Summer is the season for hot new movies and blockbusters. Though sometimes it brings us the best in indie films with plots full of equal parts heart and laughs. This season that film is "The Big Sick."
"The Big Sick" is written by Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily Gordon. The story is their real life love story. Gordon fell into a coma during their relationship and Nanjiani bonded with her parents in the hospital. Not only is the plot endearing and pulls at the romantic heartstrings in all of us but it balances comedy and drama well. It does not overexaggerate its comedy and try too hard with the jokes. It also doesn't pile on the romantic material to the point of ridiculousness. It also presents an interracial relationship in the mainstream.
Nanjiani was born in Pakistan and raised to be put in an arranged marriage with a Pakistani woman when he got older. Gordon is white and is from North Carolina. Kumail's character frequently points out that arranged marriage is just marriage in his culture and anything besides that is sinful. This presents a culture clash for the couple and puts them at odds with each other. The story is honest and exposes the audience to the reality that some interracial couples face in their relationship.