pick out an outfit for the wedding. I love this scene. Yeah, there's very few scenes with Rachel's mother, but I love the relationship that they have. And I love, you know, how supportive and like loving and also like kind of like gently humorous that these two characters have in this scene where, you know, her mother obviously thinks the world of her daughter, but she's like, I don't know. Like you think all Chinese people are the same and inside your head and your heart, you're quite different. Yeah, this is like very much and we're setting. We don't know it yet in the movie, but we're setting up a contrast to sort of what this Chinese American story is like two generations within this story. And then we're going to compare and contrast that to like three generations when they finally travel. And then we know the like preceding generational story that comes from that. So, you know, this ultimately becomes a conversation intention between like narratives and lived experiences between cultures. Yes, exactly. I think that's also the scene is not in the book. And I think it's another scene that shows this is this movie has far more of an Asian versus Asian American conflict. Which the book is a lot more about like class and like the amount of money that Rachel has. Yeah. Ken Zhang later saying to his kid there are starving children in America. My favorite like hard truth joke of this whole movie. I think that played so much better in 2018. That's the present day. Where I don't know. I don't know what's going on right now. Oh, it's terrible. It probably was a little jauntier, a little pepier. Now we're like. With everyone in a very Chinese time in their life. Yes, yes. China flexes. And it's like, look at all our beautiful high speed rail. You can get anywhere in the country. Very cool. China. I think like at this, this part we're on the plane, right? We're in first appears to be first class. And also is this where she first learns that he has money? Yes. It doesn't know it because he goes to the stinky Y. Because he was brought up to not talk about money and like be very hidden about it. It's like gauche to talk about money. Also, side note, originally they had approached Singapore Airlines to ask if they could film this scene in their movie. And then Singapore is like, I don't know how your movie is going to turn out. So no. So they ended up having to create a fictional airline for it. Also, this movie has a lot of escapist fantasies to it. And like, I don't know if I will ever fly first class, but like, I love going on YouTube and like looking at the little bedrooms that other people like have a lie flat seat for like 15 hour flights. I'm like, that sounds amazing. They're little pods. Yeah. That's how the other not half, but some part of the world lives. Not me. My terrible habit is I love looking at that and like, you know, overnight sleeper trains. I just find it very soothing. That is so soothing. There's something beautiful about it. Yes. This is where she learns that he has money. He says that we're comfortable and she says something that someone with a lot of money would say that's something a super rich person would say. And then on the plane, we are introduced to Nick's cousins. All of them are very colorful characters. They have more developed storylines in the book. But for the purpose of this movie, it's very simplified. And the only cousin we really care about is Astrid, who is played by Gemma Chan. And she is so lovely in this movie. Like she's so classy. I love her entrance with her Audrey Hepburn vibe. So it's really great. And even though even though that we don't spend a ton of time with them individually in the movie, these vignettes set them up really nicely. They like feel like chapters in a book where we're learning who we are supposed to care about. Yeah. And it also shows that this family spread out, you know, through Asia because Ronnie Chen's character is in Hong Kong. And then Alistair is in Taiwan with his very cartoonish girlfriend, Kibi Pong. Yes. So they land at Changi Airport, where they are greeted by Nick's best friend, Colin and his fiance, Araminta, who are all very normal and lovely people. And then now begins the Singapore tourism portion of this movie, which I fell for Hook, Line and Sinker because I love seeing beautiful images of faraway places. And I did end up going to Singapore, Malaysia, where this movie was filmed two years ago to meet the friend that I mentioned. You already done. Fantastic. How was your trip? It's very hot in Singapore. But I ended up going to almost all of the locations sometimes by accident because the scenes that were ostensibly in London and New York were actually filmed in Malaysia. And one of the criticisms of this movie, which I think is very valid, is Singapore itself is actually quite diverse. Like they have four official languages, like English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. And this movie, while it's I do think it's a cultural cornerstone, some people say it's more like crazy rich East Asians. Because when you go to Singapore and Malaysia and like Southeast Asia, there's a lot of like South Asian and like Malay and like all sorts of different kinds of ethnicities that are not featured in this film, unless except like, you know, if they're like kind of buffoonish like the Gurkha guards, which is unfortunate. But I don't know if there was a conversation where they're like, well, we can't have different Asians for this movie. That would be confusing to people. So yeah. I don't know if this is the case, but I could see some argument where if you're talking about a particular wealth class and people who are like, it seems like this class in particular is like all separated by like their family. I mean, it's their family. Like it's like family or like one degree away from their family. So I wonder how much of that ends up playing into it. But I don't know because I was not involved. That's definitely true. Anyway, so after they're greeted by Colin Aramenta, they take them to a wonderful food sequence where you are introduced to