At a carnival, young Josh Baskin (Hanks) wishes he was big ? only to awake the next morning and discover he is! With the help of his friend Billy, Josh lands a job at a toy company. But the more he experiences being an a... more »dult, the more Josh longs for the simple joys of childhood.« less
Jennifer D. (jennicat) from ST AUGUSTINE, FL Reviewed on 3/29/2014...
An all time favorite.
Movie Reviews
The best of the body swap films...
Big Joe '83 | Melbourne, VIC Australia | 01/30/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"... and there's no body swapping in it!
This film has aged really well; the comedy and dialogue is really sharp, the acting is believable and there's never a dull moment. Instead of going over the story, I want to quote what screenwriting legend, Robert McKee wrote about the film which rings true; "At the crisis, Josh [Tom Hanks] faces irreconcilable goods; an adult life with a fulfilling career and the woman he loves verus a return to adolescence. He makes the mature choice to have his childhood expressing with fine irony that he at last became 'big'. For he and we sense that the key to maturity is to have had a complete childhood. But becuase life has short-changed so many of us in youth, we live, to one degree or another, in a false sense of maturity. BIG is a very wise film."
Sure the toys have changed and yes, Billy Idol is tied to the soundtrack but the message still remains the same. This should be required viewing for all families."
Perfect Date Movie
A.Trendl HungarianBookstore.com | Glen Ellyn, IL USA | 03/07/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
""Big" is funny. Tom Hanks in "Big" is as funny as in Forrest Gump, as touching as "Sleepless in Seattle," and as goofy as "Turner and Hooch." You see the beginnings of the star of "Castaway," "Apollo 13," and "Catch Me If You Can." Hanks took on a solid movie and made it a great one.
The story is simple, based on classic plotlines that extend back through fairy tales. Josh, the boy, is bummed his life is dictated by his small size and young age. He is unexpectedly granted his wish to be 'big', which means 30 years old. He then faces the adventures of being a grown-up.
Scenes from this movie are famous, including the FAO Schwarz toy store dance on the keyboard floor mat. It has everything a vaudeville skit would have, from music to dance to the mix of an old and young man. It works incredibly well. Chopsticks has never been as entertaining.
Josh becomes by serendipity the VP of toy development. Despite his immaturity, the owner feels Josh is tuned into the pulse of youth, unlike the lackeys cranking out marketing reports. His colleagues become jealous of his fast rise and unsuccessfully try to root him out. One of those trying to learn his game is Susan, but he wins her over in a confusing escapade of love.
The movie is an overall pile of fun, but lacks in a few areas. It is dated, very stuck in the 1980s. That is tolerable. Had Josh been kidnapped, why wasn't his boyhood friend interviewed by police? Why didn't Josh ever confide in Susan while they fell in love? A number of other unanswered questions develop at the end dealing with his job, his apartment, his bank account.
Even though I have questions, the movie is still a keeper. It is funny, makes strong statements about good parenting, and has a charm only Tom Hanks could bring. Good, clean fun... a perfect date movie.
Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com"
An expertly told modern fairy tale
J. Buettner | Folsom, Ca | 12/11/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This film still contains Tom Hanks best performance in my opinion. Big is an expertly told modern fairy tale that captures perfectly the innocence and the enthusiasm of youth. This movie gets flawless performances from all the actors and actresses involved. It reminds us all of when we were young and Big is a testament to why we should always stay young at heart.
Big is among my favorite films of all-time and I honestly can't see any reason why someone would dislike this movie. In fact I believe it is the best movie to be made in the 80's and it's huge heart will allow Big too stand the test of time.
"
"Extended" edition ?
G.V. | Mexico City, Mexico | 07/21/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Experience tells me there's two kinds of "Extended editions": the first are the ones in which the director was forced to do something against his will to fit the movie to a certain length (see Terminator 2, Aliens, Blade Runner, etc.), and the second are the ones in which the outakes weren't all that damaged so the studio took a strictly merchandising decision.
BIG EXTENDED EDITION is obviously the latter but don't let that discourage you, this is one of the funniest films of the 80s and there's is no question it was the one film that took Tom Hanks from OK TV star to bona fide movie star.
My favorite scene: the eating of the "little corn". I loved learning from the extras that it was totally the product of improvising at the last second !
This is an excelent DVD, it's just that my next viewing of it will be by choosing the original cut."
Pure fun!
The Godfather | Urbana, IL USA | 03/10/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Great movie. Penny Marshall's directing is wonderful. Tom Hanks is perfect as the child/adult. He plays it with subtlety. He could have hammed it up but showed restraint, evidencing the child inside the adult without being infantile. His conflicts between his real and his apparent age were handled well. The supporting cast did a great job. David Moscow was excellent as the young Josh and could well have been a young Hanks. Mercedes Ruehl as his mother who suddenly is confronted with this adult stranger doesn't have much but does it well. Robert Loggia as the toy company boss who grows fond of the adult Josh does a great job of evidencing the little boy inside him. Elizabeth Perkins is beautiful and a great, albeit confused, love interest for the adult Josh. Jared Rushton is a perfect side-kick to the now "big" and money-earning Josh. There were some great scenes like when Josh the adult receives his first paycheck and they blow it on junk food and silly string. Later that evening when Billy leaves and Josh is left alone in a flop house amid the frightening sounds of the city, Hanks handles this perfectly. The move into the loft with all the toys was a child's dream. Then there's the tuxedo, the eating of the salad corn, his night with Susan (Elizabeth Perkins), the "Heart and Soul" duet on the giant piano with Robert Loggia. On and on the great moments. And the ending was poignant. One would have to be truly jaded to not find enjoyment in this movie. Hanks deserved all the nominations for Best Actor and should have collected on more."