Why ‘Big’ is a Timeless Classic

Riley Palma Entertainment Editor

‘Big’ (1988) is a comedy directed by Penny Marshall, starring Tom Hanks as Josh Baskin, a young boy who magically transforms into a grown man overnight after making a wish on a strange machine called a ‘Zoltar’ at a carnival. Josh then has to navigate New York City and survive in the real world only with help from his 12 year old friend Billy.

This is my favorite movie of all time. I love everything about it. The performances are really great. The music is one of the biggest highlights of the movie for me. Conducted by Howard Shore, the score for this movie really helps set the tone. It is just so beautiful and exciting while also being sad and heart breaking at the same time.

Tom Hanks does an incredible job portraying a 12 year old stuck in an adult’s body. He really captures that childlike sense of wonder, fear, and joy. The way he speaks and how he forms sentences is spot on. He even has the right mannerisms down. There are many scenes where he runs and the way he does it is exactly like a child, with his arms flailing around and running across the street when he’s not supposed to. I truly believe it is a perfect performance.

The writing is also really well done. It is so brilliant and witty. For example, when he is being interviewed for a job at a toy company he says he went to school at GW which is a college, but Josh only knows his own school, George Washington Elementary. The man interviewing Josh says that his brother-in-law went there and asks Josh if he pledged, to which Josh responds with “Every morning.” I think this film is so funny.

The cast is great as well. Starring alongside Tom Hanks is Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia, and John Heard. All of them together makes this film incredible. Each of them brings something different to the movie. The characters in this movie have a lot of depth to them. The dynamic between Tom Hanks’ character and Robert Loggias’ character is well done. Robert’s character, Macmillan is CEO of a toy company that Josh becomes employed at. When they run into each other at a toy store Macmillan notices how childish Josh is. He sees this as a good thing because he can utilize it at work. Then comes the iconic piano scene. Josh and Macmillan play ‘Chopsticks’ on a giant piano on the ground in the toy store while a crowd slowly gathers. This scene is so magical and fun and encapsulates the wonder of this movie. Josh then gets a promotion as a toy tester. He gets paid well and all he has to do is play with toys. John Heard plays Paul, a jealous, egotistical man, which he does very well. He becomes infatuated with Josh Baskin and how he has a better position than him even though he’s only been there about a week.

Elizabeth Perkins plays Susan. Susan is dating Paul during the beginning of the movie, but during a company party Paul gets drunk and acts foolish. So, Susan leaves the party early with Josh. They then take a ride in a limo and even go to Josh’s apartment.

Josh’s apartment is really cool. Every kid’s dream. He’s got a vending machine, a trampoline, a pinball machine, a bunch of toys, and a bunk bed. They did a great job creating his room and getting it to look very appealing to all ages. Josh even has to celebrate his 13th birthday as an adult.

The way they show Josh becoming swept away with his new life is done very well. The transition from being a scared child to being a functioning adult happens so quickly, almost like his change from the beginning of the movie. They highlight how he is hard at work and now has a girlfriend. His life has changed so much that he forgot his old life when he was a kid. He then takes a trip to his neighborhood in a beautifully done montage which is one of my favorite parts of the movie. He walks by his house, his school as they take the yearbook photo without him, he sees two kids from his baseball team playing catch, then he sees Cynthia Benson, The girl he liked before his life changed. The music in this montage pairs so well with the melancholy feeling of the scene, the music mixes sadness with hints of an almost nostalgic feeling.

Josh tries to tell Susan that he’s just a kid but she doesn’t believe him and passes it off as some joke. The next day his best friend Billy, played by Jared Rushton, runs into his office with the list of the location of the Zoltar machine. Josh is on a work call and won’t listen to Billy anymore. Billy hangs up the phone and Josh yells at him. Billy, in disbelief that his best friend is truly gone and has changed, yells back at Josh. The way the tone of this scene shifts so quickly is crazy to me. With just one action you go from upbeat to sad and upset. Josh is then reminded of who he is and what he has become. During a big meeting where he and Susan lead with their product, Josh leaves the room and rushes downstairs and out of the building. Someone in the meeting asks about the price of their product and questions if a kid would pay that much money.

Susan then realizes that he isn’t coming back when she says “I think a kid…”. She stops speaking halfway through her sentence and understands that Josh really is a kid. She rushes out of the building and just barely misses him on the street when he gets in a cab to go to the Zoltar machine. By the time Susan gets there he’s already made the wish. He comes clean to Susan and he tells her that he’s really 13. She is upset and realizes that she has made a mistake and that someone she cares for is going away indefinitely. With the beautiful score playing in the background she says goodbye and he walks into his house as she watches and he turns back into his 13 year old self. Then, with one last montage he reunites with his family, goes to school, and hangs out with Billy. This ending is so beautiful to me. It ties everything together very well and it’s very sweet. This movie is very nostalgic to me. I used to watch it at my grandma’s house when I was little. It reminds me of simpler times. I believe it is a perfect movie, and it’s my favorite.