Singapore's hawker market culture. It's true. Like you can have a very delicious meal for like five dollars Canadian there. It's where he says basically every meal is like it's like their signature meal. They do like one meal extraordinarily well. Yeah, they only do one dish and sometimes it's like generations of families perfecting it. And people can get Michelin like the stalls can get Michelin stars, which is great. Yeah. Part of why I like the book is there's so many lavish food descriptions and like I ended up reading a song of ice and fire and a lot, not just because, you know, it's a very popular series, but even though it's like a really grim universe where like all the main characters are getting different parts of their body hacked off, then they, you know, they sit down for like a nice plate of cappuccino and like butter peas and like a flag of ale or whatever. I just like any time books have like lavish food descriptions. I love that. Have you read Hannibal? No, is there food in that? I thought they just ate people. No, Hannibal, we talked about it on the show once and Hannibal is like it was a sequel that Thomas Harris wrote because like the whenever the studio was like, we'll give you 10 or the publisher was like, we'll give you $10 million to write the sequel to the book and he did it and then they opted immediately. Hannibal, no joke, is just a travel diary to Italy, like a travel diary to Italy. And he just like follows Hannibal going around and eating all of these lavish meals in Italy. And that's what it is. Amazing. Really remarkable, really remarkable work on Thomas Harris's part. So they're at the market. So they're at the market. They're getting along really well. And then I think following that, there is another scene of Astrid and her husband. And we are shown that Astrid loves shopping because she's a very rich woman, but she has to hide it because her husband has a beautiful torso, which is like well presented in this movie, but is visibly insecure by her wealth because after he showers and returns to the bedroom, he says three shitty passive aggressive things to her. Is it about money pants? Yeah, you wear the money pants and like, oh, good. I guess I'll see Rachel, another commenter like me. And I'm like, Jesus. Yeah, he is. He makes things tough. Yes. The next day, Rachel goes to see her university friend, Paiklin, who is played by Aquafina. And then we are introduced to her family, which as I mentioned earlier, is more the new money. So their home is like a lot more gaudy and like gold. It's Versailles themed. Yes, Versailles themed. It's like just an incredible, like an incredible part of like Nouveau Riche. Like, yes, it's big. It's a gaudy. I think Aquafina's mother is played by a Singapore actor. This cast was very international. Like there were actors coming from like Australia, Singapore, like England, Hong Kong, Malaysia. And so I think they had some notable Singapore and Malaysian actors. But anyway, we meet her family. We meet Ken Jong's character. I think his name is Waimun Go. But anyway, during the scene is revealed that Rachel is dating Nick Young, who they tell her is a very, very big deal. And the wedding she is going to is a very big deal. And she cannot be shown in the dress that her mother picked for her for this trip. This is a woman who's never used the internet as we've learned. Everybody, Google your perspective spouses. Just once. Don't do it all the time. Don't be weird about it. But just throw it into the do have been verified, you know, search. Just make sure, you know. Oh, my God, I'm so nosy. I love snooping on people's. Come on. But then I feel slightly protected because my name is like relatively common. So I'm like, good luck. There's seven million Amanda Wong's. There's actually one Amanda Wong and Vancouver, who is an actress. And I think she paid for like the SEO for everything to direct to her. So I'm like, oh, thank God. I mean, what a service actress Amanda Wong has done for you. That's great. If I ever get any smoke, like the law point at her. Thank you. Thanks, Vancouver, Amanda Wong. Other one. It's true, though. Like I think sometimes I sign up for services, like maybe I'll like join a yoga studio or something and they'll be like, oh, there's already seven Amanda Wong's in the system. And I'm like, no, that's all right. That's fine. Yeah, you were right. That the actress that plays the mother is a Singaporean actress and comedian. Oh, great. Good work. I think I could tell because she has a very strong Singaporean accent. And then one thing that I'm kind of sad about is there's not a lot of Singlish in this movie. Singlish is like this unique combination of Singaporean English. And then they throw in words like, la, you're like, OK, la. But anyway, so Akwafina explains to the main character into us the deal behind these secretive families and how they have so much money and that they own a lot of Singapore and that they had come to the country a long, long time ago. So she has to be prepared to meet a chilly reception because there's so snobby. And then Akwafina also dresses her up in a better dress, which I love. And then we go to see the estate of this family for the first time. And it's beautiful. And all the people in it are so fancy and well dressed. Is this when she and Akwafina go to the party and Akwafina reveals that in the trunk of her car, she has a variety of different gowns for the occasion. And one is for outfits for the occasion and one is Walk of Shame. I know, I saw that. I love the idea that she's like, well, I can't just leave this guy's house dressed like this. I need something classier. That is forward thinking. That is utilitarian forward thinking. And I appreciate it. So Nick greets Rachel at the mansion and then immediately takes her to meet her mother for the first time, who was played by the amazing Michelle Yeoh and is already chilly about Rachel. Michelle Yeoh has the disposition of Scar and the Lion King cartoon. Oh, my God, she's so good at playing Icy Dustain. It's so good. I feel like she's playing a similar character