Like most middle-class American teens, I’ve probably spent more time watching movies than doing homework. In fact, I’m almost sure I have. But in all those hours and hours of watching all sorts of different movies, I can’t say I’ve seen a movie quite like Crazy Rich Asians. 

And the reason I can’t remember seeing a movie like Crazy Rich Asians is because the last one that was even remotely like it was released twenty-five years ago: The Joy Luck Club.

This movie was well overdue, and although it couldn’t make up for lost time, it could come out with a bang. Which is exactly what it did, and in doing so, it made history for Asian-American representation and became the biggest romantic-comedy opener since 2015’s Trainwreck.

However, past all of the historical and cultural importance is a truly spectacular rom-com. From the cast that fulfilled my romantic needs and pulled me into their turbulent love story, to the opening scene, to the one-liners that made me tear up from laughter, Crazy Rich Asians invoked a multitude of emotions one after another. One of my favorites was a line that appeared very often: “taste the rainbow,” delivered perfectly by Kerry Chu (Nico Santos).

Some characters, like Goh Peik Lin’s brother, acted strictly as comical relief. Some characters, Rachel Chu and Nick Young, carried the romantic side. And some characters could have easily ended up pushed to the side, but the actors and actresses took their parts and used them to portray their own truths. Due to the diligence and skill of everyone involved, there were no “side characters” or “pointless characters” in Crazy Rich Asians. Instead of just being Nick Young’s sister, Gemma Chang took Astrid and created a story all her own that flowed seamlessly into the main plot.

Crazy Rich Asians achieved the one thing that takes a rom-com from “just okay” to “a movie to remember,” the thing that kills the potential of so many of these movies: that perfect balance between romance and comedy.

The distinct soundtrack in Crazy Rich Asians added to the uniqueness of the movie. Right off the bat, you could tell that the soundtrack would be comprised of mainly Asian music — a feature which I believe took this movie to a whole new level. Not only was it such an obvious choice — like hello, the movie is comprised of an Asian cast — but it piqued the interest of those who saw the movie who may not have had any previous experience with Asian culture. For example, there may be viewers who see the beginning scene, where two Asian women and their children are discriminated against in a hotel and fail to realize what a common occurrence that must be.

Unfortunately, that’s the way it is for most people regarding most cultures in America. We have tremendous diversity in our nation and yet, for many, knowledge of different cultures comes from textbooks and movies that are far from culturally accurate. This is why movies like Crazy Rich Asians are paramount to the development of our country. Can you believe we’ve come to the day where there is no way we can hope to become a more mature nation without more rom-coms?