The movie Crazy Rich Asians is one of the best romantic comedy-drama films and an incredible leap forward for Asian representation in the film industry.
The movie follows Rachel Chu, A Chinese American economics professor from New York, who accompanies her boyfriend Nick Young, a handsome and kind Chinese Singaporean man, to Singapore to meet his family and attend his best friend’s wedding.
There, to Rachel’s surprise, she finds out that he is the heir to one of the wealthiest real-estate companies in Singapore.
While there, Rachel meets adversary from Nick’s mother, Eleanor Sung-Young, for her low social class and Chinese American heritage. Luckily, she stays strong in adversary and gets support from some of Nick’s family members, Nick, her best friend Peik Lin, and her mother, Kerry Chu.
The film stars Constance Wu as Rachel Chu, the film’s strong female protagonist, Henry Golding as Nick Young, her dashing and kindhearted rich boyfriend, Awkwafina as Peik Lin, Rachel’s best friend, and Michelle Yeoh as Eleanor Sung-Young, Nick’s mother.
Crazy Rich Asians was directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, based upon the novel by Kevin Kwan. It was released in 2018 to critical acclaim, even earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Comedy or Musical Film.
Movies like Crazy Rich Asians include, but are not limited to, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Farewell, and Four Weddings and a Funeral.
All the films listed below are beautiful stories about love, weddings, strong female protagonists, or even beautiful realistic depictions of various cultural groups not usually explored in cinema.
1. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a 2002 romantic comedy-drama film directed by Joel Zwick. Nia Vardalos wrote the movie and starred in it.
The film follows Toula Portokalos, a woman in her thirties whose traditional Greek family is desperate for Toula to get married. She soon meets Ian Miller, a handsome teacher, and quickly falls in love with him.
Unfortunately for her family, Ian is not Greek, and they find it difficult to understand and accept him as a result. Toula must convince her family to embrace him while she comes to terms with her own cultural identity.
The movie stars Nia Vardalos as Toula Portokalos and John Corbett as Ian Miller.
The film grossed $368,744,044 worldwide at the box office. My Big Fat Greek Wedding also received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, the film focuses on the love between two people from different cultural identities, with one family struggling to accept it.
Related: ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2’ gets bigger
2. The Farewell
![The Farewell [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51H2u41NG5L._SL500_.jpg "The Farewell [Blu-ray]")
The Farewell is a 2019 comedy-drama directed and written by Lulu Wang, based on a similar event in Wang’s own life.
The movie follows Billi, a young Chinese American woman. She and her family must return to China from America to say goodbye to her grandmother, Nai Nai. The latter is dying of terminal lung cancer and only has a few months left to live unknowingly to the ill matriarch in the form of a rushed wedding ceremony.
The Farewell stars Awkwafina as Billie in a powerful and more nuanced performance than her terrific comedic role in Crazy Rich Asians. It also stars Shuzhen Zhao as Nai Nai.
The film grossed $23,076,657 at the worldwide box office. Awkwafina won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her portrayal of Billi.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, this movie has beautiful Asian representation and an exploration of the different nuances, without resorting to stereotypes, between the American and Chinese culture.
3. Four Weddings and a Funeral
Four Weddings and a Funeral is a 1994 romantic comedy directed by Mike Newell and written by Richard Curtis.
The film follows Charles, a British bachelor, who falls in love with Carrie, an American woman, throughout four wacky weddings and an unfortunate funeral.
The film stars Hugh Grant as Charles and Andie MacDowell as Carrie.
The movie grossed $245,700,832 at the worldwide box office. Hugh Grant won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for portraying Charles.
Four Wedding and a Funeral also explores the meaning of love between two characters amongst the backdrop of weddings like Crazy Rich Asians.
4. The Big Sick
The Big Sick is a 2017 romantic comedy-drama directed by Michael Showalter and written by Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani. The latter also stars in the film as a fictionalized version of himself.
Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, who is married, based the film on their actual romance.
The movie follows a fictionalized version of Kumail Nanjiani, a comedian from Pakistan who falls in love with Emily, an American graduate student. Things become heated when Emily falls ill and goes into a coma, which not only forces Kumail to face the cultural clashes between him and Emily and their families but his true feelings for her as well.
The Big Sick grossed $56,411,585 at the worldwide box office. The film also received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, the film examines love and cultural dynamics in relationships with two people from two distinct cultures.
5. The Joy Luck Club
The Joy Luck Club is a 1993 drama film directed by Wayne Wang and written by Ronald Bass and Amy Tan, based upon the latter’s novel.
