Saw this movie again recently and found that it stands up well to repeat viewings. Tom Hanks meets a difficult challenge here - to convincingly show us how a twelve-year old boy would act if he were trapped in an adult's body and had to "pass" in a grownup world. He meets the challenge in spades, aided by a script that is by turns witty, clever, insightful, and touching, and by Penny Marshall's able direction. Much is added by Robert Loggia's sympathetic portrayal of Tom/Josh's boss, and by Jared Rushton as his friend Billy. The movie is much more than an exercise in slapstick or farce: it is really a disquisition on the wonder of childhood. In the end it is quite touching, if not moving, reminding us all of the innocence of youth and the aching sadness of recalling its loss. Too early to tell, but the film might very well be destined to become a classic.
Add a Review
-
rupie30 October 2000
-
Andreas_N9 November 2005This movie is great. I mean, really. That's what every boy dreams of - becoming an adult overnight! It's absolutely gorgeous to see Tom Hanks' performance - that's real acting, it requires a lot to play this part as genuinely and cordial as he did. The message is so clear and so honest. The nostalgic edge is of such profound significance to the story. It's about the differences between being a kid and being an adult. It's about two very different perceptions of the same world that surrounds us. It's just us and how we make the best out of every day of our lives, and all it needs is to see the world through the eyes of a kid. A kid perceives all the things differently, with much more native and modest simplicity - the keystone to imagination and magic, the keystone to cherish the daily miracles in our lives. This movie has a deep and very pervasive message. It has so much charm and vitality mingled with nostalgia and witchcraft. One of those movies I enjoyed watching when I was a kid. Recommended.
-
jotix1005 September 2006Be careful what you wish for because it might come true and you might live to regret it. This seems to be the cautionary message at the center of this enjoyable film, which we saw when it made its debut in 1988. Watching it a second time, still holds our attention as the director, Penny Marshall, clearly takes us for a ride with Josh, as he becomes a man before hand.
Josh, the New Jersey boy who is unhappy by being excluded of some fun things because of his age, asks Zoltar at the fair, for a wish which he is told has been granted. Imagine Josh's surprise the next morning waking up in the body of a grown up. His whole world comes crashing down on him. With the help of his best friend, Billy, he escapes to Manhattan, where he will go unnoticed.
The young man is in for a rude awakening, but his child-like attitude opens all the doors for him. When he applies to work at MacMillan's toys, he is a happy boy that has been given a candy. Because Josh is genuine, he will rise to the top at the firm and even find love with Susan, an executive woman that falls for his charming way and innocence.
The film is made more enjoyable by Tom Hanks. He is perfect as Josh, a boy at heart, with no malice. Elizabeth Perkins makes a good Susan. Jared Rushton plays Billy, the loyal friend. Robert Loggia is the owner of the firm. John Heard appears as Paul an executive who sees his star downgraded by the arrival of Josh.
Highlights of the film have to be the F.A.O. Schwartz sequence where Josh and Mac play on the floor piano and the party scene where Josh eats beluga caviar!
Great film for all ages thanks to Penny Marshall and the magic she created with this film. -
mermatt5 June 2001This charming, sweet, hilarious gem of a film works because Tom Hanks makes you believe he actually is a small boy in the body of an adult.
The interesting trick of what makes the story appealing is not so much the magic that the boy gets his wish to be "big." It's that once he is in an adult, he has to navigate the adult world with the mind of a child -- and ultimately realizes that he is missing something if he makes the leap from boy to man without going through all the fun and the struggle in between. There are several other films that have the boy-to-man switch, but none of them have the depth of understanding about human nature that this film portrays.
The story is wonderfully written and directed, and Tom Hanks is a star. The film made me laugh, and it made me cry. What more can you ask of one movie? -
Leofwine_draca6 June 2016I finally got around to watching BIG purely because it's one of the biggest movies of the 1980s. I should not that I'm not really a huge fan of family comedies like this, so if this is your type of thing I'd add at least a couple of stars to my rating which comes from someone who isn't the target audience.
BIG is one in a sub-genre of movies about kids who have the chance to be, well, big. Instead of going down the body-swap route, this film simply has a child version of Tom Hanks making a wish at a fun fair and waking up, adult-sized, the next morning. It's as straightforward as that, with all of the fish-out-of-water hijinks that ensue (taking the form of a child trapped in an adult world).
