Crazy Rich Asians (12A) ****
Crazy Rich Asians is a shot in the arm for the rom-com, happily focusing on the comedy as well as the romance. That’s not to say there won’t be tears jerked in some key scenes - Jon M Chu’s movie has the wisdom to draw us strongly rounded characters we can really invest in. Like this year’s Black Panther, it also happens to be a celebration of diversity, a mainstream rom-com featuring a cast of almost entirely Asian origins.
Based on the bestselling novel of the same name, there’s plenty of cheese and colour amid the drama. Much of that comes courtesy of the eclectic family of Nick Young (Henry Golding), who is living in New York and madly in love with his girlfriend of one year, Rachel (Constance Wu).
He wants her to join him on a trip to his homeland of Singapore to attend his best friend’s wedding and meet the parents.
Nick’s family is one of the wealthiest and most prestigious in the country, meaning not only is he a much-sought-after bachelor, he also has responsibilities.
His stern and matriarchal mum (Michelle Yeoh) has expectations that her son will return home to run the family business - and has no intention of letting some young New Yorker get between her and her boy.
Awkwafina is the standout. As Rachel’s former college roommate now back home and living locally, she brings a riot of fun to the film and steals just about every scene she’s in.
The King of Thieves (15A) **
A CAST OF LEGENDS have fun with x-rated barbs and banter in this film based on a true heist in London. But the story falls apart in the execution.
The 2015 Hatton Garden heist was one of the biggest and most audacious robberies in British history, with at least £14 million stolen in cash, jewellery and other assets from the safety deposit box facility.
More curious still was the fact that the robbery was masterminded by a group of seasoned villains in their sixties and seventies.
James Marsh’s film aims to blend a ‘grumpy old men’ element of comedy into the caper, and while there are some laughs to be had from watching a starry cast tear strips off each other, it all wears pretty thin as a drama. Giving the great story at its core, that feels like a disappointment.
Michael Caine fares best as Reader, a recently bereaved man who’s torn between going straight and the thrill and camaraderie of teaming up with a bunch of former crooks to take on one last job.