in Wicked, which was also directed by John M. Chu. Oh, OK. Yeah. And I'm like, oh, man, I would love to meet her and just like, you know, touch my face and be like, you will never be enough. I've just taken, taken whatever force is happening there. And then so Rachel is carted around the party and introduced various family members who all react awkwardly to her. It's not a good time for her until she meets cousin Oliver, who is played by Nico Santos. And then he says he's the rainbow sheep with the family. And he has an English accent plummier than the rest of them. And he is one of my favorite parts of the movie. Yeah, he's a real delight. I was trying to think of like a binary to him that I've seen in another movie outside of like, who is the Peter Dinklage character in Game of Thrones? Like he sort of has that vibe with regard to like the role he plays in the collective family, although he kind of has a little finger situation going on too. But the this is such a delicious and like flame boy and wonderful and specific character who's like the family fixer because he's the poorest of the stock and like next to like anyone I've ever been in a room with would be the most affluent person. Yes. And then he explains that he procures things for the family like a rare Cambodian gong, which then leads to one of the family members using it to announce that they are going to see the flowers, which is the pretense for this party being thrown. And then in the next scene, we are introduced to the main source of power for this family, the grandmother, who is played by Lisa Lu, who is a very, very old Chinese American actress. She's 99 years old this year. Yeah, I really hope she makes it to next year in polls of Dick Van Dyke. Yes. But she has been acting in the industry for so long. She was in Bonanza. Holy boy. Yes. Her role in Bonanza is like way more stereotypical. In what? In Bonanza? I was like, you're going to shock this shit out of me. And I'm like, it was a pretty progressive role. They were actually surprisingly forward to it. I read that John M. Chu, when he wanted to do this movie, he was so excited to cast it because he called it like, I want the Avengers of like Asian Americans. And he was able to get, you know, everyone he wanted, like different comedians like Ken Jeong and like Ronnie Chang and Jimmy O. Yang and then Michelle Yeoh, obviously. And then, you know, older actresses like Lisa Lu. And then for me, like I also appreciate being able to see all these actors play these different roles. And when I had seen this movie in theaters, so in the opening weekend in North America, apparently 38% of the audience was Asian, which is very unusual. And there wasn't energy in my theater where everyone was like, we have to support this movie. Like it has to work. And it made for a very good movie experience. Like I would say this was my top three movie experiences. Like the other ones are Magic Mike, XXL and Cats. What a collection. What a top three. Because everyone in the audience for this movie was like laughing a little harder and like gasping when it was appropriate to gasp. And they're just like, we have to make this movie work. Even if it's like not that great, we still have to like support for it. And I'm like, I understand. I don't know if it was different or unique to living in Vancouver, but like it was just really big at the time. I remember going to my grocery store that's around the corner from my apartment. And then when I went to pay the cashier, it was this middle age Chinese woman. And then she greeted me with like, hello, have you seen the new movie, Crazy Rich Asians? And I'm like, oh, I have, actually. And she's like, I think this is very important. I think, you know, it will do well for us. Yeah. For people. I think it's like it's incredibly important to remind. And this movie is an example of this where it's like, again, it's not fair that a movie, you know, it's telling a story of sort of like mass structural inequality that a movie can't just be a movie. It has to be like a test and it has to be a test. That's like proven correct. Like not fair. It shouldn't be like that. But it is an important reminder that it's like if there is a kind of movie that you like and it's coming to the theater or like there's like a thing that's adjacent to the kind of thing you like, like you have to fucking go and support it. Yes. Because if you don't support it, it is not shown to people who give money out to these things that it is a worthwhile investment for them. And like when people do show up, it can like change what gets made and who's given opportunities. So it's incredibly important to remember, even if it's just like, you know, I mean, you know, it's Oscar night and we're going to see how centers does. I feel like so many people ended up going to see centers because it was a great movie. But they were also like, I want to support movies like this so that they keep getting made. Yeah. I think this movie came out during a period where there were a lot of movies which I think were, you know, of various qualities. I think most of them were good, but they were also like, you have to come and show that there is a market for movies like this, like movies like Black Panther or like Get Out or even Wonder Woman in 2017. Because prior to Wonder Woman, all the movies with like female superheroes were kind of dire, even though I kind of enjoy Supergirl and Catwoman and like Tank Girl and even like Barb Wire a little bit. But yeah. Barb Wire is. Also, Tank Girl keeps coming up on the show. We really need to do Tank Girl. It's crazy. We've never done it. Really interesting. Came up in our last episode. People recommended it all the time. So where yeah, where are we movie wise? We met mom. We met the grandmother. We met grandma. Yes. We met mom and grandmother and we watched the beautiful Tanhua Blossoms bloom because they are a cactus flower that's nocturnal blooming and they only bloom once every little while. I'm not sure what the period is. And then I think that's the end of Act One. Act Two is the twin bachelor and