What I liked about this film is that it turns out to be rather touching and with an interesting subtext that explores the loss of innocence and the importance of the formative childhood years. In some ways it evokes a lot of nostalgia in the audience, as well as identifying with us adults who sometimes feel like we're still kids ourselves despite our advancing years. Tom Hanks gives a sweet and likable turn as the lead, but matching him are Robert Loggia (ever the scene-stealer) and Elizabeth Perkins, whose transformation is quite eye-catching. The dancing sequence with Loggia and Hanks is the undoubted highlight here. -
I saw this film again yesterday for what must now be the tenth or so time and it's a film that makes me stop whatever I'm doing and immerse myself in the unfolding story. Never mind the fact that I am by now familiar with the premise, which incidentally far exceeds similar ones of the genre released at this time - Vice Versa and 18 Again (the latter being truly dire).
I think this is one of Hanks' finest hours and see it as the pinnacle of his early pre-90's career. His later performance in Philadelphia would eclipse this role, although this was obviously more serious in its message.
It takes real talent to act the young boy in the body of a thirty something and Hanks' copes admirably, from the comical leaping around the bedroom when he is trying to put on the jeans of the child on discovering his transformation to the child-like reaction displayed on Perkins' advances toward him. He captures the essence of youthful innocence both in the company of his younger peers and older 'work' colleagues.
Elizabeth Perkins complements the performance of Hanks' and it seems a shame that on searching the database that her career perhaps hasn't mirrored the success of Hanks' since making 'Big'.
I don't know why, but I always shed a tear at the end of the film. Perhaps it is the longing in all of us to want to return to the days of our youth and that we cannot turn back the clock as one can in the imaginary world of film.
As I grow older, and watch my children grow-up it makes me realise that time is a precious commodity and that life is a gift that should be cherished and nurtured carefully. This film somehow reinforces these feelings. -
TOMASBBloodhound19 February 2012They sure made a few of these kind of movies back in the late 1980s, didn't they? Even one with George Burns moving into a younger body! I guess Big and the one with Kirk Cameron and Dudley Moore were the only two I actually saw. Big is certainly a cut above that film, but with this gimmick as your main storyline, there is definitely a ceiling for just how good your movie can be. Tom Hanks plays Josh Baskin, a young man teetering on the edge of puberty who makes a wish that he simply become "big". He does this to some sort of oddball carnival game that tells him "his wish has been granted". Strange, because the kid looks down and notices that the machine was not even plugged in. The next morning, Josh Baskin wakes up as Tom Hanks, and we are off and running.
Big is generally a funny film. Hanks does very well trying to imitate the mannerisms of a twelve year old boy, and his antics make for some rather funny and amusing situations. Of course he and his buddy set out to find the machine, which has conveniently been removed to another location, so they can switch him back to his old self. This being back in the 80s, it was apparently a large-scale ordeal to track a carnival machine as you could not simply look it up on the internet or any other useful solution that could wrap things up quickly. Hanks and his little pal learn they will not be able to find the machine for several weeks. Hanks will thus be forced to find a job and live as an adult until that information can be mailed to them. Sound ridiculous? Of course it does, but in any logical world we couldn't have this plot anyway. Hanks ends up getting a job at a toy firm where his childish perspective on what makes a fun toy has him quickly moving up the corporate ladder. He even endears himself to the owner played quite well by the ever-reliable Robert Loggia. Complications, and some genuine laughs occur, when Hanks begins to strike up a relationship with a female exec at the company played by Liz Perkins. Initially it is quite funny to see her come onto him, and he being just a child having no clue how to respond. Then Hanks seems to hit puberty, and the film veers off in a mostly serious direction, and the last 20 minutes or so just aren't funny or satisfying.
If they had maybe just kept things lighter in terms of tone and plot, this could have been a better film. It certainly is not a bad one, but a re-write or two could have helped it. Its just a little off-putting seeing Hanks awkwardly touch Perkins's breast for the first time. Just kind of creepy thinking a boy that mentally young would have his first experience with an adult woman who clearly wants to jump his bones. You'd think a boy in his shoes would have done everything he could to explain to his mother where he was, and what happened. But when you have a plot like this, reasonable action couldn't coincide. Big is a decent film. And some scenes are classic. One day, an old person like Robert Osborne is going to refer to the dancing piano scene as "movie magic". And he will be right. 6 of 10 stars.
