CRAZY RICH ASIANS
Crazy rich comedy with heart — for discerning adults only.
Should You Watch It?
This is a four-star romantic comedy with a lot going for it. It is fast-moving, funny, emotionally affecting, and filled with strong performances. Its story promotes goodwill toward people despite social differences, and it includes several surprising Christian and biblical references.
But the content rating is −2. Strong foul language and sexual references keep this from being suitable for children or young teens. The film also includes fornication, adultery, a homosexual character portrayed as likeable, pagan superstitions, and a wild bachelor party.
If you are a discerning adult who can weigh those concerns, this is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESRachel Chu is a Chinese economics professor at New York University who is in love with Nick, a handsome young man from Singapore. When Nick invites her home for his best friend’s wedding and to meet his family, Rachel discovers that his family is one of the ten richest Asian families in the world.
Nick’s mother does not approve of Rachel and takes steps to make sure she knows she will never become part of the family. Rachel must face Nick’s family, their wealthy friends, and the social differences standing between them.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is an exceptionally enjoyable film. It is funny, crowd-pleasing, and emotionally moving, with strong performances from Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, and Awkwafina. The supporting cast adds appealing comic moments.
The dialogue is strong, the characters are finely drawn, and the movie offers touching, uplifting scenes. Its comic soap-opera structure keeps the story moving while still allowing room for heart-tugging moments. The movie’s content prevents it from being truly great for family audiences, but its entertainment quality is excellent.
The Worldview
The film presents a light, somewhat implied Christian worldview with strong moral elements. A Bible study includes references to Ephesians 6:4 and Colossians 3:1-2. A church wedding, a Christian pastor, stained-glass windows, and a baptism-like aisle also provide Christian imagery.
The movie promotes goodwill toward people despite social differences. It rebukes snobbery, prejudice, gossip, lying, and meanness. It also questions the idea that wealth and social status determine a person’s worth. At the same time, its view of family can become controlling, especially when Nick’s mother argues that America’s emphasis on the individual is toxic to family life.
The film includes pagan superstitions and some immoral pagan behavior. It also contains sexual immorality, including adultery, fornication, and a homosexual character used partly for comic relief and portrayed as likeable. These elements weaken an otherwise redemptive emphasis on love, respect, and goodwill.
The Bible calls viewers to set their minds on what is above, not merely on wealth or earthly status: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Light, somewhat implied Christian worldview with some strong moral elements containing overt biblical references, a church wedding is officiated by a Christian pastor who isn’t given any lines, an overt reference to Ephesians 6:4 (but the verse isn’t quoted), Colossians 3:1-2 is read in one scene (“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things”), and stained glass windows shown, but mitigated by some Romantic elements, one or two references to pagan superstitions, some immoral pagan behavior, some apparent anti-capitalist elements as super-rich people are shown sometimes to be mean and prejudiced, and some overt homosexual elements where one effeminate male character admits he’s homosexual to the female lead when they meet and girl’s father says his young adult daughter looks like a lesbian celebrity because of her short blonde hair, but otherwise there’s no other indication that the woman is herself lesbian
Foul Language
23 obscenities (two “f” words), three strong profanities, and seven light profanities
Violence
Woman accidentally spills drink on man’s shirt, some jealous women have placed a dead fish on woman’s pillow and written a nasty insult behind the bed, a scuffle occurs in the background, and an older woman says her husband was abusive
Sex
Implied fornication in one scene, unmarried couple sleeps together on plane in special first-class bedroom, one effeminate male character, who helps the female lead at one point, admits he’s homosexual when she meets him, a reference to a lesbian celebrity, but her sexual behavior is not mentioned, large bachelor party features many girls in bikinis, man caught fooling around with girlfriend of one of lead male character’s cousins, some passionate kissing, it’s mentioned that a woman with an abusive husband had a child out of wedlock with another man who helped her escape from husband, and a geeky older teenage boy has a crush on his older sister’s female friend
Nudity
Upper male nudity and images of women in bikinis at bachelor party
Alcohol Use
Alcohol use, including at raucous wedding reception and at a bachelor party
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
A mention of cigars and an unlikeable character says the word “drugs” in one brief conversation, but nothing is shown;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Snobbery and prejudice but rebuked, rich young women are jealous of rich man’s girlfriend who isn’t rich like them, woman falsely accused of being a golddigger, some gossip, some lying, and some people are mean to others, but it’s not endorsed.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
How can wealth and social status distort the way people treat one another? What does Scripture require of us instead?
James 2:1-4 · Philippians 2:3-4Nick’s mother believes family loyalty should control major decisions. What does healthy honor of family look like, and where must loyalty to God come first?
Ephesians 6:4 · Matthew 10:37The film includes a Bible study about setting our minds on things above. What earthly things compete for your attention and affection?
Colossians 3:1-2 · Matthew 6:19-21The story includes adultery and other sexual immorality. How do love, faithfulness, and self-control protect people from treating relationships selfishly?
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 · Galatians 5:22-23The Final Word
This is a funny, moving, beautifully performed comedy with a redemptive heart. Its strong language, sexual content, and pagan elements make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For family viewing, choose from our.
