THE BIG SICK (2017)
Indie comedy presents the familiar story of a foreign born character falling for an American character and the ensuing culture clash chaos it causes with the respective families. Here is it Pakistani Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani) who wants to be a stand-up comedian who falls for cute, perky Emily (Zoe Kazan). Of course Kumail’s family wants to see him in an arranged marriage and he wants to live his own life. When Emily falls ill, Kumail battles his own family’s demands and Emily’s parents’ reluctance to accept him to be by her side.
Directed by Michael Showalter from a script by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, this flick is well intended, but basically one big cliché from start to finish. It’s the same story we see every week on the Big Bang Theory with Raj battling his strict Indian parents to avoid an arranged marriage and live his life, his way. Here there is also the added cliché of having Emily take ill which obviously brings Kumail and her parents together and gives him the strength to face up to his own strict Muslim parents. The cast perform well and Nanjiani is charming in the lead, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before and just making the character Pakistani instead of Asian, Indian or some other culture, doesn’t change how familiar it all is. Not to mention that at over 120 minutes, it’s at least 30 or 40 minutes too long. Not sure what all the fuss was about. Also stars Holly Hunter and Ray Romano.
-MonsterZero NJ
MonsterZero NJ's Movie Madhouse 