‘The Big Sick’ Review: Best Romantic Comedy In Years?

The Big Sick is being called one of the best romantic comedies in years.

The Big Sick follows Kumail Nanjiani, who plays a fictionalized version of himself. He falls in love with a woman (Zoe Kazan) he may not be worthy of loving, and he nearly ruins his chances of being with her. The film, which was written by Nanjiani and his wife, Emily V. Gordon, tells the true story of how the couple met in Chicago while Kumail was a struggling comedian, and Emily was going to school to be a therapist.

Nanjiani struggles between two worlds and identities that he can’t seem to merge together. Comedians Bo Burnham, Aidy Bryant, and Kurt Braunohler star in the film as Kumail’s pals at the comedy club.

The Pakistani-American meets Emily at the comedy club, and after a night together, he is smitten with her.

The Big Sick was directed by Michael Showalter and produced by Girls executive producer, Judd Apatow.

The loved-up couple is full of smiles and kisses for a blissful period until Emily finds out that Kumail hasn’t told his parents (Anupam Kher and Zenobia Shroff) about their relationship. His parents have been trying to find him a proper Pakistani-American wife and continuously force prospects in front of him, but he knows he is falling for Emily.

Emily ends up breaking up with him after she sees witnesses the indecision he’s feeling, but she ends up falling deathly ill shortly after, which brings them back together.

The Big Sick‘s title gives away the fact that one of the characters was going to suffer from an illness, and if you’ve caught any of the previews, you probably figured out that it was the female lead. Emily finds herself in an intensive care unit, hooked up to life support.

Nanjiani manages to excel at highlighting the cultural differences he has experienced in America with a “light, sharp touch,” according to The New York Times.

The film even drops a few terrorist-themed jokes that are thrown in so effortlessly that you may be “caught off guard.” However, as an immigrant, he has probably heard every racist joke about Muslims or Pakistanis imaginable and manages to find “humor and strength” in other people’s ignorance.

The Big Sick tells a wonderful tale with a humorous theme but also touches on some deep emotions and questions of identity.

Vulture noted that The Big Sick might risk running a bit long, but regardless, it is a “lovable” romantic comedy that audience members can relate to and sympathize with the story.

[Featured Image by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images]