Written by: Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani
Directed by: Michael Showalter
Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Bo Burnham, David Alan Grier
Rated: R
Plot
Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani and graduate student Emily Gardner fall in love but can't overcome their cultural differences. When Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail faces her parents, his family's expectations, and his true feelings.
Verdict
This is a feel good movie, though we get a few turns along the way. The dialog is natural and a lot of fun. Regardless of religion Kumail's parents are trying to impose their ideas on his life. He feigns to comply, but is putting on a facade. It's easy to identify with that and a subtext that cultures aren't all that different. His hopes for his life are put to the test when he has to face off against his and Emily's parents while she's in a coma.
Watch it.
Review
Based on Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon's real life courtship, Judd Apatow urged them to write a script after hearing the story.
Kumail is caught between two worlds, the life he lives and what his parents want. At one point he asks them why they moved to American if they were just going to keep pushing outdated traditions on him. He doesn't want any part of an arranged marriage, or as he notes in Pakistan it's just called marriage. He hides his relationship with Emily from everyone because he doesn't want to lose his family. Of course he ends up losing Emily.
The dialog is sharp. Often cute and always natural, it's a lot of fun. While it's intriguing to see Pakistani culture, this movie resonates because almost everyone feels the push of their parents at some point. You tell your parents one thing and do another.
This goes from cute rom-com to heavy when Emily becomes sick. Kumail is at the hospital and faced with big decisions for a girl that broke up with him. It's an interesting dynamic. Time has stopped for Emily, but the relationship is progressing for Kumail. When her parents arrive, he has the chance to leave free and clear but realizes he doesn't want to. Her parents are mad at him because they know what happened between them.
There's a neat moment at the club when Kumail is heckled and Emily's mother attacks the heckler. It's part sharing a bond over this difficult moment and also releasing built up tension. Romano and Hunter do a great job as the parents. Kumail plays a great everyman. It's hard not to like him, and he does have a sympathetic arc.
When Emily wakes up practically no time has passed for her, but a lot has changed for Kumail. He's also gone through the ringer with her parents. I like that the movie doesn't go story book ending at this point. Nothing has changed for Emily, though it has to be bewildering for her now that Kumail has a relationship with her parents seemingly overnight to her. It's a neat movie that explores grief, forgiveness, independence, and love. It feels real, because it is.
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