Report Card---"The Big Sick"

"The Big Sick" is a classic romantic comedy in the best sense.
Kumail Nanjani is a real Pakistani stand-up comic who works in Chicago.
His parents, of course, never wanted him to leave Pakistan, much less become a stand-up
comic.  They too live in Chicago.
One night,  Kumail is heckled from the audience by a cute young American girl,  Emily
Kumail is simultaneously offended and flattered.
We, of course, see where this is headed.
This is complicated by the fact that Pakistanis are still under the thumb of their parents as far as
pre-arranged marriages are concerned.  There are many scenes where an endless parade of
Pakistani girls are brought around over dinner at Kumail's house for his approval.
He approves of none of them, much to the dismay of Kumail's mother.
It's right out of "Fiddler on the Roof".
And Kumail has kept his relationship with his American girlfriend a secret for as long as he can.
This is complicated by the Emily's contracting a mysterious illness, hence the title, "The Big Sick".

On to the scoring:   

Is it interesting?

Very.
A.

Compelling even?

Not quite.  It is carried by its charm.
B+.

Is it a story worth telling?

Very much so, and it doesn't hurt that it's true.
A.

Is it good storytelling?

Very
A.

Is it well written?

Very.  And it's written by Kumail, and the real Emily.
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?

Yes.  They got a fictional Emily, Zoe Kazan, who is adorable.  And there are wonderful turns by
Ray Romano and Holly Hunter as Emily's parents.
A+.

Well shot?

Extremely
A+.

Did the director put such a personal stamp on it so that no one else could have made it?

Somewhat.
A.

How long does it take to establish the film's locale and time period?

Immediately.  Chicago, the present.
A+.

Is it too long? Too short?

Perfect.
A+.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?.

Yes, and totally.
A+.

Is it predictable?

Very, but it doesn't matter.
B.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

Only about how much fun it was.
A.

Is it funny?

Often.  And it displays the way actual stand-up is done, much better than that Showtime series
"I'm Dying Up  Here" does.
A.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

I could have waited for cable.
C.

Is it impressive?

Somewhat
B.

Overall grade: B+.

It's quite enjoyable.  The whole is better than the sum of its parts.

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My books, "Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
They are all compilations of blog entries that have since been removed from the blog.
So this is the only way you can find them.,
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not e-books.
But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@comcast.net
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

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