bachelorette parties. And we see Nick going to Kongku's bachelor party, which is being thrown by Jimmy O Yang's character. And it is what I think is like a 12 year old boy's idea of what a wild bachelor party is. But yeah, Jimmy O Yang is basically doing even more unhinged Elon in this movie in a way that I appreciate it. And then meanwhile, because Araminta is like very friendly, she had invited Rachel to her bachelorette party. She's wearing an amazing gold jumpsuit and she looks great. But unfortunately, her posse is extremely snobby and Rachel is walking into a trap. Yeah, it's sad. It's sad. It's like real godfather shit happens. Like that's how much of a trap it is. Like there are decomposing fish in beds. Yes. And then there's surprise ex-girlfriends that she was not told about. Nick is very handsome, but like he's not that creative a partner to keep all this stuff from her, I think. Why are they talking about? Like what is one night in their their time together? Like he's omitted a lot of biography. I know, I feel like when you first start dating someone, a serious relationship, you're like, tell me about your family. And they're at the point where he is ready to propose to her. And yeah, is he just like, mom is good. Yeah, she's like, great, awesome. No ex-girlfriends. Yeah, don't worry about it. You're not going to run into all of them at a party one day. They won't be from a different financial stratosphere and culturally alien to you and they won't judge you for it. Don't worry about it. That itself is an interesting tension in the movie where he hasn't conveyed any of this, but it can like I'm not going to say they can be forgiven, but like if a core thing for him is to like not talk about wealth, you're told not to talk about wealth. It's goes to talk about wealth. Like don't show wealth. I could see how there is a lack of clarity to him, especially if he has not lived on the other side of wealth, meaning not well, to know that it is like kind of important to bring this stuff up to people so that they can be prepared for the psychological warfare they're about to face. I think it's very unusual because you can't really generalize about any culture, but my experience with Chinese culture is there's no taboos against two topics that I find difficult to talk about in Western culture. And that is people are more transparent about talking about money and weight. Yes, yes. But I guess because this is an old money family and maybe this is true of like many old wealthy families, they don't talk about money. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's just an it's an element. It is a thing that is it's not a thing for conversation. And then after Nick rescues Colin from the Bachelorette Party, where he is not enjoying himself, they have a heart to heart at some beautiful tropical island where Nick reveals that he is ready to propose to Rachel. And Colin says, I'm happy for you, but I think this will be very difficult for Rachel. And that is proven by the fact that not only did Rachel find out that Nick's ex-girlfriend is there doing psychological terror tactics on her. But when she goes back to her hotel room, there is a gutted fish. This is go back and then there's it's written in the window, go back home gold digger. Yeah, catch this gold digger or something like that. That's it. Yeah. Not what you want. Yes. In the next scene, Rachel is rightfully chewing Nick out for not preparing her for any of this. Does the touching moment on the beach happen yet where she's sort of upset and who is the other character? Astrid. Oh, I forgot to mention that she runs into Astrid, who is one of her few allies in this family. And they do have a very touching moment where she says, please tell me this will get better. And Astrid has a complicated look on her face, tries to lie at first and says, of course, it gets better. But then later admits that her beautiful, slightly mean husband is having an affair. Yeah. And then she has there's that really sweet, sort of unspoken moment where Astrid puts her head on her shoulder. And it's a very I found that very touching. Yeah. And it's such a small moment, but and it does sound a little cliche. But for me, it did matter to like see on the big screen to Asian women sharing like an acting moment like this and just silently playing it. I really love that scene. I would say it's similar to the scene where Barbie sees the old woman and the movie. I love that scene. Yeah. It just adds a lot of texture and like lovely vulnerability to the movie. Yeah, no, for sure. And I think it's also just like, I mean, I'm sure everyone can relate on some level to being in a situation where you feel like you have no allies and then you have an ally. I think that that's like a very sweet sort of you don't have to say a lot about that. Yeah. And then you can support each other. Yeah, absolutely. Because Astrid is going through it too. Yeah. I think it's very, very lovely. Yes. So after Rachel chews out Nick rightfully, he says he will do better. But first they have to go to a family event where the family is folding dumplings for a wedding rehearsal supper later. This is brutal. I'm going to try harder, but we have to do one more physical challenge. And it's going to be you eye to eye with my mother. This was rough to watch. Oh, my gosh. But I love it. Like Michelle, you always so good in this scene. Yeah, it's delicious. Apparently when this project was first presented to her, she had said no because at the time in the script and in the book, the mother is a much more simpler character in the book. She's just straight up like, I don't like Rachel because she's poor. And I think she's a gold digger. And then Michelle, you says I don't want to play like, you know, stereotypical dragon lady. So I feel like for this movie, they gave her more layers where she was like, well, Rachel, you seem like you're really big about your career. And I was not welcome into this family because Nick's father could not get the ring from the grandmother character and had to make one of my own, which is the beautiful emerald