The Big Sick is an absolute joy and one of the feel-good hits of the year. It's smart, witty and well-acted; but what's most refreshingly is that it's genuine, with real people and emotions at its heart.
This is probably because Kumail Nanjiani (comedian and one of the stars of sitcom Silicon Valley) wrote the script with wife Emily V. Gordon about their real-life courtship. Nanjiani plays himself as a part-time Uber driver and budding stand-up comedian who is heckled one night by psychology student Emily (Zoe Kazan). They hit it off and it's not long before they're "overwhelmed" by each other. Kumail, however, is keeping a secret from Emily - his Pakistani parents are planning his arranged marriage.
Well, at least they're trying to. If there's any criticism of The Big Sick it would be the slight cultural stereotyping of Kumail's family, as his parents and brother organise "meet and greets" with the young female Pakistani population of Chicago. When Emily learns Kumail won't disobey his family, even for her, their relationship ends.
When Emily is later hospitalised and placed in a medically induced coma, Kumail is back by her side - as are Emily's parents Terry (Ray Romano) and Beth (Holly Hunter). The story takes a turn here, becoming a relationship drama between Kumail and Emily's parents, who also have their relationship issues to sort through.
Two hours is a lengthy running time for a rom-com, but I could spend all day with this lot. Devoid of irreverence and cynicism and cookie-cutter characters - The Big Sick is instead filled with the complexities of real life and a bunch of people easy to care about.
