C Blau
August 21st, 2017

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Wading through the various photos, it was hard work establishing what are from the movie and what are from real life. Given the way she’s smiling, we’re hoping this is a movie still. Come on, nobody looks at their beau like that, do they?

I have been a fan of Kumail Nanjiani for a long time. I have watched his standup comedy on YouTube, his appearances on late-night shows, and seen two seasons of ‘Silicon Valley’. He is very funny. And charming.

So, when I heard of ‘The Big Sick’, a semi-autobiographical romantic comedy he co-wrote with his wife, Emily V Gordon, I knew I had to see it. After months of waiting, ‘The Big Sick’ was finally released in Denmark on July 17.

True life story
Kumail plays himself – in this case a part-time standup comic and Uber driver who meets Emily (Zoe Kazan) after one of his performances at a comedy club. They start dating despite loud protestations from both sides regarding how they’re not really looking for a relationship and the complicated rules Kumail concocts to deny the fact that they are in a relationship.

In the meantime, Kumail’s Pakistani-born mother has a steady stream of potential Pakistani brides ‘just drop in’ during family dinners. Arranged marriages are common in Pakistan and India, and despite moving to the West, many parents still try to arrange marriages for their children.

Unable to tell his mother the truth about dating a white woman, Kumail continues to meet the Pakistani girls his mother selects … until Emily discovers a box with photos of all the girls he’s met.

Strong support cast
This is a movie that will make you laugh, cry and laugh-cry.

The formidable Holly Hunter shines as Emily’s mother and Ray Romano is solid as her father. Anupam Kher, one of the biggest names in Bollywood, plays Kumail’s dad. Zoe Kazan, as Emily, is at once vulnerable and strong.

This is a beautifully made movie and I loved every minute of it.