Theatrical Release Year: 1988
DVD Release Year: 2007
Director: Penny Marshall
Writers: Gary Ross, Anne Spielberg
Starring: Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, David Moscow, Robert Loggia, John Heard, Jared Rushton, Mercedes Ruehl
Length: 130 minutes
Studio: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating:

Sometimes being big isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Twleve-year-old Josh Baskin (David Moscow) is sick of not being able to do what he wants when he wants. For his 13th birthday he goes to a fair in New York City and pays his quarter to Zoltar, a fortune-telling game that grants wishes. Josh’s simple request: “I wish I were big.” Zoltar responds that his wish has been granted.

After a stormy night’s sleep Josh wakes up to find out that his wish has, in fact, been granted and he is now a 30-year-old version of himself (Tom Hanks). Josh returns to the fair site but sees that the fair, and the Zoltar machine, are gone. He tries to go home and explain everything to his mother (Mercedes Ruehl) but that interaction does not go well, to say the least.

Josh runs off to find his best friend Billy (Jared Rushton) and convince him that he really is Josh. Billy then helps Josh run away to a scary New York City hotel where he spends his first night away from all his family, friends, and the comforts of home. The news gets worse when he and Billy finally learn how to track down the Zoltar game but learn it will take at least six weeks to get the list of fairs where the Zoltar game is scheduled to appear.

To pass the six weeks Josh gets a job working at MacMillan Toy Company testing toys where he meets Susan Lawrence (Elizabeth Perkins) who pursues him as a love interest. Josh finally decides to enter the adult world of feelings and begins a relationship with Susan, falling in love with her and in love with his adult life.

Then the fair list arrives… Will Josh choose his new life with Susan or will he return to his childhood?

Big is one of the best romantic comedies of all times. It bridges the gap between our love of being a child but our sense of duty in our adult life. And, its best lesson of all, it reminds us to be a kid at heart no matter how old we are in years. The dialog of this film is brilliant, amusing the audience with Josh’s duality as a boy trapped in a man’s world. A great supporting cast, and beautiful cinematography of the best city in the world for reinventing yourself (New York City) make this a movie worth owning.

Special Features are expectedly lacking since this movie came out in theaters before the DVD was the widespread medium. It boasts the typical features of an ’80s movie pushed to DVD for its fans — a theatrical trailer and the cast credits. No points off for not turning in a homework assignment they never were told about.

Buttery’s Rating:

Recommendation

Pepsi is Josh’s vending machine product of choice! (Too bad, Coke.)

We should all definitely have a hot fudge sundae with vanilla ice cream and a maraschino cherry on top with Josh and Billy. Yum! And maybe a piece of Kindle cake in honor of the Kindle that basically rips off the handheld comic book idea Josh comes up with in the movie.

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