Abstract
We review the 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians in order to highlight its relevance for debates on immigration, globalization and consumption. In doing so, we argue that a new model of immigration for East Asians, distant and distinct from the American Dream, a “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” narrative infused with an Asian ethic, is being valorized in the film. We also illuminate the complexities of East Asian representation on screen, as evidenced by varying receptions to the film in America and in various regions of Asia. And, finally, we note that while the film celebrates excess in consumption on the surface, in the film, critiques of this orientation are manifest as well. Overall, we see the film to be a harbinger of new frontiers in global blockbusters, ushering in an era where the values depicted on screen are no longer solely dominated by an American orientation.
Highlights
In 2018, Crazy Rich Asians (CRA) burst onto our screens, taking over $26 million for its opening weekend in the US (Box Office Mojo 2019)
We review the 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians in order to highlight its relevance for debates on immigration, globalization and consumption
We argue that a new model of immigration for East Asians, distant and distinct from the American Dream, a “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” narrative infused with an Asian ethic, is being valorized in the film
Summary
In 2018, Crazy Rich Asians (CRA) burst onto our screens, taking over $26 million for its opening weekend in the US (Box Office Mojo 2019). Han’s (2018) critique argues that – while Chinese Americans may welcome their prominent visibility in comparison to typical Hollywood stories – despite the Singaporean setting, CRA is a Hollywood production that whitewashes Asian stories and engages in stereotyping. This may explain why, despite the storyline focusing on the highly networked elite Chinese diaspora, the film took in only $1.6 million in China. Screen tourism is well established (e.g. Volo and Irimiás 2016) and this is certainly a central part of the current Singapore Tourism Board’s approach to promoting the island (TIH 2018)
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