The Big Sick (2017)

The Big Sick (2017)

7/10

               

Kumail Nanjiani

Zoe Kazan

Holly Hunter

Ray Romano

Directed by Michael Showalter

Everyone likes a good romantic comedy. The problem is, many romantic comedies are just cheesy and full of clichés. This has made it hard to find one that balances fun with a romantic atmosphere well enough to be categorized as a must-watch. The Big Sick is a must-watch, a movie you will watch and be hooked from the start.

Like classic romantic comedies, you find yourself rooting for the couple, waiting for them to finally catch a break and live happily ever after. The Big Sick, on its path to happily ever after, drops a bomb on you as you watch. You’re left still believing it will work out (with your fingers crossed), but not knowing how.

Loosely based on the real-life romance between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, this movie starts with Kumail Nanjiani playing himself, struggling to make it as a standup comic. To pay the bills, he also works as an Uber driver on the side.

Kumail’s life takes a big turn one day when someone in the audience yells, “WHOOP!” He approaches her and introduces himself. Her name is Emily Gardner (based on Emily V. Gordon and played by Zoe Kazan), and their romance starts that day. As their relationship grows, Emily opens up about her life to Kumail, hoping to build a relationship on trust. Kumail, on the other hand, has some issues he’s afraid to share with her. He’s Pakistani, and his mother wants him to marry a Pakistani woman. With that in mind, she’s been trying to arrange a marriage for her son.

Kumail knows that if he tells his family he’s in a relationship with a white woman, they’ll cut him off, and out of fear of losing his family, he keeps that part of his life a secret from Emily.

Like all good movies, those two parts of his life eventually collide, causing a rift in both relationships. But another big bomb drops courtesy of Emily, and it’s something neither of them expected or could have imagined. Kumail is left struggling, scared, and unsure of what lies ahead for him, his relationship with Emily, and his family.

While the movie is refreshing and heartfelt, it does run a bit long, with some scenes dragging more than necessary. The humor works well, but at times, it overshadows the emotional depth of certain moments, making some dramatic beats feel lighter than they should. Now, the lead actors delivered great performances, so great that I got the urge to look up how truthful the story really was. But the supporting characters? I didn’t feel them that much. I don’t know if it was their performances or just the lack of character development in the script, but they didn’t leave much of an impact.

This movie was a massive success, both critically and commercially, and there’s no doubt in my mind that if you watch it, you’ll agree it’s a must-watch. It is nice to see a story of two lovers, play out in a way you never expect it to.