Amazon Studios and Lionsgate have released the first trailer for the critically acclaimed romantic comedy The Big Sick, which premiered to rapturous reviews at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. The film is based on the true story of actor/comedian Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley) and writer/producer Emily V. Gordon’s unique courtship, with Nanjiani playing himself in the film while Zoe Kazan fills the role of his girlfriend. After the two strike up a relationship, Emily discovers Kumail’s family is deeply invested in an arranged marriage with someone of Pakistani decent. They break up, but Emily then gets a serious, mysterious illness and falls into a coma. Kumail then stays by her side while forging an awkward relationship with Emily’s parents, played in the film by Ray Romano and Holly Hunter.

Wet Hot American Summer alum Michael Showalter (Hello My Name Is Doris) directs the film and Judd Apatow produces, with Nanjiani and Gordon writing the screenplay themselves, and the result is something sweet, surprising, hilarious, and deeply heartfelt. It’s a romantic comedy, but a wholly unique one as Kumail and Emily’s story is truly stranger than fiction. I caught the film at Sundance and it’s a massive crowdpleaser with great performances all around (especially from Nanjiani and Hunter), and if audiences seek it out this summer I can almost guarantee they’ll walk away satisfied.

Check out the trailer below, which is a solid indication of the film’s tone and narrative (and don't worry, Emily getting sick isn't a spoiler, it is the plot). And click here to read Matt’s review. The film also stars Aidy Bryant and Bo Burnham and opens in limited release on June 23rd before expanding wide on July 14th.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Big Sick:

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.  THE BIG SICK is directed by Michael Showalter (HELLO MY NAME IS DORIS) and produced by Judd Apatow (TRAINWRECK, THIS IS 40) and Barry Mendel (TRAINWRECK, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS).