Click here for the review of Big (1988)

Part of the "1980s" series.

That link is going to Wall Street.

Alright, I fixed it. It goes to Big now.

And I don't get why Big's a body swap movie. He doesn't swap bodies with anyone, he just grows into an adult.

Oh and I can imagine Robert DeNiro in that role.

There would be mobsters and Joe Pesci, all having to curb their violence and language to protect child DeNiro ears. Oh my would Big be a piece of crap if my imagination made that movie.

It's a strange thing. I can't believe that Big came out over twenty years ago. I would have guessed it was maybe ten years old or so.

I can kind of imagine Robert DeNiro in that role; it would be something similar to Awakenings, although Big would have a slightly different feel then.

I guess i need to revisit this flick. I wrote in the 1988 thread that i never cared for it much.

Havent seen it in years, but ill give it another shot sometime.

Hey, Blace trade you blog follows

Excellent review, James. Can't argue with it. If De Niro played Josh... no, you're right, I can't imagine it either.

I'd even go as far as saying this is Tom Hanks' best film, along with 'Splash' and the 'Toy Story' films. Sorry to say I really don't care as much for 'Saving Private Ryan' following the Normandy beach invasion (although yes, it is excellent as spectacle), and 'Forrest Gump''s flaws show more and more with age. (Re: Zemeckis, James, you were right about 'Back To The Future' - neither of the sequels packs the same punch as the first film.)

Finally... did you know EMPIRE magazine labelled the piano sequence the second best 'Magical' moment in cinema, noting that (I paraphrase) 'it's impossible to not want to recreate that sequence when you visit that piano'? I would tend to agree with them there. Funnily enough, they thought a shot of boy and his alien in a flying bicycle in front of the moon was more magical than that...

I love Big.

It's one of my favourite movies of all time. I'm a Tom Hanks whore I guess, because Forrest Gump is my go-to favourite movie. He's just such an amazing actor- he brings wonderful childlike qualities to everything he does, as well as a wise presence.

Big is a wonderful movie; one that will be enjoyed by film fans in a further 20 years, and beyond.

It was a great review, too, one of the best. Thanks

I loved it when I saw it in the theater 20 years ago, and I still love it today. It really has aged well for an '80s comedy. Thanks for the review, James!



I agree with this wholeheartedly. Plus he just seems like a good guy.

It's easy to remember that Hanks, before this movie was released, had a rather "lightweight" image, and was widely seen as a flash in the pan. Now, since this film was a comedy, more than anything else, and not something very heavy like Saving Private Ryan, it didn't exactly make him instant Oscar material. But soon afterwards he started to take on more serious roles where he was really able to demonstrate his acting chops, and the rest as they say...well you know.

I tyhink that it would be unfair to dismiss Deniro. It may have been different but at the time Deniro seemed to be able to become anyone. he would have been a little more scary. The main difference is that he would appear less innocent.

Agreed. One of my fave DeNiro roles of all time is Midnight Run because its a little more lighthearted and hes pretty funny in it.