ring, which I said earlier is Michelle. Yo's own personal ring. And oh, it's so good. Michelle Yo is like it took many years to work in this family, but I know this much. And then she gently touches Rachel's face and says, you will never be enough. Because you're because what happens is she is on the Michelle Yo is on the receiving end of criticism from her mother, from her mother-in-law. Right. Yes. And so when she starts to say this, you're like, oh, cool. She's come around because she saw the error of the ways of her mother. And so it, which would be a very cliche thing, right? You'd be like, oh, she was moved by remembering she's human and the potential future daughter-in-law's human. And no, she fucking doubles down like a bond villain. And you're like, yes, get her ass, Michelle Yo. It's diabolical. And then as they're driving home, Nick reveals that he knows that his mother can be difficult, but his mother had made personal sacrifices in the family because knowing that she was not favored by the grandmother, she had actually given Nick up as a child to be raised by her grandmother so that the grandmother would feel more favorably towards Nick. And then knowing this, I think Rachel as a character feels more empathy for Eleanor because she's like, oh, that must be very hard giving up your child just to exist in this world and like keep the propriety and like the different family dynamics. Yeah, for sure. And then afterwards, we have another scene with Aquafina's character where she's great at playing a bestie in this movie. She's supportive. Yes. It's also, too, it's like one of those things where, you know, like you have a good friend and then they have a very close friend and you just know like a series of like weird top line facts about them. Like that's who this character is, where you're like, I just know a bunch of strange top line facts about this person and it like really colors who they are. Also, her fashion is so fun in this movie because she has like the short blonde wig. And then in the scene, she is wearing a red blouse that's covered with white rabbits. I don't know if that's like what rich people wear or not, but I love it. What version of Ellen does her father say that she is? She comes back home from going to school and you're. He says, I don't understand it because Rachel came home with like a useful degree and you came home as Asian Ellen. Just like the three minutes that he talks in the movie, he really delivers some amazing lines. All the actors for that family are, you know, doing top work. It's so perfect. My friend told me in the scene that introduces Aquafina's family. Originally in the script, it just said for Aquafina's brother to look up from noodles. But then he decided to look up with like all the noodles dripping down his face and he said, Constance, it was like trying not to laugh. That's amazing. It's perfect. Anyway, after a scene between the two friends comes a favorite trope in rom-com, which is the makeover montage. Yes. Because she's like, I'm going to like like she has empathy, but she's also like, I'm going to win. Like that's a funny that's like a funny thing is like we're like entering the third act. Right. And she's like, I get it. It's been hard for her. Her biography is terrifying, but I'm going to beat her ass. Like, I'm going to win. And I love that tension because like, I mean, I think that I it's taken me a long time to get my head around is like, you can understand where someone's coming from. But still, like in order to proceed, you got to like kind of go up against them. Yeah. Yeah. So we got makeover montage. We get great fits. Yes. Makeover montage. And it's set to a Cantonese version of Material Girl by Madonna. Love it. I will be listening to this soundtrack. Oh, yay. When I was growing up, I actually wasn't exposed to that much Western media, despite growing up in Canada, because, you know, my mom is from Hong Kong. So I mostly listen to Kanto Pop. And the first time I listened to certain popular songs would be Cantonese covers of them. Like they did this song, Material Girl, but there's also other songs like Careless Whisper. Amazing. Was done by Anita Mui. So whenever I when I heard the real one, I'm like, what? This is not what my brain is used to. Oh, yeah. I cannot imagine that you hear the Wham version second or the George Michael version second. That would be wild. Yeah, especially because the Cantonese version is sung by a woman. Yeah. The other thing is like these songs are like the lyrics. They follow the melody, but they're also about like completely different subjects. Oh, yeah. So even though Material Girl is playing the actual song is I think the lyrics are like, oh, it's so hot. Like being with you is just so sexy feeling that I feel 200 degrees warm. I'm in. Which is not what Madonna was singing about at all. Who knows what Madonna was singing about? It's fine. Yeah, but it's an American audience and we're familiar with what Material Girl is about. Love it. And after a makeover montage, Rachel comes out of Aquafina's car in a beautiful Cinderella-esque gown, which I love. Yeah. And what's what's the plan? The plan was because originally she says to Aquafina, maybe I shouldn't go to this wedding because I don't want to cause more drama and trouble in this family. And then Aquafina is like, you're just scared. Like you have to go and like show up and win Eleanor's respect. And also during the makeover montage, she is helped by cousin Oliver, who plays well against Aquafina. Because he's like, we're going to finally beat our aunt asshole to everybody. But don't tell her that I'm here. Of course not. Because that's his employer also. So we're now at the big wedding. The final boss. This is like Bowser's castle. Yes, final boss, which is a very elaborate affair because they've transformed the inside of the church to look like a tropical jungle. And then for the Walk of the Bride, they pool water and pond lilies down the aisle. It's crazy. It is crazy. Like as far as interior design goes, or as far as like sort of the artistic direction goes, this