The Big Sick

Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily have written "The Big Sick" about their early years when the status of their relationship was uncertain, with Kumail pressurised by his family to marry a woman of Pakistani heritage. It was complicated still further when Emily fell into a coma. Nanjiani plays himself whilst Zoe Kazan plays Emily. Their courtship in the first half of the film is sweet and feels genuine and the audience falls for Emily as much as Kumail does, with Kazan's bright eyed, striking performance.

Kumail is a comedian and there's a fair few scenes at his local comedy club as he and his friends prepare for a Just The Laughs showcase. There's something off about the film's depiction of stand-up, even if I'm prepared to accept it the differences between the UK and US. The same comedians seem to come back to the same venue each week to perform the same show. Also, none of the material is as funny as the film clearly wants us to find it. But it is always good to see Bo Burnham, who I suspect enjoyed playing the cocky young asshole comic in this one.

Holly Hunter and Ray Romano put in good performances as Emily's parents, with Romano especially striking as the loving father clearly struggling to process the situation and his own familial difficulties. Like a lot of Apatow films, I enjoyed it, but like a lot of Apatow films, I wished it was funnier. But regardless, you'll enjoy spending time with Kumail and Emily.