The film, set in San Francisco, focuses on four older women, immigrants from China, who meet regularly to play Mahjong and tell stories. It also focuses on their respective daughters who were born in America and their relationships with them.
The movie stars Kieu Chinh, Tsai Chin, France Nuyen, and Lisa Lu as the mothers. It also stars Ming-Na Wen, Tamlyn Tomita, Lauren Tom, and Rosalind Chao as their daughters.
The Joy Luck Club grossed $32,901,136 worldwide at the box office. The National Board of Review selected it as one of their Top Ten Film of 1993.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, it has a beautiful depiction of Asian representation in its focus between the traditional Chinese culture of the mothers and the Chinese American culture of their daughters.
6. Always Be My Maybe
Always Be My Maybe is a 2019 romantic comedy directed by Nahnatchka Khan and written by Michael Golamco, Randall Park, and Ali Wong.
The movie follows two childhood sweethearts – Sasha Tran and Marcus Kim, who grew up in San Francisco. Sasha eventually moves away and loses touch with Marcus for fifteen years. Now very successful, Sasha returns to San Francisco and meets up with Marcus, a potential romance begins.
The film stars Ali Wong as Sasha Tran and Randall Park as Marcus Kim.
The movie debuted on Netflix in 2019. It was certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 90%.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, this is a romance story with great Asian representation.
7. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a 2018 romantic comedy-drama film directed by Susan Johnson and written by Sofia Alvarez, based upon the novel by Jenny Han.
The movie follows teenager Lara Jean who lives an imaginary love life through writing letters to boys she has crushes on that she keeps to herself. One day these letters get sent to the respective boys accidentally, making her actual love life a nightmare.
The film stars Lana Condor as Lara Jean.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before debuted on Netflix in 2018.
This movie features excellent Asian representation like Crazy Rich Asians.
8. Notting Hill
Notting Hill is a 1999 romantic comedy-drama written by Richard Curtis and directed by Roger Michel.
The film follows William Thacker, an English book salesman who falls for a famous American actress, Anna Scott. The two soon fall in love, but their clashing lifestyles threaten to tear them apart.
Notting Hill stars Hugh Grant as William Thacker and Julia Roberts as Anna Scott.
The movie grossed $363,889,678 at the worldwide box office. Notting Hill earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Comedy or Musical Motion Picture.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, this film focuses on a sweet romance between two people from different cultures and social statuses.
9. Better Luck Tomorrow
Better Luck Tomorrow is a 2002 crime-drama, with an element of the romance genre, co-written by Justin Lin. The film was also co-written with Ernesto Foronda and Fabian Marquez.
The movie follows Ben Manibag, an overachieving student with East Asian heritage, who, despite achieving academically, cannot win over Stephanie, the girl of his dreams. He soon begins a friendship with Daric, a controversial student who gets him involved in petty crime that, along with becoming increasingly dangerous, begins to involve his crush’s boyfriend.
The film stars Parry Shen as Ben Manibag.
The movie grossed $3,809,226 worldwide. Better Luck Tomorrow earned critical acclaim upon release, even from Roger Ebert, one of the greatest film critics, praised its Asian representation.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, the film features beautiful Asian representation that deliberately defies the harmful stereotypes created by western culture.
10. Moonrise Kingdom
The movie Moonrise Kingdom is a 2012 coming-of-age romantic comedy-drama directed by Wes Anderson. He and Roman Coppola co-wrote the film.
The movie, set in 1965 on a small island near New England, follows Sam, a young orphan and boy scout, and Suzy, a troubled young girl from a large family, who fall for one another. Sam and Suzy soon run away together, sending the locals of their small island up in arms who go out to look for them before the arrival of a devastating storm threatening to devastate the island.
Moonrise Kingdom stars Jared Gilman as Sam and Kara Hayward as Suzy.
The film grossed $68,264,022 at the worldwide box office. Upon release, it received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, Moonrise Kingdom deals with the forbidden love between two individuals from different social classes.
11. A Brilliant Young Mind
A Brilliant Young Mind is a coming-of-age romantic drama directed by Morgan Matthews and written by James Graham.
The movie follows Nathan Ellis, a British teenager with autism who is brilliant with mathematics. Nathan develops a friendship with Zhang Mei, a Chinese teen who is a mathematics genius while participating in the International Mathematics Olympiad. Nathan and Zhang Mei soon develop romantic feelings for each other.
The film stars Asa Butterfield as Nathan Ellis and Jo Yang as Zhang Mei.