is a wild scene. So good. It's so good. So Nick's friends are now happily married. We now move to the reception, which is held in the. It's called Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. And they're these enormous, like artificial trees. So John M. Chu, prior to this movie, was mostly well known for directing musicals, like step up. And then later he did in the Heights. And I think it's very visible in like the ending scene where they had the reception. But the problem is at the scene, it is where Eleanor pulls out her final card, which is that she hired a private investigator to look into Rachel's past. And it turns out she's like, this bitch is trash. Rachel is not even who she thinks she is. Because she had told the family and she believed that her father had passed away when she was a baby. But it turns out that her mother had lied to her and that her father. So her mother had been married to a man in China. And she had cheated on him with a different man and was pregnant with his baby and then ran away to America. Yeah. And the grandmother is like, well, you know, you just have to break up right away. We can't be seen with a family like this. Yeah. And the grandmother was like, cool for a minute. And then she's like, no, I have this new information. This is not going to fly. No, this is. Yeah. I also love the styling of the grandma. Like she looks so classy and dimmer, but like she's also she's also cold, like Michelle. Yes. And then Nick is like horrified at how cruel his family can be. But it doesn't matter. Rachel is like done with all of these dramatic shit and like the fact that they look this up on her. So she runs from the ball or she runs from the wedding Cinderella style. And then she goes back to her friend, Aquafina's house, where she rots in depression. It's it's really sad. And then she receives a surprise visitor. Yes. And you're like, good, Nick's here. No, it's her mom. And again, I said there's very few scenes with this character, but like this is the first point when I cry. Yeah. Because their relationship, you don't see a lot of in this movie, but it's so lovely because her mom explains what had actually happened, which is that she had come from an Amy Tan Joy Luck Club style horrible story, life story, where her husband was abusive and beat her. She's like, I was the fifth cast member in the club, but they didn't have time. They were like, it's too depressing. So we're going to. Yeah. And then when she became pregnant, she was afraid that her husband would kill her. So she had gone to America and then became a self-made woman and worked her way up. And Rachel says, I'm sorry, I didn't know any of this. And then her mother says, don't be sorry. I don't regret any of it because everything I went through led me to you, my brave and clever girl. And I'm like, oh, no. I mean, everything about it is really interesting because when her mom shows up, she's in just like direct contrast to the entire scenery we've seen so far. Like she's wearing like a smart mom outfit, you know what I mean? Like and she's just like and everyone else is so kind of like extremely classy, but also ostentatious and just like the wealth that is it is representing. Even if it's not big, you know that it's like rich. So like seeing her mom show up, do that. And then her mom be like, my story does not matter. What matters is that like I love you and you're like, that's nice. Love you, mom. Yeah. And then also because oftentimes, you know, this is a criticism I heard recently that a lot of Asian-American stories are about parental trauma. And well, I think it resonates with a lot of people. But at the same time, this particular relationship in this movie is very sweet and loving and supportive. And I just love seeing this character with her mom. It's funny that I mean, I think that that's probably true based on any movie. I know that has had some sort of which is not a lot, but it has sort of had an Asian forward storyline like that. There's that. But these people are forgetting that every white male boomer story is about a guy's fucked up relationship with his dad. So true. Every one of them. Every single one of them. And no one's like, what is it with white boomers and their dads? Like, I don't know, but we have shit to get over, apparently. I know that's true. And that's one thing like I totally understand if this movie doesn't work for other people. And it's really hard, especially when you are told a certain movie is like some kind of zeitgeist. But at the same time, like sometimes I see criticism that this movie focuses on, you know, the godliness and the vulgar wealth that very rich people have. And I'm like, well, I mean, it's not called practical poor Asians. Like they only have so much they can do with the source material. Like it's not about class conscious Asians. Like this is the story that they're working with. Yeah, I have not seen this movie before today. And I read the title wrong the entire time as like it's crazy rich. It's not crazy rich Asians. So I was like 10 minutes in, I was like, oh, different direction. This is a much different movie than I thought that it might be. So after the emotional heart to heart between Rachel and her mom, she agrees to meet with Nick, especially because her mom reveals that it was Nick who was able to get her mother there so quickly because she knew that or he knew that Rachel needed her mother. Yeah, she's like, Nick, call me. He wants me to be here. This is important. He wants to spend a lifetime with you telling you nothing about his life. I should speed it up because he's ready to propose to her and walk away from everything. Bless him. And then we come to a pivotal scene, which is invented original to this movie. And it's not in the book, which is that Rachel and Eleanor, Michelle Yeoh's character meet in a mahjong playing Dan or something like that. Yeah. And then they hash it out and then Eleanor explains what her issue is with Rachel in that she is too American. It's not so much that she's poor or that her family is scandalous, but she is concerned that