Review: A flawed but vital milestone, 'Crazy Rich Asians' pays exuberant tribute to Singapore's 1 percent
Before it whisks you off on the sunniest, most extravagant Singaporean holiday imaginable, "Crazy Rich Asians" begins on a curiously dark and stormy night.
When Eleanor Young (a mesmerizing Michelle Yeoh) arrives dripping wet at an exclusive London hotel, the snob at the front desk declines her booking and advises her to stay elsewhere ("May I suggest Chinatown?"). He's hopelessly unaware that he's dealing with one of the world's wealthiest families, or that the tables will soon be satisfyingly turned. In this juicily poised score-settler of a movie, the crime of underestimating an opponent is always met with a swift, humiliating comeuppance.
The opening sequence - notably, the first and last time a white actor appears on-screen - makes a nice teaser for the movie itself. Directed with an exuberantly personal touch by Jon M. Chu from a spirited if uneven script by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim,
