The Big Sick

Back in the day, there was a common comedic storyline about the dark, slightly nerdly outcast (The Graduate, Last Picture Show, American Graffiti, the Sunshine Kid, When Harry Met Sally) chasing after the beautiful blonde from the other side of the tracks.  Most of the time, the actor was Jewish and the blonde a Gentile, adding to the Romeo and Juliet nature of the story.  True love usually won.

In the Big Sick, we have the same storyline, except the Jew is now the Muslim.  Kumail Najiani plays the lead of... Kamail, and his love is Emily (Zoe Kazan), all fresh faced and rosy cheeked.

Kamail is a stand up comic (strong Seinfeld overtones) and he meets Emily at work of course.   Their one night stand turns into a relationship which has its ups and downs until Emily falls into a coma.  Kamail rushes to the hospital to meet Emily's parents (Ray Romano and Holly Hunter) who are thrown together for this difficult time for family and ... this guy.

A subplot involves Kamail's own family who is trying to make an arranged marriage for him, according to Pakistani culture.  Another subplot involves Kamail's one act play, very similar to Leaving Boulder City in La La Land.

Judd Apatow produced and his prints are all over, from the no-name casting to the dry stand up comedy (Funny People)

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