The Big Sick is the big screen adaptation of Kumail Nanjiani's real life events. Get to know where his career as a stand-up comedian started and how he met his wife while having rustled feathers with his family to achieve what he intends to in this rollicking rom-com!
We start off by experiencing the constituents that make up our protagonist's life. He has a strict family who requires him to be and do certain things in certain ways, especially when it comes to career and marriage. One, Kumail has to be a lawyer or doctor, and two, he has to marry a woman of his descent who shall be handpicked by the parents themselves. But, our hero on the other hand is working hard to flourish in his stand-up comedy and has fallen in love with a white girl named Emily (Zoe Kazan). Let the conflicts begin!
Firstly, the environment was fresh. It's not every day we see behind-the-scenes stories portraying comedians trying to get their official breaks. The relationship between the two leads is something to watch out for! Everything about it was organic, from inception to development. Emily's outburst prior to the major break-up may have been quite sudden, but it's so warm to be with these two as their rapport grow and blossom through naughty yet beautiful exchanges of words and interactions.
Mind you, the picture's really funny! Contradictions in dialogues, misunderstandings and banter between the friends group were contributions to the meter! Highlights were the iconic 9/11 joke and hidden Hindi conversation! The best part of all these? None of it were obvious! It's all about subtlety. At the end of the day, you're just left wanting to spend time with these people.
All the performances were adequate and fantastic! The pair of husband and wife screenwriters knew how to install a negative turning point right after a positive one to keep the story alive and moving. They also tuned the tension up by showing the candidates' photographs piling up. Towards the climax, you feel sorry for Kumail as he narrates his pain on stage, confronts his parents about doing what he believes in, and meeting Emily post coma only to be declined after all he has been through. Don't feel so bad, because he does eventually get the girl via an awesome call-back at the resolution!
Dialogues were so reflective of the characters, even while they were providing thematic inputs! While there were minor hiccups here and there in the cuts, mostly it was a smooth ride. The Indian background music was stereotypical though. Also, pre-climax sort-out to say he has changed didn't had to be too literal.