In sickness and in health . . .
The Big Sick (15)
Starring: Kumail Nanjani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano
The Plot: When Kumail (Nanjani) meets Emily (Kazan), a one-night stand quickly develops into a loving relationship, but things end badly when Emily discovers that Kumail must abide by his Pakistani family's rules and enter an arranged marriage. Shortly after, Emily falls gravely ill and is placed into medically-induced coma - as Kumail spends time with her parents Beth (Hunter) and Terry (Romano), he realises that to be with the women he loves he will need to make a very difficult decision.
Review: Romcom. A word that strikes fear into the hearts of many cinemagoers, having endured countless wishy-washy films where Matthew McConaughey leans sideways on the poster. It'd be fair to say that The Big Sick is a romcom of sorts: there's a romance that doesn't run smooth, and there's comedy - a lot of comedy, which you would expect given Judd Apatow's involvement - but there's big doses of sadness as well, and not from your standard will-they won't-they breakup shit. It's very bittersweet. There's even an argument for the film being more about family than anything else. The film's tagline is "An awkward true story", for good reason - this is based on Kumail Nanjani's true-life relationship with his wife Emily Gordon (they both wrote the screenplay), which immediately sets it apart from your more common fare as it quickly becomes apparent that this not your standard film of the genre. It also makes it more awkward to write a review of, as Nanjani plays himself, so for your ease and mine whenever I refer to "Kumail" I'm talking about the character, not the real person.
That it's based on real events is one of the film's biggest strengths. As I was watching, it gave me the distinct vibe of "this feels real." It felt like a very funny, very relatable take on a modern relationship, albeit with some caveats: for example, Nanjani is a comedian in real-life, so therefore Kumail is an aspiring comedian (and part-time Uber driver) in the film - I don't know any comedians, and I'd dare say the amount of people who know stand-up comics in real life is small too, but while I couldn't relate directly to being in that profession (some of the scenes Kumail shares with his comedian friends will likely only be funny to those in the trade) I could relate to his struggle to get where he wants to be. I'm also (obviously) not Pakistani, so while I couldn't relate directly to the problems Kumail has, it doesn't mean I couldn't understand them and be affected by what unfolds. The relationship between Kumail and Emily is particularly well presented and again feels very real (I've been using that word a lot, I know). We spend a great deal of time with them - it's close to 45 minutes into the film before Emily gets sick, allowing their relationship to be really fleshed out first and you get a genuine sense of the chemistry between them.
Given the kind of film, it's no surprise then the driving force of it are the performances. Nanjani takes centre-stage, and seeing as he's already lived through this story once before, it's no surprise to hear that he does well here. What I found most refreshing about Kumail is that he's not always likeable - during the breakup scene he acts like a prick - however there's an honesty about that. We see the best of him and the worst of him, and Nanjani hasn't hidden the worst. He isn't a perfect person, but he sees that he's done wrong and comes to realise that he needs to do something about it. By the end of the film you're rooting for him to make things right, and it's impossible not to feel for him when, finally revealing to his family his intention to defy their traditions, he's disavowed by his own mother.
I must admit to being a fan of Zoe Kazan. I really enjoyed the other films I've seen her in (Ruby Sparks and What If?) and she's one of those actors who is just genuinely likeable. As Emily she has the difficult job of making enough of an impression that, when the character becomes sidelined for the majority of the film, you miss her. And you do. She's very funny and her chemistry with Nanjani is great, and of the two characters hers is the one we sympathise with the most because, as she angrily tells Kumail during their breakup, she's the one who's been consistently honest. When (spoiler alert) she emerges from her coma at the end of the film, she's still hurt and upset and Kazan plays this side of her just as well as the funny, happy version of Emily at the beginning.
The show-stealers, for me, are Holly Hunter and Ray Romano as Emily's parents Beth and Terry. Arriving once Emily has fallen ill and setting up camp at the hospital, they provide a great deal of comic relief as they're an odd couple: Beth a Southern firecracker, Terry a calm New Yorker. Beth is initially distrustful of Kumail ("Emily has told me everything", she tells him) while Terry is more open to his presence. A large chunk of the film is given over to Kumail spending time with them, and it's this more than anything that makes him realise the mistake he's made. Beth and Terry are an odd couple but not perfect, as we discover, but there's a genuine love between them and some of the funniest moments of the film involve them.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
A very funny, bittersweet take on a modern relationship that's different from your standard romcom. A great cast deliver a script that refreshingly honest and not afraid to point out people's flaws. How relatable you find the particulars will vary, but this is highly recommended.
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