Big poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, John Heard, Jared Rushton, Robert Loggia ... see more see more... , David Moscow , Mercedes Ruehl , Jon Lovitz , Mark Ballou , Oliver Block , Vinnie Capone , Josh Clark , Kimberlee M. Davis , James Eckhouse , Nancy Giles , Paul Herman , Lela Ivey , Bruce Jarchow , Dana Kaminski , Erika Katz , Gary Howard Klar , Samantha Larkin , Paul L.Q. Lee , George J. Manos , Peter McRobbie , Kevin Meaney , Dolores Messina , Keith Reddin , Rockets Redglare , Tracy Reiner , John Rothman , Debra Jo Rupp , Jaime Tirelli , Judd Trichter , Allan Wasserman , Max Raven , Jon Levita , Chris Dowden , Linda Gillen , Gordon Press , Pasquale Pugliese , Vaughn Sandman , Edward Schick , Jordan Thaler , Mildred R. Vandever , Alec Von Sommer , Susan Wilder , Harvey Miller

More than anything else, 13-year old New Jerseyite Josh (David Moscow) wants to be "big". That's the wish he makes at an odd-looking amusement pier fortunetelling machine. The next morning, Josh wakes... read more read more... up-only to discover that he's grown to manhood overnight! (At this point, the part is taken over by Tom Hanks). Still a 13-year-old mentally and emotionally, Josh decides to hide out in New York City until he can figure out what to do next. He lucks into a job with a major toy company run by kid-at-heart McMillan (Robert Loggia). By cannily bringing a child's eye view to McMillan's business, Josh rises to the top-and in process, he falls in love with fellow employee Susan (Elizabeth Perkins). But he's still a kid, and he'd like to go back to his own world and own body. Written by Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg, Big proved a crucial success for budding director Penny Marshall, who'd work harmoniously with Hanks again on the radically different A League of Their Own. The cinematography was by Barry Sonenfeld, who went on to become a director himself with The Addams Family. That Big was heavily reliant upon the input of Tom Hanks and Penny Marshall was proven by the failed attempt to turn the property into a Broadway musical. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

73% liked it

370,601 ratings

Critics

96% liked it

55 critics

PG, 1 hr. 38 min.

Directed by: Penny Marshall

Release Date: January 1, 1988

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: December 18, 2001

Get It:

Stats: 14,676 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Tom Hanks Tom Hanks in Big Big Big Tom Hanks in Big Keyboard Big big big Big Wish Machine Big big Tom Hanks
Upload a Photo | View All Big Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (14,676)

  • fb1463751009
    March 10, 2012
    fb1463751009
    After many years, this formula works wonders. Every turn it takes, it's entertaining. Not much more then that. Tom Hanks was fantastic.
  • aquateen2
    February 20, 2012
    aquateen2
    Big is unbelievably charming and the performance by Hanks is totally sweet and believable. The Oscar should have went to Hanks in this uniquely amazing comedy
  • Deano78
    February 11, 2012
    Deano78
    I finally got round to seeing it and I have to say, What is the Big deal? Considered a classic, nice idea done many times since and better in my opinion. Starring a young Tom Hanks, maybe if a saw it as a kid it would have been more fun, but now it just looks a bit dated. It was ... read moreok at times but I wouldn't call it a classic by any means.
  • skeletonking101
    November 19, 2011
    skeletonking101
    The films humor is close to being safe and innocent family fun with a few winks to the adults and is a great film for the family ages 10+. Its not a straight up comedy, but it has some very funny moments and the film is almost the perfect family film. I say almost because they sw... read moreear up a storm in this film, the most shocking is when 12 year old Billy says "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FUCK THIS IS?!!" angrily to Josh. But aside from that the film is very funny and full of charm and charisma from Tom Hanks and is a very sweet and fun film to watch. I say check it out if you want to see a sweet and fun film.
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    September 16, 2011
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    Yesterday Josh Wanted Everything In Life - Girls...Money...Cars... Today, All His Wildest Dreams Have Come True!

    Saw it again! Great Movie! This is Tom Hanks probably best 80's film. Excellent story!

