Big (1988)

After wishing to be made big, a teenage boy wakes the next morning to find himself mysteriously in the body of an adult.

Director:

Penny Marshall

Writers:

Gary Ross, Anne Spielberg

Stars:

Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Hanks	...	Josh
Elizabeth Perkins	...	Susan
Robert Loggia	...	MacMillan
John Heard	...	Paul
Jared Rushton	...	Billy
David Moscow	...	Young Josh
Jon Lovitz	...	Scotty Brennen
Mercedes Ruehl	...	Mrs. Baskin
Josh Clark	...	Mr. Baskin
Kimberlee M. Davis	...	Cynthia Benson
Oliver Block	...	Freddie Benson
Erika Katz	...	Cynthia's Friend
Allan Wasserman	...	Gym Teacher
Mark Ballou	...	Derek
Gary Howard Klar	...	Ticket Taker (as Gary Klar)

Storyline

Josh Baskin would do anything to be big to hang out with his crush at the carnival. He finds a Zoltar machine, and he wishes to be big. After Zoltar tells him, "his wish is granted", Josh notices the machine is unplugged. He wakes up the next morning in an adult's body but he still has the same personality. With the help of his best friend, Billy, Josh learns how to act like a grown up. But as he gets a girlfriend and a fun job, he doesn't want to be a kid again. Will Josh stay big or become a 13 year old boy again?

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Plot Keywords:

carnival | chopsticks the song | wish | new york city | body switching | 

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Taglines:

You're only young once!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

A teen magazine in the late' 80s featured an interview with Tom Hanks, who had just been nominated for an Oscar for his performance in this film. Hanks claimed that while this nomination was a surprise for him, from now on his goal would be to win not one, but two Oscars in his career. He actually won two Oscars, back to back.

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Goofs

When Josh replies to the computer game's question "What do you want to melt him with?", he hits the same key over and over.

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Quotes

Billy: [about the luxuries in Josh's office] You're the luckiest guy I know!
[Josh plays with a punching hand puppet until he hits himself]

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Alternate Versions

UK cinema and video versions were cut by 2 secs to remove one use of the word 'fuck' for a PG certificate. The cut was restored in the 2007 12-rated Family Fun DVD edition.

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Connections

Featured in The Movies: The Eighties (2019)

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Soundtracks

It's in Everyone of Us
Written by David Pomeranz

User Reviews

Remember when we used to want to be big?

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

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

3 June 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Big

Filming Locations:

Garden State News, 666 Anderson Ave, Cliffside Park, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,216,190, 5 June 1988

Gross USA:

$115,227,281

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$151,927,281

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Entertainment Partners II L.P., Gracie Films, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min 130 min (extended edition)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1