Great summing up. But I’m not sure if many of those instances you cite is just the director/screenwriter just playing up some moments for the supposed comedic or entertainment value and no deeper than that.
What I think is that it inadvertently (obviously not through design) became an accurate portrayal of of the upper echelon of Chinese Singaporean society by the very exclusion of the “others” or the “cameo” portrayals of the “others” as “lesser” beings who cannot pray at the altar of the money-phallus.
That fits the book itself because it is written by someone from that upper strata who left Singapore at 11 and never had interaction with the “others” unless they were in that capacity.
I just see it as a rom-com that is overly hyped because of that so-called representation of Asians in the movie and how it is “familiar” to many of the “Asians”. The movie itself I don’t really care either way. It is the people behind it and the marketing and branding by all concerned including the cast and by those who watch it and come out saying — “oh I as an Asian see myself in it and can relate”, that I take exception to. Well if they had said I as a Chinese that would have been fine but it presumes and giving in to the misguided belief by Americans and sadly some East Asians that Asians are homogenous.
And why has everyone forgotten Memoirs of a Geisha or Slumdog Millionaire when they want to ra-ra about representation? Not that they are good examples too.