Big DVD [1988]

* SynopsisA 13-year-old boy (Tom Hanks) visits a fair and while there finds a fortune wish giver machine called Zoltar that gives him his wish to come true. He becomes an adult physically but still in the mind of a 13-year-old. Unable to convince his mother who he really is, he needs to find a job to live while this state is present. Hi school friend Billy helps him to find a job. Amazingly, he nails a job in data processing at a Toy designer company. He is uniquely suited to this company as being mentally 13 years old. He is promoted and meets a business colleague (Elizabeth Perkins) and she sees in Tom an uncomplicated, fresh style to which she s attracted too. What happens next?* CommentaryThis is a lovely fantasy that the leads really contribute to and make it a pleasant movie. It made this a hit movie and it did well at the box office when released. The players share and feed off each other and keep the movie story going without being ridiculous or bizarre. I saw this streaming and it's really enjoyable and funny in a light-hearted way.

It’s a lovely film, but this uncut version does make it quite clear what’s happened at one point, raising some pretty weird implications. That aside, on the surface it’s great fun, both as a child and when you’re ‘big’ yourself :)

Tired of being small, 12 year old Josh Baskin makes a wish on a funfair fortune telling machine that he wants to be big. He awakes in the morning to find that he is in the body of an adult but still the same young Josh within. Chaos quickly takes hold and Josh has to flee to the city. Where, aided by his best friend Billy, they hope to track down the now moved on "Zoltar" machine and wish Josh back to his normal self. But it's going to take time to track it down so Josh has to take a job and things are about to get interesting indeed.Tom Hanks (Adult Josh) was literally just around the corner from hitting the A list of Hollywood. His performance in this smashing, bittersweet comedy bagged him an Oscar nomination and helped him turn that particular corner. Directed by Penny Marshall, Big is arguably the best of all the body-swap comedies that have dotted themselves along the plentiful cinematic road. Receiving critical acclaim on release, its success lies not just in its appealing for the majority fairytale formula, but also with the star turn from Hanks, astute writing (Gary Ross/Anne Spielberg) and adroit direction.It's not just a ball of fluff movie either, in amongst the plentiful laughs and heart lifting moments, there's food for thought involving life and its pacing. And there's a big intriguing ponder constantly hanging in the air; viewing the world thru a child's eyes may actually make more sense, especially in business! These things are given impetus by Hanks' fabulous show, from his terrifying first night in the city alone, to the sexual awakening brought out by his relationship with Elizabeth Perkins' (sparky and effective) Susan Lawrence (the latter of which is smoothly handled by Marshall), Hanks convinces and takes us with him into his new confusing world. Fine support comes from Robert Loggia as the boss won around by Josh's playful approach to work, and Jared Rushton as best friend Billy gives the film a firm footed axis between the old & young Josh.There's some itches there, such as the barely registered grief of the parents missing a child, and there's always the old inevitability chestnut to linger in the background. But they are but mere small flaws in an otherwise wonderful movie. A film that both children and adults can watch and garner some form of resonance from. 8.5/10

brilliant movie

100%

This is my first ever Tom Hanks film and I have never been disappointed by him as an actor. He may not have starred in classic after classic but his performances have always been strong and grounded.I have owned Big on Video and DVD and thought to myself when first starting up my Blu-Ray collection whether I would need this film on HD as its not like there is anything within the film that demands the HD format. The Region 1 DVD served up an Extended Edition to which I had never seen and decided this would be the only reason to double dip. When it was announced that the UK would be getting a Blu-Ray release I looked straight for the Extended Edition and to my 80's geeky faced delight there it was announced as the very first extra on the disc.Now it isn't my favourite cut of the movie. The theatrical cut still holds my number one spot but to see the extra 20 or minutes of extra footage included in the film is very interesting but slows the pace down of the original cut so for that reason the first will always be my favourite which is also included.There are many other nice additions to the extras including commentaries, deleted scenes, and other featurettes to make this the definitive release you will only ever need.

What can I say, I absolutely love this Movie and I’m so happy to own it, finally.This is quite possibly my fav all time Movie. It’s a toss up between this and Home Alone. I’d have paid as much as £100 for this Movie if I had to but am really happy that I paid only £6. Absolute barging. I grew up in the 80’s and personally think that movies from 80’s/90’s are way better then the poor excuse for modern Movies. Here’s some classics that I’m planning on buying and you must watch if you’ve not already done so.Home AloneStand By MePredatorTerminatorTop Gunpoint BlankComing To AmericaTraining PlacesForest Gump.Porky’s

If you like Vice Versa, Big is the, not so good but still worth watching, inspiration for it.