The Big Sick (2017)

I go into movies completely blind most of the time. Sometimes it's the poster that makes me decide to watch a film. Other times it's because an actor/actress I like is in it. But most of the time I have no idea what the film is about and I like it that way - which is why I found Kumail telling Emily the plot of a film before they watched it quite annoying. My point is, if I knew The Big Sick was a romantic movie, I probably would have never watched it because they are not my thing. But you know what? That thing I mentioned above was the only thing that annoyed me about this incredibly well-crafted, beautiful and sweet film that succeeds in being a comedy, a drama and a romance.

It starts pretty much like a regular rom-com -- Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani), a stand-up comedian, meets grad student Emily (Zoe Kazan), and although they decide to keep things casual they soon fall in love. But the difficulties of interracial relationships soon emerge, especially because Kumail's family wants him to marry a Pakistani girl, and they end up breaking up. But then Emily becomes extremely ill, he realizes that he is still involved and he is forced to face her parents (Ray Romano and Holly Hunter).

It's the typical American story of the son of immigrants who falls in love with a white woman and refuses to marry a woman he doesn't know only because his culture says so, but it's very sweet and heartwarming.

But The Big Sick is also way more than that. The film has a depth lacking in most comedies, and it addresses some very serious and important issues like how to deal with cultural issues (prearranged marriage, career expectations and religion) both in one's own family and in the relationship, and how to deal with illness, life-or-death decision and parenting. 

Thanks to the solid script written by Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon, director Michael Showalter was able to balance those serious topics and comedy beautifully. The humour always work, it never feels forced or out of place, and thank goodness it never gets physical (unfortunately that's the kind of humour most comedies have to offer nowadays).

The cast also plays a major role in this film. Kumail Nanjiani gives a wonderful performance basically as himself since the story is based on his relationship with his wife. Zoe Kazan is sweet and adorable and her chemistry with Nanjiani is effortless. The supporting cast also gives solid performances, especially Ray Romano as Emily's father.