Overview
A whimsical journey of a boy who becomes an adult overnight, discovering the complexities of growing up.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- warm
- nostalgic
- family movie night
- nostalgic movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an imaginative, warm, naturally funny fantasy elevated by Tom Hanks’s guileless comic performance and Penny Marshall’s restrained direction.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Josh retains his thirteen-year-old personality while navigating employment, romance, and adult independence as a physically grown man.
Josh discovers work, romance, money, and urban freedom while approaching adulthood with a child’s directness and wonder.
The Zoltar machine grants Josh’s wish and functions as the concrete mechanism behind his body transformation.
The toy company, pinball machine, carnival, and childlike play allow Josh to express himself more naturally than adult conventions do.
Films like Big, and why
Freaky Friday
shares body-swap fantasy, fish-out-of-water comedy, and warm coming-of-age themes
The Princess Bride
shares childlike wonder, adult-world wish fulfillment, and uplifting family comedy
13 Going on 30
shares magical transformation, romantic comedy, and the tension between youthful innocence and adult expectations
Elf
shares workplace comedy, whimsical fantasy, and an emotionally sincere return to childhood values
Movie Details
- Director
- Penny Marshall
- Release Date
- 1988-06-03
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (4190)
Cast
- Tom Hanks
- Elizabeth Perkins
- Robert Loggia
- John Heard
- Jared Rushton
- Jon Lovitz
- David Moscow
- Mercedes Ruehl
- Harvey Miller
- Debra Jo Rupp
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Big about?
- A lonely teenager’s carnival wish places him in an adult body, turning New York work and romance into a playful test of what growing up should mean.
- What is Big like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Big as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Big violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Big.
- What did critics think of Big?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an imaginative, warm, naturally funny fantasy elevated by Tom Hanks’s guileless comic performance and Penny Marshall’s restrained direction.
- Which films are like Big?
- Films with a similar feel include Freaky Friday, The Princess Bride, 13 Going on 30, and Elf.
- How long is Big?
- Big runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Big?
- In United States, Big streams on Disney Plus.
