One of my favorite actors of all time is Tom Hanks as there are a wide range of movies he’s stared in that always sees him giving it his all in almost every moment he’s on camera. Possibly his most iconic live action role would be playing Josh Baskin who is really a 13 year old and in 30 year old body in the Penny Marshal directed comedy called “Big”. even after over 30 years there is still a lot to admire from the cast to the well paced storyline that keeps me coming back for more.
Josh Baskin (David Moscow) is a twelve year old soon to be thirteen year old who is tired of living with the drawbacks of being a little kid. One night at a carnival, Josh makes a wish on a Zoltar machine to be “big” only to discover the next morning that his wish has come true as Josh Baskin (Tom Hanks) is now a 30 year old. He tries to explain to his mom what happened but it doesn’t work and he is kicked out of his house. With the help of his best friend Billy, Josh and him try to track down the Zoltar machine in New York City but in the meantime Josh manages to land a job at MacMillan toys and sooner or later moves up in the industry with his knowledge of toys which catches the attention of Susan (Elizabeth Perkins) who starts to fall in love with Josh. while it’s all fun and good at first Josh’s pilling adult responsibilities keep him from remembering what it’s like to be a kid and wonders if he’ll ever be able to find a Zoltar machine ever again.
I always love when movie’s take full advantage of their concept and this film is no different. True, it's not the first film to tackle the kid in a grownup body before, but the way big handles its storytelling far succeeds other movies that attempted a similar idea. The comedy is nothing short of amazing and a lot of the jokes hit bullseyes thanks to a great script that knows how to have as much fun messing around with its ideas while also having a bit of an edge to the line delivery. However, that’s only what makes the movie good, what makes it great is the deep and thought-provoking messages that all have to revolve around the ideas of adulthood, childhood, and the reality of being an adult compared to the simple joys of being a kid. These messages really hit hard especially during the end and if you are invested enough, you may find yourself getting emotional from time to time. I’d say the only thing that may throw some moviegoers off is how maybe uncomfortable some of the plot elements may feel such as adult Josh trying to assure his mom that his younger self is okay or Susan putting the moves on Josh despite him being a 13-year-old kid in reality. It does admittedly take some leaps in logic and yeah some things may not hold up as well now as they did in 1988, but all in all, if you accept that it's a fictional fantasy, you’ll find it easier to understand why the movie is as beloved and wonderful as it is.
Tom Hanks is just wonderful is Adult Josh Baskin. From what I heard, Tom Hanks spent some time with young Josh actor David Moscow to understand how a kid acts and reacts to certain things and all I can say is that all that research time totally paid off as Tom Hank’s performance makes it really feel like you’re watching a naive and innocent pre-teen kid who happens to be stuck in a 30-year-old body. Hanks is not the only one who gets the spotlight as there are plenty of other recognizable faces that make the movie even more engaging. Elizabeth Perkins does an excellent job as Susan and her character change throughout the movie feels very genuine and even interesting at times. John Heard does a wonderful job of playing a self-centered but also hilarious jealous co-worker who has some of the best overreactions toward Josh and some of the other MacMillan co-workers. Robert Loggia plays MacMillan and he brings the right amount of charm and likability that you’d expect from a humble but stern businessman. Even Jared Rushton does a wonderful job playing the street smart best friend Billy and he even has some moments in the movie that often challenges his friendship with Josh as he starts to get comfortable in his adult way of living.
This movie is not necessarily timeless as the movie is clearly set in the ’80s, but that doesn’t stop the cinematography from being great as there are plenty of beautiful shots of the New Jersey neighborhood and the streets of New York City. MacMillans Toy’s Josh’s Apartment and the Toy Store at FAO Schwarz are possibly the most interesting places we get to visit in the movie because it almost feels like wish fulfillment because sometimes we get to see characters, (Mosty Josh) just playing with toys and it is just delightful to watch. I think the most memorable scene in the movie is the piano scene with Josh and MacMillan which is just beautifully executed and infectiously fun. One of the things that I personally like is the little details such as Josh’s subtle movements like fidgeting and doing things you’d most likely see a little kid do and especially Josh’s wardrobe as at first it starts out casual and somewhat sloppy but then moves to more formal and tidy wear.
The music was composed by Howard Shore who is surprisingly the same composer for The Lord of the Rings movies. Needless to say, he sure does create an innocent but also fun soundtrack filled with a bunch of piano tunes and sweet melodies. The film also features plenty of copyrighted songs that surprisingly do not distract from the story of the movie and they are just as fun to listen to as they are fitting for the tone of the movie. The only thing I will nitpick though is that I wished that some tracks wouldn’t be ripped from previous scenes and pasted in random places in the movie, Still, it’s not super distracting and when the music works with the more tender moments it’s all the more effective.
Big would go on to get critical acclaim from critics and audiences alike and would even get recognition from the academy awards and the golden globes as it’s been nominated in several categories, mainly for Tom Hank’s performance. This is a must-watch for anybody whose a fan of comedy or Tom Hanks as an actor. Its well-crafted storyline and lovable characters make this movie a classic that may not hold up in some aspects but sure holds up in others.
(Final Grade: A)