The Hound. -
myronlearn1 December 2021In order to enjoy this fantasy of a film, you have to let go of the obvious- why is there no evidence of the FBI, police or newspaper headlines focused on what appears to be the kidnapping of a young boy from New Jersey? No mention of any of that at all. If you can disregard this and many other incredulous parts of this dated movie, it can be a lot of fun. It doesn't take itself seriously at all and neither should the viewer. A young Tom Hanks does an admirable job as a kid in a man's body. Elizabeth Perkins is also very good, as are his boss, the amazing Robert Loggia and John Heard, Hanks' formidable nemesis. It's far from Hanks' best, but the child in this adult had a good ride for an hour and 45 minutes.
-
bejasus22 December 2003Tom Hanks is at his best -- as are the others in this wonderful movie. Manages to be lighthearted and profound at the same time. The individual scenes are funny and memorable (the boy in a man's body unabashedly devours the food at the office party, surrounded by the restrained and constrained adults), but the whole narrative works as well. Underrated by IMDb users, based on the ratings! If you haven't seen it, rent it next time you are in the mood for something fun.
-
alexsnower16 July 2021A very solid comedy about a kid who wants to be big. He wants to impress the girl, ride the tallest rides and be a big shot. This turns out to be more than he bargained for. I won't spoil the movie but you have many great scenes like his first night out at a hotel after becoming big, his piano playing, and his newer fancier apartment turning into Michael Jackson's house. Very good movie would highly recommend.
-
Ah, those were the days. All of us have done it. Wished we were older, so we could do more. Well, in the movie "Big", a child's wish to become big comes true.
Josh is a boy who is not tall enough to ride a roller coaster at a theme park. Humilated in front of a girl he likes, he goes to a "fortune telling" machine, and wishes he could be bigger. He wakes up the next day as a man. When everyone he knows throws him out of their lives, except his best friend, he goes into the adult world. Just by knowing what kids want in toys, he becomes a success in a toy company. He also manages to get a girl wanting him(even though he is completely oblivious to it). All he wants is be himself again.
9/10. -
nuhashamada8 February 2019I happily enjoyed this film . Everything about it was great . Starting from the directing , the emotions , the soundtrack , the screenlay and the powerful performance by Tom Hanks . I admire him , performing a role of a 13 year old boy who looks 30 and try to act like he is adult could seem like a simple job ... not when Hanks is the main charchter . Also the story was simple , not too exploided , classical and when it comes to acting it looks freaking real . It shows the important of apreciation , life and people we didn't know they care about us . Fun to watch , enjoyable and highly recommended .
-
kyrat28 June 2010I was enjoying it until he begins a sexual relationship with an adult woman. And what does she do when she finds out he's 13? Not feel like a pervert, but check to see if he's of consenting age (16) as if she wants to continue the relationship. I was pretty disturbed by that.
If I'd seen it in the 80's as a teen I probably would've liked it. However, seeing it today as an adult, having seen other movies that encourage an embrace of innocence, that cover body- swapping/dealing with sudden adulthood (I'm thinking particularly) the original Freaky Friday - I'm just not that impressed.
Worth a watch I guess for the early scenes. -
For some reason this movie makes me well up with tears of joy every single second I'm watching it. I think it's the concept of adults discovering the children inside themselves. The simple innocence and well-meaning intent of josh baskins in this movie is like a magic elixir that changes everyone and everything he comes in contact with.
This movie is amazing because I saw it when it came out, when I was 13 years old, the same age as josh baskins in the movie, and I loved it then. It speaks to you as a child because it's completely realistic, everything is just the way a kid would see it. Most of the time when adults try to simulate what it's like to be a child, they fail miserably (see all the 80's anti-drug propaganda ads as an example). It takes an immense amount of creativity and sensitivity to be able to write something like this. But then when I see this movie as an adult, it speaks to me on a completely different level. This film is a lesson to adults as well as children. Don't miss out on the fun and spirit of life! Don't get to wrapped up in your petty concerns of status and materialism, just try to enjoy every moment the most that you can, because you'll never get another chance to relive each moment of your life.
Any of these fools that didn't like this movie are just that, they've probably missed out completely on the message because they can't remember what it was like to be a kid, to see the world as one big optimistic toy you're lucky to be able to play with. Think about that and see this movie again if you don't remember how amazing it is...
> -
Mcduff36011 August 2018I remember watching this around the time it first came out and loving it. I remember the ending in particular and feeling sad, I remember watching the piano scene which is so iconic and thinking this is awesome. I remember watching big Josh and wishing I could be like him.
