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| photo courtesy of bleedingcool.com |
SPOILER-FREE REVIEW
Written by comedian Kumail Nanjiani and
podcaster Emily V. Gordon, The Big Sick
is a semi-autobiographical adaptation of the early days of their romance. In
the era of comedies that frequently rely on irreverent hijinks, gross-outs, and
language for laughs, The Big Sick is
a refreshing departure from the norm. Its thoughtful story, warm-hearted humor,
and natural charm set it apart from everyday rom-com fare and make for a
thoroughly enjoyable experience.
The Big Sick follows Kumail (played by actual
Kumail Nanjiani), a stand-up comic working at a comedy club in Chicago who
falls in love with a woman named Emily (Zoe Kazan). Kumail keeps their
relationship secret from his traditional Pakistani family (including Zenobia Shroff and Anupam Kher), knowing that they
wouldn’t approve of his being involved with a non-Pakistani woman. When Emily
falls suddenly ill, Kumail finds himself wedged between his obligations to his
family, his increasing involvement with Emily’s parents (Ray Romano and Holly Hunter), and his own personal
ambitions.
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| photo courtesy of dissdash.com |
As you can tell from that synopsis, the
film follows Kumail closely, and it derives most of its strength from staying
rooted in his authentic experience. Kumail is a loveable (though definitely flawed) character, whose personality drives the most interesting scenes. Yes, it is really funny—being primarily a
comedy, after all—but the movie’s at its best when it’s away from the cast of
talented comedians who play Kumail’s comedy-club friends. It’s Kumail and the families who really steal the show.
At its heart, the film is about the
clash of two cultures—or perhaps, the clash of two generations. That’s not
necessarily anything new, but the film manages to navigate the situation
respectfully, neither shying away from the inherent complexities of the conflict
nor demonizing any particular party. Everyone is treated fairly, even
generously. Because of this open approach, the film can talk honestly about
issues that have real emotional resonance for people who stand at similar
intersections of tradition and individuality.
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| photo courtesy of youtube.com |
In terms of story, The Big Sick generally hits all the major beats of the typical
rom-com structure, but it also allows its characters to just sit and breathe,
and it’s in those moments that the film really sets itself apart, exploring its
characters’ relationship dynamics in surprising and intimate ways. Those
moments also showcase the film’s dialogue, which is both realistic and delightfully
whimsical. The tone may verge on saccharine at times, but for the most part the
action stays in genuinely heartwarming territory.
The whole thing is probably too long (and
sometimes fairly derivative), but the script still packs in enough surprise to
sustain the movie for its entire run-time—and those surprises, importantly, are
not arbitrary but have real emotional consequence. Only one character is
treated unsympathetically, and for a movie that is generous to nearly all the differing
points of view it engages with, it seems to leave one character out—perhaps
the only lasting victim of the proceedings.
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| photo courtesy of variety.com |
It should also be noted that although
the language is not the focus of the film’s comedy, there is enough language to
warrant keeping the little ones out of earshot.
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| photo courtesy of vox.com |
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