Film Review: The Big Sick (2017)

Although it may not seem so at first glance, the romantic comedy in modern Hollywood represents a genre of film with content less related to real life than those of science fiction and fantasy. This is why it is quite rare to find autobiographical romantic comedies, and such works often attract significant attention. Some of the most well-known examples include Annie Hall, which won an Oscar, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which shocked global box offices at the start of the 21st century. One of the more recent examples, which received a slew of critical accolades after its premiere at Sundance in 2017, is The Big Sick.

The screenplay was written by spouses Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, with the latter appearing on screen portraying himself. The film begins with Kumail as a young Pakistani immigrant in Chicago who supports himself by driving for Uber while striving to realise his life’s dream of becoming a comedian. During a semi-amateur stand-up performance at a comedy club, he meets the charming Emily (Zoe Kazan) and spends a night with her, which soon blossoms into a serious relationship. The problem for Kumail is that his family insists on maintaining tradition, and in accordance with customs from his homeland, they attempt to secure his happiness through an arranged marriage with a traditional Pakistani woman. Kumail is in love with Emily, but he also cannot risk being disowned by his family, so Emily, who cannot accept this, leaves him. Kumail, however, will reunite with her in a bizarre and rather uncomfortable manner: when Emily falls ill and ends up in hospital, he is asked—due to the absence of her next of kin—to consent to placing her in an induced coma. Kumail spends all his time by her bedside while she is in the coma and eventually meets her parents, Beth (Holly Hunter) and Terry (Ray Romano), toward whom he feels contradictory emotions.

The success of The Big Sick, which garnered both critical acclaim and decent commercial results, can be explained by the fact that it is precisely the kind of small, charming, unpretentious film that romantics among cinephiles crave. Such films are becoming increasingly rare in the American film industry. It was made on an exceptionally small budget, directed by the relatively unknown Michael Showalter, and aside from Holly Hunter’s reliably excellent performance and Ray Romano’s even better comedic role, the ensemble cast features no one who could be called a major star. Nanjiani is best known for his role in Silicon Valley, while Zoe Kazan is far more famous for her prestigious surname, being a granddaughter of legendary director Elia Kazan. Despite this, the team assembled by producer Judd Apatow functions exceptionally well. This is especially true of Showalter, who handled a task that would give headaches to far more acclaimed filmmakers: transitioning smoothly and naturally, without false sentimentality, between the romantic comedy genre and more serious drama, and vice versa. The screenwriters also ensured that Kumail and Emily’s story remains engaging even for those who notice the names at the credits and could easily predict how the story will end.

However, Nanjiani, as an actor, is noticeably overshadowed by his extraordinarily talented co-star Zoe Kazan, who exudes such charm that it is entirely understandable why the film revolves around her character even during the two-thirds of its runtime when she is in a coma. Nanjiani fares slightly better in comedic scenes, though he is overshadowed by heavyweights like Romano and Hunter in dramatic ones. The screenplay also weaves in several serious themes within this ostensibly banal love story, particularly addressing issues of immigration, the clash between tradition and the modern world, as well as the racial and other prejudices faced by American Muslims. While the film slightly succumbs to sentimental mush toward the end and becomes unnecessarily drawn out, The Big Sick deserves all recommendations. If nothing else, for reminding us that happy endings can sometimes exist in real life, not just in Hollywood films.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

(Note: The text in the original Croatian version is available here.)

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