[This series of posts - Romantic Comedies in the Time of Social Distance - has been created in response to people looking for good rom-coms to watch at home during our current crisis. Some are directly apropos and some will take you away from it all, but none of them are romantic comedies that suck.]
At first glance, this one may feel a little too close for comfort, but the script of Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani's The Big Sick (directed by Michael Showalter) never veers into truly tragic territory, and especially people who've experienced loved ones being ill and/or hospitalized may find solace in how this essentially upbeat romantic dramedy deals with the realities of that scary, currently all too common situation.
Earlier in our self-isolation, when my wife and I screened the recent Invisible Man, my wife noted that it was fun to watch this well-made horror film because as frightening as it got, we knew that it would work out well in the end - unlike the ongoing horror-show of our current reality. By the same token, anyone who loves good comedy will enjoy The Big Sick's great, zinger-filled dialogue, the marvelous performances (including force-of-nature Holly Hunter, and Ray Romano at his post-Raymond best) and the genuinely fresh, surprising turns in a movie that's as much about family, the vagaries of emotional ambivalence, and overcoming biases, as it is about medical emergencies.
It's also about learning how to be the best version of yourself during a trying time, and ultimately it's about hope. Available on Amazon Prime and a number of online mediums.
Why is this brilliant movie unknown in France!? I love THE BIG SICK that reminds me a Ken Loach movie I love too: Ae fond kiss. Both films deal with the opposition between love and family traditions from Pakistan. It’s moving, funny and socially engaged… everything I love... the kind of scripts I write 😊
Posted by: Stephane Guero | April 29, 2020 at 11:59 PM