Big Night is a celebration of Italian-American culture and family, prioritizing character-driven storytelling over anything resembling identity politics. There’s no sign of casting for the sake of forced representation, and every role fits the story’s authentic 1950s setting. The film focuses on believable, flawed characters and genuine conflict, avoiding any whiff of performative diversity.

Family, masculinity, and tradition are integral to Big Night. The movie reverently depicts the immigrant pursuit of the American dream, the importance of faith, and the bitter-sweetness of familial bonds. No subversive cultural revisionism or deconstruction of traditional values to be found here; if anything, the film romanticizes them.

There’s no ideological preaching or heavy-handed messaging. The film’s worldview is grounded in the characters’ lived experiences and the struggles of family life, not in any modern political agenda. Traditional values aren’t mocked or villainized, if anything, they are the backbone of the story.