THE BIG SICK review
(Reviewed by Melody Werner)
The Big Sick is a 2017 auto-biographical romantic-comedy/drama released by Amazon. Starring Kumail Nanjiani (who plays himself), Zoe Kazan (who plays Kumail's wife, Emily Gordon (Emily also co-wrote the film with Kumail)), Holly Hunter (as Emily's mother), and Ray Romano (as Emily's father). Directed by Michael Showalter, it's about the real life Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, how they fell in love, how she was in a medically-induced coma, how Kumail's traditionally Pakistani family looked down upon him for not dating a Pakistani girl, and how Kumail became a well known comedian. I'm not one who generally likes romantic comedies (with the notable exception of The Princess Bride, which is impossible to dislike), but I heard that everyone has been saying good things about it (it has a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes), that someone like myself might like it, it was a massive hit at the box office for such a small film (52 million on a 5 mil budget), and that Chris Stuckmann (a critic that I respect, as I've mentioned in the past) loved it. It's being called one of the best films of the year, and so I decided to go out of my comfort zone and look into it. And I'm so glad I did. This is a film which lives up to its anticipation, even if it's imperfect.
This isn't some science fiction or action-adventure, so I can't really critique much in the way of CGI or grandiose musical scores. However, I can talk about the sets and wardrobes, which are pretty slick. I can also talk about the acting, which is fantastic. Sometimes it veers into melodramatic territory, but for the most part everyone gives stellar performances, especially Hunter and Romano. They play a much larger role in the film than you would expect (they actually have more screen-time than Kazan), and thankfully that is not to the film's detriment.
The Big Sick is a pretty intriguing auto-bio, though at times it brings in elements which aren't based in what happened to the couple in question and are added for dramatic effect and because movies. And that can leave you wondering "Okay, so which parts of this story are what actually happened, because some of these plot points seem absurd?", which is confusing if you go in knowing that it's supposed to be based on real events. Nevertheless, as a film, The Big Sick is still really unique and interesting, focusing on a character-driven story which feels relatable and engaging, even if it can be too fantastical at times. And as a comedy, the humor naturally has to be taken into account. It's a bit low-key once it comes to the more dramatic parts of the film, but this movie is hilarious. I had never heard of Kumail before I started hearing about his film, but if he's this funny in general I ought to be looking into him more. The dialogue is quick, witty, and excellent.
The Big Sick is a fantastic rom-com which is better than just about any other in its genre I've seen (outside of The Princess Bride, of course). It's funny, it's dramatic, it's engaging, and it's a damn good film. There are some hang-ups here and there, but all around it is phenomenal. The Big Sick gets a 9/10.
Excellent
Summary:
Funny, sweet, interesting, compelling, and honest for the most part, The Big Sick has earned its spot as one of the genre's new top dogs and watermark releases. Every rom-com after it will be measured by it, and that's no small achievement, even if the genre is populated by a lot of trash.
(originally posted: 10/20/2017)
The Big Sick is a 2017 auto-biographical romantic-comedy/drama released by Amazon. Starring Kumail Nanjiani (who plays himself), Zoe Kazan (who plays Kumail's wife, Emily Gordon (Emily also co-wrote the film with Kumail)), Holly Hunter (as Emily's mother), and Ray Romano (as Emily's father). Directed by Michael Showalter, it's about the real life Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, how they fell in love, how she was in a medically-induced coma, how Kumail's traditionally Pakistani family looked down upon him for not dating a Pakistani girl, and how Kumail became a well known comedian. I'm not one who generally likes romantic comedies (with the notable exception of The Princess Bride, which is impossible to dislike), but I heard that everyone has been saying good things about it (it has a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes), that someone like myself might like it, it was a massive hit at the box office for such a small film (52 million on a 5 mil budget), and that Chris Stuckmann (a critic that I respect, as I've mentioned in the past) loved it. It's being called one of the best films of the year, and so I decided to go out of my comfort zone and look into it. And I'm so glad I did. This is a film which lives up to its anticipation, even if it's imperfect.
This isn't some science fiction or action-adventure, so I can't really critique much in the way of CGI or grandiose musical scores. However, I can talk about the sets and wardrobes, which are pretty slick. I can also talk about the acting, which is fantastic. Sometimes it veers into melodramatic territory, but for the most part everyone gives stellar performances, especially Hunter and Romano. They play a much larger role in the film than you would expect (they actually have more screen-time than Kazan), and thankfully that is not to the film's detriment.
The Big Sick is a pretty intriguing auto-bio, though at times it brings in elements which aren't based in what happened to the couple in question and are added for dramatic effect and because movies. And that can leave you wondering "Okay, so which parts of this story are what actually happened, because some of these plot points seem absurd?", which is confusing if you go in knowing that it's supposed to be based on real events. Nevertheless, as a film, The Big Sick is still really unique and interesting, focusing on a character-driven story which feels relatable and engaging, even if it can be too fantastical at times. And as a comedy, the humor naturally has to be taken into account. It's a bit low-key once it comes to the more dramatic parts of the film, but this movie is hilarious. I had never heard of Kumail before I started hearing about his film, but if he's this funny in general I ought to be looking into him more. The dialogue is quick, witty, and excellent.
The Big Sick is a fantastic rom-com which is better than just about any other in its genre I've seen (outside of The Princess Bride, of course). It's funny, it's dramatic, it's engaging, and it's a damn good film. There are some hang-ups here and there, but all around it is phenomenal. The Big Sick gets a 9/10.
Excellent
Summary:
Funny, sweet, interesting, compelling, and honest for the most part, The Big Sick has earned its spot as one of the genre's new top dogs and watermark releases. Every rom-com after it will be measured by it, and that's no small achievement, even if the genre is populated by a lot of trash.
(originally posted: 10/20/2017)
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