Overall Rating Awesome: 52.94% Worth A Look: 29.41% Average: 13.73% Pretty Bad: 3.92% Total Crap: 0% 2 reviews, 39 user ratings

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Big

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by Slyder

"The Tom Hanks acting school, Part 1"

Love him or hate him, Tom Hanks has single-handedly proven to be one of the finest comic-dramatic actors of his generation, proving that he was more than just “another SNL fuck” and everything started here in Penny Marshall’s modern classic Big.

Simple story, 12 year old boy Josh Baskin (David Moscow/Hanks) wishes to be big, and thanks to a fortune teller machine, he does. So after being forced to flee his house due to his mother thinking he’s some kidnapper of his kid, he goes into the city with his pal Billy (Jared Rushton) to try and find work, which he eventually does at a toy company. There, he impresses so much the Toy Company Chairman “Mac” MacMillan (Robert Loggia) that he rapidly ascends into being a corporate VP, and fall in love with corporate hottie Susan Lawrence (Elizabeth Perkins), only to realize what he’s missing out in life, his childhood.

This whole premise is also pure formula, and has been done to death a thousand times thanks to films like Vice Versa, Like Father Like Son, and lately Freaky Friday (which actually was a remake of the earlier Jodie Foster flick) and 13 Going on 30. But in contrast to those other films, this one stands head and shoulders above the rest (the rest mostly suck, I for one don’t want to see Vice Versa EVER!!!). Why? Because it’s well made, entertaining, and Tom Hanks just plain and simply kicks ass. He’s completely flawless, likeable, has depth and a certain complexity, and is a fucking riot, with the best example being his duet with Loggia in the floor piano scene.

The screenplay written by Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg (Steven Spielberg’s sister), is very well written, with a very interesting fantastical approach as well as studying the main character and giving revealing to us several truths about the human nature as a child and the importance of the childhood stage in a man’s life.

In the end, this flick is just cool. Great message, great entertainment, and a great film altogether, and Tom Hanks in his first great role; ever wonder why Hanks is so popular? Here’s the reason why 4.5-5

link directly to this review at http://www.efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=3774&reviewer=235
originally posted: 10/31/04 07:14:42

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User Comments

11/08/12 Susan Smith I lvoe this movies, funny and tells a lesson 5 stars

10/11/11 Heather Furmanek Love this film 5 stars

6/06/11 AEB A feel-good gem of a film. I love the big piano too. 3 stars

10/05/10 Dr.Lao Manages to be funny and heart warming in a way few films can pull off 4 stars

2/23/10 PAUL SHORTT FUN FANTASY WITH A GOOD STAR PERFORMANCE 4 stars

1/15/09 Anonymous. an adorable story, the movie is so lovable. :] 4 stars

7/16/08 Kiko Jones Hanks plays 13 yrs old like a 6yr old, not believable 2 stars

2/03/08 Anne Tom Hanks did such a good job in this 5 stars

1/07/07 Stephen Great movie loved it when i was young but now its kind of stale...Still great movie 4 stars

12/08/06 Ron Probably Tom Hanks best movie, but hes not the great actor everyone seems to think he is 4 stars

8/04/06 EZ Love the big piano 5 stars

2/20/06 Jenny Who could resist a movie with a giant piano because I know I can't 4 stars

11/04/05 Lanie! Very good! 5 stars

9/12/05 Eden Dont know why its as popular as it is 3 stars

4/15/05 Raymond Montoya good movie. 3 stars

12/27/04 mjoc Hanks began to show his brilliance in this film. 5 stars

10/23/04 ODH Tom Hanks back when he was a comedic actor, awesome! 5 stars

12/14/03 Image15 Few flaws in the film, but overall a keeper. Tom Hanks plays a great role 4 stars

10/10/03 Amy Harrison One of my favourite 80's films a real classic! 5 stars

8/18/03 Nicole Cute 4 stars

8/11/03 Kyle Heart and Soul Scene = Classic. 5 stars

6/22/03 John Aster Habig awesome fantasy film with well crafted script and well developed characters 5 stars

5/26/03 Nevz Good, slightly bizarre film. 4 stars

4/30/03 Malcolm Great film! Yeah! 5 stars

3/24/03 Jack Sommersby It's good, but "Vice Versa" was better. 3 stars

1/28/03 Jon "Thumb the Toad" Lyrik Funny, cute. 5 stars

1/21/03 Hi there Tom Hanks at his best! 5 stars

10/18/02 Charles Tatum Just another body switching movie 3 stars

7/04/02 gary vidmar Cute comedy that kids and adults will enjoy. 4 stars

4/24/02 Let me think Hanks goes from Bachelor Party(ugh!) to Big(hmm.) to Castaway(yay!) 4 stars

3/07/02 Jenny Tullwartz Misfire concept has nowhere to go but undo itself; Perkins's char. yucky, maybe meant to be 2 stars

10/25/01 Henry Ginsberg tom hanks was wicked in this film 4 stars

8/08/01 Mr. Hat A humorous movie w/ a following of "The Kid" & an episode of "Rugrats" w/ the same premise. 4 stars

7/28/01 Henry Ginsberg Nice idea .Great role playing by Tom Hanks . 4 stars

7/15/01 R.W. Welch Inventive comedic premise effectively carried out. 4 stars

4/03/01 Andrew Carden You have to really like Tom, to like Big. 3 stars

12/28/00 Turtle One of the best movies ever. A great display of Hanks's talent! 5 stars

11/28/00 Cristopher Revilla Tom Hanks saves this movie from becomning worthless trash 3 stars

6/24/00 Crystal Fleming Heart warming movie 5 stars

IF YOU'VE SEEN THIS FILM, RATE IT!
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USA 03-Jun-1988 (PG) DVD: 08-May-2007 UK N/A Australia N/A

Directed by Penny Marshall Written by Gary Ross Anne Spielberg Cast Tom Hanks Elizabeth Perkins Robert Loggia John Heard Jon Lovitz David Moscow

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