The Big Sick (2017)

[baumer]

Discuss

[La Binoche]

Overlong like everything Judd Apatow touches but warm, funny and likable. Ray Romano and especially Holly Hunter steal the movie. 

A-

[filmlover]

This was great. It's biggest strength is the screenplay by real life husband-wife Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon, who are clearly drawing from personal experiences without creating anything for dramatic purposes. Nanjiani himself gives a star-making performance and has great chemistry with the adorable Zoe Kazan (an effective stand-in for the real Emily), and they are supported by a pair of great performances from Holly Hunter and Ray Romano. My only complaint is that it could've used some tightening as it feels a bit too long at exactly two hours, but I was too won over by these characters for it to bother me. This is director Michael Showalter's second winner in a row following last year's Hello, My Name is Doris. A-

[WrathOfHan]

Fantastic film. This is the funniest comedy of the year and features some great drama as well. Holly Hunter and Ray Romano steal the show. 9/10 | A-

[rjones1325]

I saw this last month at a NYU hosted screening and I'm about to see it tonight with a Post Q&A with Kumail, Emily, and Zoe and I'm so excited because by far this is the best film I've seen this year.

Everybody loves a romance story but what if the romance was a true story written by the lovers that got together. The movie is the true love story of Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordan, written by Kumail and Emily, and starring Kumail and Zoe Kazan (who slightly looks like Emily) sooo…yeah! It is a love story nobody has ever heard before and honestly it may be one of best masterpieces this year has to offer.

Some people may joke, “Oh this is like Aziz Ansari’s Master of None but in feature-length form.” No, it is not it's something much more than that. We follow Kumail from beginning to end and because of this we learn this is a man who struggles to separate his family life by abiding by their Pakistani and his personal life because he knows if they ever collide, all hell will break loose. Aziz’s series shows his family approves of his life and the things that he does. Kumail’s family doesn’t. He spends the majority of the movie hiding his personal life from his family and his family life from his girlfriend. You know that both lives mean the world to him, because and doesn't want to lose anyone that he loves. Yes, this is somewhat a plot similar to The Namesake, but the due to its detailed writing and uncontrollably hysterical lines of dialogue is able to stand out as its own original story.

If you don’t know about Kumail Nanjiani or any of his works, this movie doesn’t only explain where he came from, but it also expresses who he is and how he lives his life. The way the movie plays out, not only do you get to know Nanjiani, but you get to relate to him. I know many people who went through the same struggle he went through and are still going through it to this day. There are elements of his life that so many people can see themselves in and you perfectly get the full dimensional version of Kumail, his family, Emily, and her family. You like every character introduced into this movie as we see where every person is coming from. You feel for everyone and the internal struggle they all go through. There’s a scene where the situation that Kumail goes through is so depressing, there are two sequences to where he breaks. The first time he breaks has you in tears, but the second time is played for laughs but surprisingly will also leave you in tears. It is a sequence that is heartbreaking and hysterical at the same time to which you will both laugh and cry. Not laugh until you cry, but have you simultaneously laugh and cry.

The Big Sick is a film that defines what screenwriting should be. Screenwriting should be about your voice and who you are as not just a writer but as also as a person. The film is directed by Michael Showalter and he does a great job transitioning this couple’s love story from page to screen as everyone gives nothing but great performances, but for all I know, this is Kumail’s movie and this is Emily’s movie. Movies like this are an inspiration for screenwriters to keep writing and expressing their story and expressing their voice.

The movie does fall into clichéd romantic tropes that you see from other films of this genre, but honestly this is the first time I saw where everyone’s action and decision is humanized, rationalized, and justified not for the sake of comedy or story but for character.

 

https://rendyreviews.com/movies//the-big-sick-review

[The Panda]

It's one of the most heartwarmingly honest, yet very funny, movies I've seen in a long time.  It felt as if you were watching real life go down in front of you, possibly because you were as this was based on the relationship of the two writers (Kumail and Emily) and the lead actor (also Kumail).

 

None of the jokes feel forced, like they often do in comedies, they just come across as real, honest situations which often have real humor embedded in them.  None of the drama feels played out as drama, it's truthful which makes it humanely compelling.  It felt like something that could have come from Linklater at his best, just with more biting humor.

 

It's also stitchingly funny and good natured, leaving a smile on your face throughout it, without ever feeling sappy or sentimental.  It's like Kumail is simply telling you his story on screen, and the simplicity of it is enough to spice it up.

 

The only real 'flaw' of the movie is the third act stretches a tad bit, but then I'm nitpicking, as im not entirely sure what I'd take out of the third act.

 

The screenplay is also poignant, yet light, in its thematic discussions of culture and the crossing of cultures that happens for Immigrants.  It's one of the best takes on that topic that I've seen on screen.  It's not overt, and doesn't beat you over the head, it just gives you different topics to chew on.

 

A/A+

[Blankments]

"Loving somebody this much hurts."

 

Watching The Big Sick hurts at points. The raw emotion put on screen is more memorable than any comedy the film throws at you, and it's all the better for it. Showalter, Nanjiani, and Gordon put forward a remarkably story that feels shockingly real even ignoring its autobiographical nature. Tearing up in this film is almost a guarantee, as the characters hurt thanks to their love of their families and each other.

 

This is not to say the film isn't funny; it is obviously a dramedy in every sense of the word, giving huge laughs in heartfelt scenes and not afraid to jab you in the heart during a comedic setpiece. Nanjiani puts his soul on display here in a delightful way, proving to be a strong dramatic actor in the process. Hunter and Romano steal the show, and prove they have been absent from the screen for far too long. Showalter's direction is solid, although one might wish he could add some more visual flair to the proceedings. The script, performances, and editing are so strong though that one can easily ignore this.

 

The Big Sick is a great romcom, sure. Calling it that though seems to be an insult to its ambition. It's a hilarious comedy, a thrilling romance, a soulcrushing drama, and one of the most startlingly authentic films put out recently. Showalter, Nanjiani, and Gordon's work tackles parenthood, family, and what it means to actually be willing to love, and yes, hurt. It's a phenomenal dramedy that works in spite of any visual strengths, and a truly wonderful film. A

[Water Bottle]

It's not that funny but I was very much invested in what was going on.

 

B

[RobinHood26]

B+ (89)

[DAJK]

Loved it

[Blankments]

Still a remarkable work of humanity. The film's deep empathy for all its characters makes it even more heartfelt on rewatch. The humor looks better too; there are so many great jokes in this, it's impossible to anticipate them at all. Really though, The Big Sick works because its hilarity and heart never loses sight of the hope of something better for all its characters, no matter what life throws at them. One of the best of the year. A