I re-watched this because the wife and I were looking for something light and funny and we both remembered this movie vaguely as being both.
I had a real problem with the casual pedophilia aspect of the movie, it overshadowed everything for me. It made scenes that were supposed to be touching or romantic just cringy.
Times have changed I doubt this movie would get made these days, if it did it would have been an indie art house and not a main stream blockbuster.
There was nothing wrong with anything else in this movie, acting was great, pacing was good. But I just couldn't get over the fact that we were watching a kid doing all these grown up things, including having sex with a 20-30 something? woman. Not too mention if the mom of Josh thinks he is kidnapped how come no police I mean the kid was gone for a month! I know the 80's were more chill but I am pretty sure if I had gone missing for a month back then my parents would have been out on the streets the whole time along with the cops. Anyway if you want a funny stupid Tom Hanks 80's movie The Bachelor Party is better - the sex in that one is less creepy. -
"Big" instantly became one of my favorite films. 20 years later, I can still say the same thing. This film not only "holds up" well, it is still a timeless classic. Hanks & Perkins give outstanding performances; instead of "playing" a 12 year old, Hanks actually becomes one. His innocence is totally believable. Perkins plays the part of the ambitious Susan to perfection, and she is the perfect love interest for Hanks. Talk about chemistry here! The acting was great and the entire cast did an superb job. The movie is definitely a feel-good piece, but it's more than just fluff. If you think about some of the messages, it's telling us just to take things at face value and enjoy life. Josh succeeds because he has no ulterior motives. We are regularly reminded about the importance of friendship, and how events in our lives can sometimes threaten our relationships with established friends when we find something or someone new that we think deserves our full attention. Of course, a good friend will forgive you for such indulgences.
Overall, the movie deserves more stars for it's clever laughs, amazing acting, magnitude of imagination and nostalgia. Nonetheless, when the ending came along, I was left in shock wondering what just happened. Is that it? What happens next? There has to be additional footage. It cannot end like this. It called for a sequel perhaps, but I don't know if it ever came out. If you never watched this movie and would like to experience 80's nostalgia, it is highly recommended! My Ratings: 9 out of 10. -
fulopadam-8407022 April 2019A little bit boring, but not so bad. It's a good movie, and Tom Hanks is very very good and talented.
-
vertigo_145 April 2004I often wonder why it's so damn hard to just be a big kid no matter how old you are. Big is a movie about hanging on to that carefree child even when you grow up. It's about not getting caught up in stringent rules and routines, remembering those things that made being young so great, the outlook on life, especially when facing the mundane world of adulthood. Big strikes the balance between the two.
This is one of those movies that nearly everyone has seen. And, I suppose it's the precursor to that movie, 13 Going on 30, despite some differences in how the metamorphosis occurs and the result and everything.
Big is the story of 13 year-old Josh Baskin who is tired of missing out on all the privileges of being an adult. He's tired of simply being a kid. One night, he makes a drastic wish at a carnival arcade machine, and in the next day, he wakes up 30 years-old (or so). So the kid gets his wish, and while trying to return to normal, is a 13 year-old kid faced with a 30-year old's responsibilities. And it's a lot of fun. He works at a toy manufacturer. He gets the most excellent loft. I remember wanting a place like that when I was a teenager. Eventually, the 13-year-old must balance with the responsibilities of being a 30 year-old when Josh falls seriously in love with Susan (Perkins).
Big is one of the greatest movies ever simply because of the idea of a kid trying to be an adult and an adult still trying to hang on to being a kid, and all that things that Josh Baskins gets to experience while doing that.
As one of Penny Marshall's most notable production, this is enjoyable for nearly any age group. Everyone in it is fantastic--Hanks, Perkins, Loggia, Heard, Rheul, Moscow, and Rushton. It's a tough thing trying to hang to being young when you get older, but Big's a good reminder to keep trying. -
Boba_Fett113813 March 2004The success of the movie is mainly thanks to Tom Hanks performance that awarded him his first Oscar nomination.
The story and the movie itself are pretty simple and a bit corny at times but who really cares? It is a family movie and doesn't need any complexity. The only thing that troubled me about the story was that Josh did all kind of things that an 12 year old would never do when he finds himself in a grown up body. Instead of doing all kind of grown up things and taking advantage of it in certain situations, he chooses to do all kind of playful things, which was a bit corny and simple in my opinion but that's why it's a family movie.
