I adored "The Big Sick" for its concept, realism, and ability to infuse comedy into a dramatic situation without becoming an uncomfortable dark comedy. But why did they need so many f-words? Unfortunately, this is a prime example of the modern culture of comedy. Dozens of f-words weren't necessary to create the realism of this plot nor did they make any moment funnier than it would have been without them. And yet, Hollywood has dictated that a film cannot be considered “funny” without an explosion of profanity (see every Melissa McCarthy film ever created). The true shame is that this film is full of important messages about love, race, forgiveness, and self-discovery, but its audiences will be limited solely based on this R-rating. With an adjustment of unnecessary f-words and sacrifice of a few sexual jokes, this could be an incredible PG-13 dramatic comedy that parents could use to teach their children important lessons about the modern world. But then it wouldn't receive any Oscar nominations, so Emily Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani did what they had to do. I don't blame them, but I wish that their incredible script could be experienced by a much wider audience.
Now that I've gotten that rant out of the way, I was completely mesmerized by this unique story and haven't been able to get it off of my mind since. When you consider the pieces of this puzzle - a Pakistani stand-up comedian, an average American girl, the debate between love and arranged marriage, cultural tradition, goofball parents with their own baggage, and a medical tragedy - there is no way that these pieces should fit together. And yet, this unbelievable/illogical story is based on true events so it has to work! I believe that the key is the film’s tone. The events of the story easily could have been romanticized into an overdramatic, far-fetched story. They also could have focused on creating a sense of humorous irony around the unfortunate circumstances of the characters as we’d expect from a dark comedy. Instead, Nanjiani and Gordon incorporate lighthearted dialogue throughout the story’s saddest moments in the same way that someone might make jokes at a funeral, allowing the moments to remain sad but maintaining a sense of happiness. The end result feels organic and real with everything culminating in the perfect ending. The ending's subtlety probably has RomCom fans upset that they don't get a super-emotional, tear-jerking ending, but it is necessary to preserve the realism of the story. Nanjiani is the perfect lead character with his natural comedic timing and there is nobody better suited to tell this story than the man who lived it. I love the casting of Zoe Kazan as she has an attractive-but-typical appearance, an endearing personality, and plays perfectly off of Nanjiani’s comedy. She is the real reason that we want them to be together. The depth of the cast comes from veteran actors Ray Romano, Holly Hunter, Anupam Kher, and Zenobia Shroff who use their acting chops to round out the otherwise young cast. These supporting characters are well-developed with a clever contrast that helps to embody the conflict between the leads: one set of parents delivers comedy and a sense of adaptability while the other pair is more serious and deeply rooted in tradition. Overall, I give the acting high marks as Hunter, Romano, and Nanjiani create impressive emotional moments. I found “The Big Sick” to be topical toward many of today’s issues while maintaining a timelessness that will keep it relevant for many years to come. I will probably never watch it again due to its extreme use of unnecessary profanity but I will always appreciate it for being a triumph of storytelling and character development.
[Pictured: You will fall in love with Nanjiani and Kazan from the very first Uber ride]
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