Americans come from an individualistic culture and will put themselves first before they put the family first, which itself is so interesting because like we talked about the Joy Luck Club already and like mahjong and the Joy Luck Club is like intergenerational connection. It's like to the daughters, it's a matter of like connecting to their mothers and where they came from and sort of their story. And like that movie is very like being Asian American and then wondering what that means in the context of your lineage. And this movie feels like it's having a direct conversation with that, where there is then a tension between these characters who have a resentment of an anger toward Asian Americans. And I found that to be fascinating. And then it's like played like a death map, which is incredible. I have a question for you. I don't want to presume I don't know if you're familiar with mahjong, but like, do you understand what is happening in the game as they talk? No. Oh, OK. No idea. I was like, it's looking good for a girl like that. I don't know. No, I like mahjong, I think is magic. Like every time I see people playing it and stuff comes up, I'm like, that seems cool. Like that's like, I don't know what is being played. So to be honest, I only learned mahjong five years ago because my friend Rachel taught me. But the way you play is you are trying to get match sets. It's almost like a match three game. And then so you pick one from the pile and then you either keep it or you have to discard. And then because in the game, Eleanor says Pong, because she's about to get a match set, Rachel is able to see which suits that she is playing for. And then so Rachel gets the piece that she knows will make Eleanor win. It's the eight bamboo. Yes. It looks like an M and a W, but it's like eight pieces of bamboo. And then we see that Rachel, this piece would make Rachel win. But she puts it back in the pile because she knows that Eleanor will pick it. And then Eleanor does win. And then this parallels the conversation that they have because Eleanor says, I don't think as an American, you know what sacrifices. But Rachel says, well, there's no winning because if I say yes to Nick, then he will lose his family. And I don't want that to happen. And I don't want Nick to lose his mother again, because revealing to Eleanor that Rachel knows what happened between them when they when Nick was a boy. I also love this scene because I think Michelle Yeo is a very good actor. And you can see the complicated feelings on her face and in her eyes when she says that. And then Rachel says, I don't want him to lose his family again. So I'm going to go. And then in the future, when he's married to the girl that you pick for him. And you see the tan-ho flowers blooming. I want you to remember that this all happened because of me, the poor nobody. And then she reveals that she had had a winning hand the whole time, but like walked away from it for Eleanor. Some big ass symbolism. I imagine in the theater, people freaked out when that happened. And then she gets up from the table, her head held high, walks away from it, holds hands with her mother, who was in the room the whole time. And then her mother gives Michelle Yeo this amazing look, just like a single angry motherly look because Eleanor had hurt her child. And then hand in hand, they walk away. It's beautiful. Yeah. Which like if this was like a straight up indie movie, that's where it would have ended. Yeah. If this were like a little more 90s depressing, we would be done there. But they're doing big, brassy, bold rom-com. So you gotta have the don't get on the plane scene, which is wonderful. We haven't played yellow yet. So they're playing yellow and Rachel and her mom are going to get on a plane to get back to New York in economy this time. No fancy flatbed seats in first class. Yeah, beautiful mirroring. Yes, but it creates a lot of funny humorous opportunities because Nick shows up on the plane and says, Rachel, don't get on this flight. I have something to tell you. I love this. And Rachel is about to say, no, you don't have to. Like I already talked to your mother. But then Nick reveals that Nick is going to propose to Rachel with his mother's ring, which as we've already established was not something that Eleanor was able to get from Nick's father because Nick's father's mother did not approve of the relationship. And that's the second time I always cry at this movie because yellow is swelling up and the actress playing the impatient person wanting to take the flight behind her. It's like working so well to be like, yes, yes, she will marry you. And then so they hug, they kiss, they get off the plane, they go to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, and then they have a dance party ending like Shrek or some kind of Dreamworks movie, the end. And then there is an after credits tag like a Marvel movie to introduce a character that we have never seen before in the movie, which is supposed to be Astrid's new love interest. Oh, I left out the subplot where Astrid confronts her husband about the affair. And then her husband is not kind about it at all. And then lays out all the problems he has with the marriage and then storms off. And then afterwards, after they presumably agreed to separation, Astrid says, you can live in this apartment. I'll go live in one of my many real estate properties. And you will see our son when it's good for him and not for you. And he says, I'm not the only one that's screwed up. And she's like, you're right, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kept things from you. It's not my job to make you feel like a man. I can't make you something that you're not. Love that point. Everyone in my audience was like, oh, I love this bit. This is so good. Listen to this line, everybody. This is so good. And yes, it's like it's a little bit silly because you either buy in or you don't buy in that for Astrid to feel like herself, you know, who she is, is a very, very rich woman with like million dollar pearl earrings, which she puts on to say, like, now