It sounds weird but I think this movie is already a bit outdated even though it is only 16 years old. The story and the toys and the use of it are the main reasons why I think it is outdated and why kids might not find this movie so appealing as kids did 16 years ago. Also, the typical '80's soundtrack (you know what I mean) doesn't make the movie any younger.
The characters and the actors are good. John Heard plays aside from Tom Hanks a good role.
Above average comedy that is worth seeing but that will not stand the test of time.
7/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/ -
blanche-226 May 2006"Big" is a captivating, funny, heartwarming movie starring Tom Hanks. It is well deserving of any and all accolades. A kid, Josh, makes a wish at a carnival machine to be big - and Zoltar grants it. The boy becomes a man - on the outside, anyway. When Josh's own mother doesn't know him, his best friend helps him relocate in New York City while his family thinks he's been kidnapped. He finds a job at a toy company and the big boss (Robert Loggia) recognizes him as an eccentric genius, continually promoting him over his competition (John Heard). A young woman in the company (Elizabeth Perkins) falls in love with him. When he brings her to his new, gorgeous apartment, she sees his bunk bed, soda machine, and trampoline.
This movie was remade as "13 Going on 30," which was also a delightful movie, but not nearly as memorable as "Big." As we watch Hanks spitting out Beluga caviar at the office party, eating his way through the buffet, and dressing in what can only be called a white Elvis tuxedo, we realize how far we all are from our child within and that sense of wonder and freedom that brings with it original thoughts and creativity. As the boy Josh starts identifying more with his external appearance and discovers sex and the pressures of work, he realizes that something is missing.
Everyone in the film is excellent, including Josh's adult love interest, Elizabeth Perkins, John Heard, Robert Loggia, Mercedes Ruehl, and Jared Rushton as Billy, Josh's best friend. The end is adorable and worthy of some tears - which I shed. Highly recommended. -
gilgongo198013 November 2019A boy who grows up prematurely and regrets it. This was a nice movie, was often funny and had a little romance.
-
g-bodyl23 July 2014Big is a great film, or more accurately a magical film. This is a movie that will bring out your inner child and make you giddy and happy. This is also a showcase of Tom Hank's talent to the studios and this is only the beginning to the monstrous next decade he is going to have. This film is sweet, romantic, and very charming. I think because mainly it goes through the thoughts every child has at some point and that is growing up to be adults and thus, that makes this film very relatable.
Penny Marshall's film is about a boy named Josh Baskin who makes a wish at a carnival that he wants to be an adult. The very next day, Josh finds out his wish has been granted, but he is a 30-year-old with a 12-year-old mind. Things are smooth sailing at first, but once Josh goes through the drudgery of adulthood, maybe his wish wasn't the greatest thing after all.
As said previously, Tom Hanks does an excellent job here. He has the kind of personality to successfully pull off this role. He is funny and amusing, especially acting as a 12-year-old. My favorite scene is when he was performing "Heart & Soul" with Robert Loggia on the piano at the toy store. Elizabeth Perkins does a pretty good job as Josh's adult love interest. John Heard is rather slimy as Josh's rival, and Robert Loggia was excellent as Josh's boss.
Overall, Big is a sweet and light-hearted comedy that turns out to be one of the better comedies of the 1980's. There have been many kinds of film featuring a similar plot, but none better than this film. This was effectively carried by Tom Hanks and no one else could have done better. I rate this film 9/10. -
CrazyArty13 March 2022At a carnival, a child's wish to be "big" gets granted. He wakes up as an adult. Stars Tom Hanks in an early role.
A charming and fun family movie, Hanks is very credible portraying a child in a man's body.
A must-see classic. -
Tom Hanks is young and charming playing a little boy in a grown man's body. A youngster with growing pains makes a wish one night (via a fortune teller machine) to be "big" and the following morning wakes up to a new reflection in the mirror: a hairy guy with long legs. Director Penny Marshall works this material with a light, sensitive touch, but when Hanks falls into a job at a toy development company, and inadvertently romances co-worker Elizabeth Perkins, the scenario becomes a rather uncomfortable big business satire, a fish-out-of-water fantasy which smacks of commercial pandering (with echoes of "Being There" besides!). Audiences at the time didn't seem to mind, however the film hasn't aged well, while the mercilessly drawn-out finale has romantic delusions which seem just a bit jarring. ** from ****