The Big Sick

The Big Sick is another one of Judd Apatow’s great conversational dramas with a beautifully light and positively conceived take on the current most pressing issue of Muslims, with a traditionally relatable and well-analyzed relationshiporiented plot line. The film is emotional and intelligent, with a script worthy of an Oscar nomination. And I think that Zoe Kazan might get one as well. (08/07/2017)

Don't expect a romantic comedy from this. Except for one inappropriate joke about September 11th and a few amusing moments, the attempts at humor fall flat - especially considering the environment of stand-up comedians in which Kumail works. As a melodrama that wants to touch and manipulate your emotions, it surprisingly works well. The mere three stars I'm giving it are due to the cast. The chemistry between the central duo is minimal, but it's not just about their interaction. They simply lack the charisma to capture the audience's attention and carry the main roles in their respective genre. Kumail is simply not Hugh Grant or Colin Firth, and Zoe Kazan is not Meg Ryan. And here's another observation: rather than an indie film from the Sundance festival, this reminds me of a Hollywood studio production. The arranged brides look like a portfolio of a Pakistani modeling agency, and potential conflicts and barriers are overlooked and retouched. Rebelling against established norms, such as arranged marriages, is one thing, but admitting to parents the loss of religious faith and transitioning to agnosticism or even atheism in the conservative environment of Pakistani Islamic conception is incomparably more serious and hardly imaginable. The only possible consequence here would be immediate and complete expulsion from the family and community. It is good to remember that the (extended) family and community have a crucial significance in Islamic society, which the individualistic and rationalized West usually underestimates and disregards. Overall impression: 65%. (04/08/2019)

A standard relaxing feel-good movie which is predictable through and through. But such movies are necessary, too. It is not exactly a comedy which would have you roll on the floor, but rather an intelligent romance to make you chuckle. Despite the dramatic plot and some painful life lessons, it doesn’t turn into a tearjerker but retains its cynically humorous worldview. What's more, the main character's confrontation with his conservative Muslim background gives even completely banal situations a comedic touch. As a bonus, you will get bizarre yet hilarious lectures on Pakistan. (16/12/2017)

I was wondering how a romantic comedy could be so entertaining that it dazzled at the Sundance Film Festival and then also as the opening film at the Karlovy Vary festival. It turns out that romantic comedy really can be very funny and perfectly disarming. At first glance, it's a seemingly unoriginal romance involving a stand-up comedian, but on the other hand, it's fantastic fun with great jokes and interesting developments. (23/07/2017)

Enthusiastic responses from Sundance announced that this may be the comedy of the year, but it’s no miracle - this independent romantic comedy is completely standard, and there are dozens to hundreds of similar films in existence. In fact, it is only moderately funny. However, it differs from the others with its Pakistani themes and cute origins, which is certainly a plus, as well as the unusual motifs of the mother separating her son from her family for disobeying cultural traditions, jokes about Muslim terrorists and possible metaphorical interpretations of the deadly consequences of lies among two partners. (24/06/2017)