Michael Showalter directs Kumail Nanjiani, Holly Hunter and Ray Romano in this romantic comedy about a Pakistani comedian whose white ex falls into a coma before he can realise he wants to be with her despite family objections.

Neither Splash or Honeymoon in Vegas are perfect romantic comedies. They both suffer from “fake obstacles” thrown into the mix to create drama. But they come from a period where romcoms were a monthly occurrence on the release schedule. The Big Sick feels like a rarity, a reunion with an old friend. But it doesn’t work. It aches of an Apatow hangover, you know what I mean. Often more interested in Nanjiani’s stand-up career than his romances, it is way too distracted to seduce. The falling out that separates the lead couple happens in an instance after months together. People genuinely in love don’t break up in one scene. And when Ray Romano and Holly Hunter turn up as the waiting room parents they steal the film. Not quite a positive as you are left wanting to see more of the old hands repairing their marriage rather than the unbelievable people not be horrible to each other. There are enough laughs and manipulative bits to make it watchable. Just not very likeable.

5