Crazy Rich Asians has thought-provoking ideas about Asian and American identities
Perhaps the most poignant story Crazy Rich Asians tells about Asian identity - one I honestly wish it delved into a bit more - is how many Asian Americans often feel as if we're neither here nor there.
In America, the struggle for Asian Americans is often one of assimilation, of being seen as American, a struggle made even more difficult by the xenophobic undercurrent informing the nation's current political climate.
Crazy Rich Asians shines a light on a related but less explored idea: that people in Asia don't see American life as worth assimilating to. And the vision we get of their sophisticated, successful lives in this film suggests they might be onto something.
Rachel is faced with this split between her Asian and Asian-American identity. Even though she doesn't seem like she should be an outsider with Nick's family, she's never fully accepted because of her American cultural identity. Some of the most affirming and thought-provoking parts of Crazy Rich Asians happen when it's exploring this duality.
