"The Big Sick" is a Fresh and Funny Romantic Comedy: Review

Film Review: The Big Sick

It's been a number of years since the last truly great romantic comedy. Thankfully, that dry spell is over with The Big Sick, a fresh, heartfelt entry into the genre.

The movie is about Kumail (played by Kumail Nanjiani), a guy dealing with his struggling comedy career, his traditional Pakistani parents, and his relationship with his girlfriend Emily (played by Zoe Kazan), which is complicated when Emily is put into a medically-induced coma due to a mysterious illness.

Written by Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon (his real life wife) based on events from their own lives, The Big Sick has an honest and easygoing vibe that doesn't feel forced or contrived like many romantic comedies of late. Some of the funniest scenes in the film are the scenes of Kumail having dinner with his parents (played by Anupam Kher and Zenobia Shroff).

The film is brought to the next level by the wonderful supporting performances by Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, who play Emily's parents. Their different reactions to their daughter's health crisis are poignant and believable. Hunter, in particular, elevates the film's more dramatic moments. She reminds us what she is capable of when working with good material.

The only complaints I have are minor. Nanjiani, while terrific for most of the film and whose chemistry with Kazan is great, occasionally feels like he is working outside of his depth as an actor during the more emotional scenes at the hospital. Also at 124 minutes, the film is too long. But other than those minor points, The Big Sick is a funny, enjoyable, and smart time at the movies.

What did you think of The Big Sick? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading!

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