I can be my true self. But for the purpose of this movie, I'm like, I buy into this. Good for you, Astrid. It doesn't seem outside of the realm of any possibility to buy into, like, you know, we all realize at some point that it's like, oh, we're like, we're prioritizing the wrong things with regard to, like, what is going to create harmony. And one thing that will never create harmony is like blowing smoke for someone who is never going to be satisfied because they're insecure. Yes. So like, she's finally calling that out, which is a great thing. Like, I think a lot of people need to hear that and a lot of people need to consider saying that same thing. Yeah, because, you know, this character is very insecure. And I think even without the money, he would still be snippy to her. Like, I don't know why him being snippy to her bothers me more than the affair. Maybe it's because that's what you see in the movie. But like, I just can't handle when, you know, you have what's supposed to be a loving relationship with someone and they just keep making snide comments to you. Like, I don't know how to handle that. I agree. And I think that, like, even if there isn't like violence, violence, like the violence that can occur in a relationship is like the Death by a Thousand Cuts thing, where it's like, what a fair who fucking cares? It's like, you've been shitting me 20 times a day every day that we've been together. Like, I don't care who you fuck. Just like, don't be shitty to me every time we have a conversation. Yeah, I agree. I mean, I think that every time and they do it so masterfully, like the stuff he says, like none of it is like, ooh, but it's all like, oh, come on. Yeah. You know, so add that up and eventually, you know, your partner is going to leave you for one of her 14 luxury apartments. The moral of the story is. Anyway, that's crazy. Rich Asians. Oh, I'm so glad we did it. I'm shocked there was. Is there a sequel? Well, so unfortunately, the after credits scene where we introduced to a new character is supposed to be Astrid's love interest in the next two books. And they were going to do a trilogy of the books. But so this is very, very unfortunate. This movie has two credited writers. One of them, I think his name is Peter Cirelli, and the other one's name is Adele Lim, who is an Asian woman. And then for the sequel, she revealed that she was offered maybe like an eighth of what the other author or the other writer was offered. And then she found that very insulting and she left. And then the sequel was put in development hell and to this date. We don't know what's going on. Last I heard, they said, well, maybe this will be a TV series instead. Oh, and then as another note, the interesting thing is when they were trying to get this project off the ground at the time, Netflix was looking for original content wherever they could. And they had approached the filmmakers and said, you know, we'll give all the stakeholders of this film, you know, seven figures each and we'll guarantee you a trilogy and we'll guarantee you creative freedom. I think it was a similar deal to what Ryan Johnson got for the Knives Out franchise, because all of those films are exclusively streaming on Netflix after a brief theatrical window. And it was very tempting for Kevin Kwan and John M. Chu, because they're like, well, this way we would, you know, we would have a guaranteed three movies and we'd have all this money. But for John M. Chu, he was like, it's too important to me that this movie gets a theatrical release, because if it doesn't get theatrical release, we're right back to where we were before, which is that there's no proof of concept that audiences are willing to come out to the theater and pay in the box office to see Asians on screen. Yeah. I mean, a great, great call. Seems like that was very much the right call in that situation. Yeah. Do you have any wrapping thoughts that you haven't been able to address sort of while we've been talking it through? Only that I'm very, very happy we got to talk about this movie, and I'm very happy to talk about what this means in Asian representation. And I don't know if this is like one of my favorite movies, but it's definitely one of the movies that weirdly affected me personally so much only because I made a friend out of this movie that I went to see two years ago. And that I'm happy to talk about the actual plot of this movie and like what I enjoy about it and all the different lovely scenes and the fashion and the soundtrack. So thank you for that. Oh, my God, I'm so happy to. I'm so happy to have done it. So I have a question for you, which is, OK, we know that Rachel's father, not good, who in your view is the daddy of crazy rich Asians? So I think to go slightly off kilter, I think the daddy is cousin Oliver. Oh, yeah, total. Of course it is. Not only is he the fixer in the family, I think it's a very dad move when he's like, good for you. This is the right thing to do. I'm going to help you. Don't tell your mother. Yeah, absolutely. We're going to do the right thing. There's no reason your mother is no mother. No, I agree. I mean, I agree. I there's no I don't even have a distant, distant second runner. Oliver is Oliver's the best. I really loved the character every time he's on screen. It's a delight. Like just devours the scenery. Great guy. Excellent. Well, thanks for thanks for being here. I really appreciate you. Thanks so much. Oh, no, that's it for this week's episode of You Are Good at Feeling's podcast about movies. Thanks so much for listening. Thanks to Amanda Wong for being here. Thanks to Miranda Zickler for producing and editing this episode. Thanks to y'all for hanging with us. Thanks to Fresh Lesh for providing the beats to make our episodes sound so sweet. Thanks for supporting us on Patreon and Apple podcast subscriptions. We get that Star Trek, the next generation episode coming out soon. Thank you for everything, really. Don't forget that you, my friend, are good. All right, that's it for me. Thanks so much for being here. We are glad you are with us.