Love in a Storm: A Look Back to "The Big Sick" (2017)
Love is a funny, painful thing. Sometimes, it finds you when you are not looking for it. When you think it may leave, you try your best to keep it with you. This sentiment is explored in Kumali Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon's first major film. The Big Sick hits home to people who connect with the difficult turns that the love can take you down. As the film awaits the Oscar results for Best Original Screenplay, let's take a look into the film that struck a cord with so many.
The following paragrahs will have minor spoilers, so if you're sensitive to spoilers, please tread lightly.
One of the elements that is explored in The Big Sick is dating outside of one's race or ethnic group. My wife and I are of different races and I connected with some of the issues that Kumali's character faced in the film . While my family was understanding, I had friends who were not as compassionate. I dated several women who were my same race and it did not work. The heartbreak of finding someone that t is great for you that other people in your life don't like can be a difficult thing to deal with, especially when it's as superficial as their racial background. Is the color of their skin that great of a barrier to cross?
Kumali and Emily's dilemma goes beyond just color. His family desires him to marry a Muslim Pakistani woman that they have found for him. Kumali faces an internal conflict with this decision because he doesn't want to be set up and isn't sure about his Muslim faith.
The story connect beyond the relationship of our main lovers but the family and friends that surround the couple. One of the things that people rarely think about when starting a relationship is the secondary and tertiary players in the equation of their lives. The addition to your life can cause friction and shifts in the dynamics of everyone involved. These changes can warn people away from you. It's sometimes tougher to win those individuals over but in those moments, when emotions are genuine and raw, connection can be made.
In the film, Kumail has to face the parents after Emily becomes ill and starts to realize how the depth of one's health branches out to individuals you may not know. Even though he was scared to tell his parents about Emily, she was not shy about informing her parents about him. To see how their dynamics play out causes one to be reflective about how they treat someone and how their feelings can go beyond your intimate setting.
When I first saw the trailer for The Big Sick, my attention was drawn instantly to some of the key players. The main character, Kumail Nanjiani, was first notable from IFC's Portlandia and HBO's Silicon Valley. In this film, he was able to deliver humor and emotion in this dramatic role, even more so than what I've seen from him in the past. Ray Romano (Everyone Loves Raymond) and Holly Hunter (Raising Arizona) provide a believable performance as concerned parents who is fighting for the life of their daughter. Their relationship in the movie also has its struggles and it presents a different perspective of a relationship after dealing with distrust. They shine a light on love that Kumail did not know before and makes love feel more real. His own family allowed him to face the reality of decisions and how deep familial love goes, even if it might leave. Zoe Kazan (Our Brand is Crisis), who played Emily, was the right fit for this role. There's something enchanting about Zoe that make you connect to every emotion that Kumail displays while being in the throes of Emily's love.
The biggest thing that The Big Sick presents is authenticity. The emotions feel real, which is key in making this film work. No matter how fantastical or far fetched a situation my be, if the emotions and actions feels real, the world of a film can make you suspend disbelief. After learning that Emily and Kumail created the screenplay based on their real life experience, it strengthened my appreciation for this film.
Is this film for you?
The Big Sick is a film that should be seen by anyone who enjoy seeing films that dives into the dynamics of people who are trying to find a human connection that leads to something more. The film speaks to anyone who has worked to gain control of Love when it falls apart. I foolishly cried while my heart was filled with joy. I wish the best of luck to both Emily and Kumali, as they prepare to have their film go against other great films like Get Out , The Shape of Water, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri . The film is rated R due to language and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.