Big Business
Two pairs of identical sisters collide in a fast-moving Manhattan farce where mistaken identities turn class differences into comic chaos.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- witty
- breezy
- buoyant
- lazy sunday
- summer movie night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film cheerful and energetic, with strong comic performances from Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin, but felt that its characterization and payoff were too thin to sustain the premise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin each play two sisters whose coincidental meeting creates the film's central farcical mechanism.
The Ratliff sisters come from a rural background while the Sheltons are wealthy New Yorkers, making social difference a recurring source of humor.
Midler and Tomlin differentiate two sets of sisters through contrasting mannerisms, speech patterns, and social identities.
Much of the identity confusion unfolds around the Plaza Hotel, where the four women repeatedly risk encountering the wrong counterpart.
Films like Big Business, and why
The Parent Trap
female-led farce built around mistaken identities, doubled performances, and escalating comic confusion
Trading Places
high-energy comedy of errors driven by identity confusion and broad ensemble performances
Tootsie
screwball mistaken-identity structure with brisk pacing and heightened comic performances
Movie Details
- Director
- Jim Abrahams
- Release Date
- 1988-06-10
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (311)
Cast
- Bette Midler
- Lily Tomlin
- Fred Ward
- Edward Herrmann
- Michele Placido
- Daniel Gerroll
- Barry Primus
- Michael Gross
- Deborah Rush
- Nicolas Coster
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 Business about?
- Two pairs of identical sisters collide in a fast-moving Manhattan farce where mistaken identities turn class differences into comic chaos.
- What is Big Business like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Big Business as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Big Business violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Big Business.
- What did critics think of Big Business?
- Critics generally found the film cheerful and energetic, with strong comic performances from Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin, but felt that its characterization and payoff were too thin to sustain the premise.
- Which films are like Big Business?
- Films with a similar feel include The Parent Trap, Trading Places, and Tootsie.
- How long is Big Business?
- Big Business runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch Big Business?
- In United States, Big Business streams on Disney Plus.