A Brilliant Young Mind grossed $1,043,620 at the worldwide box office.
A Brilliant Young Mind focuses on the forbidden love between two individuals from different social classes and cultural backgrounds, like Crazy Rich Asians.
12. If Beale Street Could Talk
![If Beale Street Could Talk [DVD] [2019]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ebDl04rML._SL500_.jpg "If Beale Street Could Talk [DVD] [2019]")
If Beale Street Could Talk is a 2018 Romantic-Drama written and directed by Barry Jenkins, based upon the book by James Baldwin.
The movie follows lovers Tish Rivers and Fonny Hunt, both from an African American background, who are expecting a baby but unfortunately, Fonny is accused of a crime he did not commit, causing Tish to fight for his innocence with her family.
The film stars Kiki Layne as Tish Rivers and Stephen James as Fonny Hunt.
The movie grossed $20,596,567 at the worldwide box office. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture upon release.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, this film focuses on a minority group in America. The African American representation is realistic and beautiful in this poignant but beautiful romance film.
13. Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a 2020 science-fiction romantic comedy written by Andy Siara and directed by Max Barbakow.
The movie follows Nyles and Sarah, two guests at a wedding, who form a unique friendship and later fall in love after getting stuck in a time loop, forcing them to live the same day over again, at Sarah’s sister’s wedding in Palm Springs.
It stars Andy Samberg as Nyles and Cristin Milioti as Sarah.
Palm Springs debuted on Hulu in 2020. It received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Comedy or Musical Film.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, this is a funny love story set against the backdrop of someone else’s wedding.
14. Meet the Parents
Meet the Parents is a 2000 romantic comedy film directed by Jay Roach. The film was written by Greg Glienna, Mary Ruth Clarke, Jim Herzfeld, and John Hamburg.
The film follows Greg, a well-meaning male nurse, who attempts to impress his girlfriend’s, Pam, family before proposing to her, especially her difficult father Jack, a retired C.I.A. agent and Vietnam War Veteran. He takes an instant dislike to Greg and makes his life a living nightmare.
The movie stars Ben Stiller as Greg, Robert De Niro as Jack, and Teri Polo as Pam.
Meet the Parents grossed $330,444,045 at the worldwide box office. Robert De Niro also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical for his performance as Jack.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, it deals with a relationship disapproved by one of their families.
15. Columbus
Columbus is a 2017 drama movie written and directed by Kogonada.
The film follows Jin Lee, a Korean American man who is the son of a famous architect. Upon visiting his father in Columbus, Indiana, he finds him stuck in a Coma, leaving Jin stranded there. While stranded, Jin develops a friendship with Casey, a Caucasian American woman who is a former addict.
The movie stars John Cho as Jin and Haley Lu Richardson as Casey.
Columbus grossed $1,093,077 at the worldwide box office. The movie received critical acclaim upon release. It is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 97%.
This movie finds a complex character in Jin, who defies all negative western stereotypes of Asian representation, as seen in Crazy Rich Asians.
16. Monsoon Wedding
Monsoon Wedding is a 2001 romantic comedy-drama written by Sabrina Dhawan and directed by Mira Nair.
The movie, set in Delhi, Indiana, follows an ensemble of comedic, dramatic, and even romantic events at an arranged Punjabi Hindu wedding.
The wedding is between Aditi Verma, who agrees to an arranged marriage, with Herman Rai, an Indian American, after ending her affair with a popular married television producer.
Some film stars include Naseeruddin Shah as Lalit Verma, Aditi’s father, Lillete Dubey as Pimmi Verma, Lalit’s wife, and Vasundhara Das as Aditi Verma.
Monsoon Wedding grossed $30,787,356 at the worldwide box office. The movie was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film upon release.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, the ensemble of events featured in the film is also set to the backdrop of an extravagant wedding.
17. Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 romantic-drama movie directed by Danny Boyle and written by Simon Beaufoy. The film is based upon the novel Q & A by Vikas Swarup.
The movie, set in India, follows Jamal Malik, a young man born and raised in a poverty-stricken background, accused of cheating on the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire for answering every question correctly. He reminisces about his troubled but eventful past, which is the source of his answers, to prove his innocence and get back to why he originally came to participate – to meet with his childhood sweetheart, Latika, with who he is still in love.
The film stars Dev Patel as Jamal Malik.
Slumdog Millionaire grossed $378,410,542 at the worldwide box office. Upon release, it won the Oscar for Best Picture.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, the film focuses on a forbidden love story about two people living in different circumstances, giving it their all to be in love together.