    A young boy named Josh Baskin, wish one day from an old machine to be big, des... read morepite the fact that he does not believe it is going to work. He is very surprised, therefore, to find himself in the next day- big. Now he looks like a 30 years old guy, but he still behave like a twelve years boy. He decide to go with his best friend to New York, to find the machine that can fix his wish. In New York he gets a job in a toy company, and develop a relationship. Currently, he must learn to get used to the adults world he always wanted to be part of. Would he still like to remain an adult?
  • 76Majikat
    August 28, 2011
    76Majikat
    The late 80's Classic, that made every kid want a piano on the floor to play Chopsticks on. The film still hasn't lost any of it's magic, watching it this many years on.

    Nostalgic and fun.
  • spielberg00
    August 12, 2011
    spielberg00
    Good
  • movieguru12
    July 29, 2011
    movieguru12
    A heartwarming tale about 13 year old Josh Baskin (Tom Hanks) who wants to be Big but in the end decides he misses his family and that he doesn't want to be big anymore. A great movie & Elizabeth Perkins also had a great role as Hanks girlfriend in the movie, Susan Lawerence as d... read moreid Robert Loggia as MacMillian. I really enjoyed this movie and I know that you will too.
  • murphmann93
    June 24, 2011
    murphmann93
    A great comedy! A sad ending too.
  • ythelastman89
    May 2, 2011
    ythelastman89
    One of my all time favorite "real life" fantasy movies, as well as being one of my favorite movies period. The idea of an uncomfortable tween turning into a full grown Tom Hanks is all too beautiful to see unfold on screen. It takes a very realistic setting and issue and then tur... read morens into something truly original and incredibly bizarre (in a good way). However, it doesn't glorify the situation all that much, it makes the idea all too real and dramatic. Big Boy Tom Hanks has a lot of real issues that he has to sort out; including getting a job, having sex and evading suspiscion of kidnapping himself. Tom Hanks is always good when he does comedy and this is one of his absolute best performances in one. He manages to evoke the mannerisms and speech pattern of his twelve-year-old counterpart, while also passing as an adult. Big is such a large collection of genres, feeling so plausible as a real life situation for its duration.

View All Big Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum
April 1, 2008
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

As far as the movie's message is considered -- if only grown-ups could be more like kids -- Jerry Lewis did an infinitely better job of plugging it in the 50s. Full Review

Variety Staff
April 1, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

Unspools with enjoyable genuineness and ingenuity. Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

For any other full-grown actors who try their hands at fidgeting, squirming, throwing water balloons and wolfing down food in a huge variety of comically disgusting ways, this really is the performanc... Full Review

Hal Hinson
January 1, 2000
Hal Hinson, Washington Post

What's great about it is that it shows how wonderfully full of toys the world of adults can be. And though this may fall under the heading of tiny, perhaps even fatuous, revelations, it does send you ... Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 1988
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

The film is funny, sweet, and even a little edgy. It's also emotionally honest and almost never crass. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
August 6, 2011
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

One of the best comedies about body-switching, Big is charming and occasioally witty with a splendid, star-making performance by Tom Hanks. Full Review

Scott G. Mignola
January 2, 2011
Scott G. Mignola, Common Sense Media

Wonderful story with some mature material. Full Review

Peter Canavese
May 20, 2009
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews

One of Hollywood's all-time most appealing magic realist fantasies. [Blu-ray] Full Review

April 1, 2008
TV Guide's Movie Guide

The best of the spate of body-switching films in the late 80s. Full Review

April 1, 2008
Film4

Once in a blue moon, there are moments of perfect casting that virtually ensure a movie is going to be a piece of class. And that's what you've got here. Full Review

View more Big reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Official Trailer

View Larger Big Trailer

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • 13 Going on 30 (Suddenly 30)
    13 Going on 30 (Suddenly 30) (75%)
  • 17 Again
    17 Again (78%)
  • Freaky Friday
    Freaky Friday (71%)
  • I Love You Beth Cooper
    I Love You Beth Cooper (50%)

More Movies like Big

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Josh Baskin: If he is scared of me.. then why he beat me up!
    • Josh Baskin: You mean sleep over? Okay, but I get to be on top!
    • Josh Baskin: I wish I was big.
Submit a Fact | View All

Big : Watch Free on TV

Big Trivia

  • Which word can make up the three following movies when entered in the blanks? 1. _______ 2. _______ Daddy 3. _______ Trouble in Little China   Answer »
  • In the Fox & the hound who was Big Mama?  Answer »
  • Who directed these movies? Sleepy Hollow Beetlejuice Big Fish Charlie and the Chocolate Factory  Answer »
  • Who starred in the movie "Little Big Man?"  Answer »
More Big Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Big Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Big to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View Big News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?