An Awkward True Story

Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher, Zenobia Shroff, Adeel Akhtar, Bo Burnham, Aidy Bryant

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"It's just really hard to do standup comedy when your girlfriend is in a coma." – Kumail

Why watch this? Nanjiani's razor-sharp wit is charming, funny and attractive.

Plot Summary: This romance follows Kumail, a comedian who struggles to reconcile his Pakistani heritage and traditional Muslim family expectations with his burgeoning relationship with Emily, a white woman. Their budding relationship is unexpectedly challenged when Emily falls ill and Kumail finds himself developing a closer bond with her parents as he navigates the crisis.

Dad's Preview: This romance plays against a lot of stereotypes. I will admit that I struggled a little to relate to a Pakistani man dating a Caucasian woman. After watching this film, my internal reservations evaporated. Perhaps the term "big sick" is a bit symbolic for unwarranted caution regarding inter-race relationships. Anyway, these two delightful people openly admit they don't want the relationship to continue, but their passionate love overrides all that. By the end, it's as natural as medicine for a cold. Incidentally art initiates life: Nanjiani and Kazan were married eight months after filming.

FilmNation Entertainment, Apatow Productions, Amazon Studios; Lionsgate