‘The Big Sick’ Trailer: The Next Great Rom-Com Is Here

The Big Sick was one of our favorites at the Sundance and SXSW film festivals this year, and it will probably become one of your favorites too when it hits theaters next month. But you don’t have to wait that long to get a little taste of what makes this movie so wonderful — the first official trailer has arrived for the new rom-com, with a special (and misleading) introduction from stars Kumail Nanjiani and Ray Romano.

Co-written by Nanjiani with Emily Gordon, The Big Sick tells the slightly fictionalized (for your entertainment) story of how the two met and fell in love, with Nanjiani playing himself opposite the great Zoe Kazan as Emily. As you can see, their relationship hits a couple of significant roadblocks. Although the trailer is admittedly heavier on plot details than actual jokes, that’s not necessarily a bad thing — trust me, you don’t want too many of those hilarious moments spoiled for you.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Based on the real-life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, THE BIG SICK tells the story of Pakistan-born aspiring comedian Kumail (Nanjiani), who connects with grad student Emily (Kazan) after one of his standup sets. However, what they thought would be just a one-night stand blossoms into the real thing, which complicates the life that is expected of Kumail by his traditional Muslim parents. When Emily is beset with a mystery illness, it forces Kumail to navigate the medical crisis with her parents, Beth and Terry (Holly Hunter and Ray Romano) who he's never met, while dealing with the emotional tug-of-war between his family and his heart.

Although their particular romance is beset with very specific conflicts, The Big Sick is super-duper relatable in exploring the intimate difficulties of new and evolving relationships and the sacrifices and seemingly impossible decisions that we often face. It also features an incredible supporting cast, including Romano and Holly Hunter as Emily’s parents, and Bo Burnham and Aidy Bryant as Kumail’s comedian friends. Directed by Michael Showalter (Hello My Name Is Doris) and produced by Judd Apatow, The Big Sick hits select theaters on June 23 and opens nationwide on July 14.