Kumail (Nanjiani) is a stand-up comedian in Chicago, waiting for his big break. To help make ends meet he is an Uber driver and shares an apartment with fellow comedian Chris (Braunohler). One evening he meets psychology student Emily Gardner (Kazan) at a show and they begin dating.
He keeps the relationship a secret from his family. His parents, Azmat (Kher) and Sharmeen (Shroff), want to find him a nice Pakistani wife and regularly invite women to their home during the family dinners for that purpose. They also want him to give up on comedy and become a lawyer. His brother, Naveed (Akhtar) is the only person that knows about Emily.
Everything changes when Emily goes to the hospital with a sudden illness. She is placed in a medically induced coma, and Kumail is left to contemplate what is really important in his life.
This film is loosely based on the relationship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon. Nanjiani and Gordon, who have been married since 2007, wrote the screenplay for the film. They worked on the screenplay for 3 years and kept the overall story of their relationship as the base of the story. The film was released on their 10th wedding anniversary.
Nanjiani portrays himself in the film. Gordon was changed to Emily Gardner and is played by actress Zoe Kazan. Her parents are played by Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, and are completed fictional versions of Gordon's parents. Nanjiani approached Anupam Kher to portray his father, based on a recommendation from Nanjiani's father. The other members of Nanjiani's family were portrayed by actors of Indian ancestry.
Nanjiani and Kazan have excellent chemistry. Kazan watched videos of Nanjiani and Gordon to get an accurate idea of their relationship. The film, directed by Michael Showalter, is a moving romantic comedy... but doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of their relationship and her sickness.
The story is interesting, especially because it is true. The performances are compelling and you can't look away from the screen. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and hope all the media buzz gives it a wider audience (and it is available for streaming on Amazon Prime).
The film is getting significant awards-show buzz. The American Film Institute named it as one of the Top Ten Films of 2017. The cast, screenplay, and film have been nominated for several awards.
The Big Sick (2017) 117 minutes
Rating: R for language including some sexual references
Director: Michael Showalter
Starring: Kumail Nanjiani as Kumail
Zoe Kazan as Emily Gardner
Holly Hunter as Beth Gardner
Ray Romano as Terry Gardner
Anupam Kher as Azmat
Zenobia Shroff as Sharmeen
Adeel Akhtar as Naveed
Bo Burham as CJ
Aidy Bryant as Mary
Kurt Braunohler as Chris
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