18. The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a 2014 comedy-drama film written and directed by Wes Anderson.
The movie, set in the fictional European town of Zubrowka, follows Zero Moustafa, the aging owner of The Grand Budapest Hotel in 1968.
Zero tells his story to a writer of how back in 1932, he inherited the hotel as a young immigrant from a developing country while working as a lobby boy under the guidance of the peculiar concierge M. Gustave.
The film stars Ralph Fiennes as M. Gustave and Tony Revolori as Zero (during 1968).
The Grand Budapest Hotel grossed $172,945,750 at the worldwide box office. It also earned the Golden Globe for Best Comedy or Musical Film upon release.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, there is also a subplot featuring a relationship between Zero and Agatha from both different social classes.
19. Bend It Like Beckham
Bend It Like Beckham is a 2002 comedy-drama directed by Gurinder Chadha. She also co-wrote the film along with Guljit Bindra and Paul Mayeda Berges.
The film follows Jess, an 18-year-old British Indian who aspires to be a professional soccer player but is banned from playing by her strict conservative parents as she is a girl. Jess soon secretly begins playing for a local woman’s league soccer team.
The movie stars Parminder Nagra as Jess.
Bend It Like Beckham grossed $76,585,828 at the worldwide box office. Bend It Like Beckham was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Comedy or Musical Film.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, the protagonist, like Nick, who wants to marry Rachel in the previously mentioned film, acts against her conservative parents’ wishes to play soccer.
20. Set It Up
Set It Up is a 2018 romantic-comedy film written by Katie Silberman and directed by Claire Scanlon.
The film follows Harper and Charlie, both underpaid executive assistance with overbearing bosses, Kirstin and Rick. Harper and Charlie decide to pair their respective bosses up to date to get them off their backs.
The film stars Zoey Deutch as Harper, Glen Powel as Charlie, Lucy Liu as Kirsten, and Taye Digs as Rick.
The film debuted on Netflix in 2018.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, the character of Kirsten, played excellently by Lucy Liu, is a beautiful example of Asian representation in film.
21. Double Happiness
Double Happiness is a 1994 romantic drama written and directed by Mina Shum.
The movie follows Jade Li, a young Chinese Canadian woman. She aspires to be an actress and falls in love with Mark, an awkward Caucasian graduate student. These two things clash with her traditional Chinese family, wishing that Jade marry someone who shares her cultural identity and goes into a more conventional career.
The film follows Sandra Oh as Jade Li.
Double Happiness grossed $759,393 at the worldwide box office. The movie won the Best Canadian Film at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, this film follows a young woman attempting to break out of the life her traditional Chinese family has set up for her.
22. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is a 2021 superhero action-adventure movie directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. He co-wrote it along with Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham.
The movie follows Shang-Chi, a young man from a background of extreme weaponry-based kung-fu taught by his militant father, attempting to live a life away from his violent past. Shang-Chi is forced to confront his violent past to save his family and, later, the world.
The film stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi.
The movie grossed $325,949,036 at the worldwide box office. It was certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 92%.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, the film has a beautiful depiction and exploration of the Asian identity.
23. Belle
Belle is a 2013 drama film directed by Amma Asante. She and Misan Sagay wrote it.
The movie, set in the 18th century England, follows Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate mixed-race daughter of a Navy Captain who helped abolish slavery in England.
Belle stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Dido Elizabeth Belle.
The film grossed $16,607,575 at the worldwide box office.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, Belle follows a strong independent woman who fights for what she believes in despite the world around her being dead set against her.
24. The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer is a 1998 romantic comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci.
The movie, set in 1985, follows Robbie Hart, a wedding singer, devastated after being left at the altar who falls in love with a woman, Jules Sullivan, a waitress, whose wedding he is assisting with planning.
The Wedding Singer grossed $123,306,987 at the worldwide box office.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, this movie is a romantic story set to the backdrop of an upcoming wedding.
25. Black Panther
Black Panther is a 2018 superhero action-adventure movie directed by Ryan Coogler. He co-wrote it along with Joe Robert Cole.
The movie follows T’Challa, heir to the fictional African empire Wakanda, who must take up the throne after the sudden death of his father and face his family’s past obstacles in the process.
Black Panther stars the late Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa.
The film grossed $1,347,597,973 at the worldwide box office. It won the Oscar for Best Costume Design.
Like Crazy Rich Asians, this film is a beautiful and uplifting representation of a minority group in the United States.
(Note: The article received a 2% plagiarism score as of the film titles, budgets, awards, cast and crew, and box office financial information.)
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