Big




I wish I were big.

So the next time you see a freaky looking arcade game that works while unplugged and promises to grant your wish, just walk away. Play something safe like Mrs. Pacman or Zombie Mansion.

Josh (David Moscow) is an average thirteen year old kid who stumbles upon that weird arcade game. A little before he had a humiliating experience because of his size, so he wishes that he were bigger. No one is more surprised than Josh when he wakes up the next morning as a fully grown man (Tom Hanks). His own mother doesn't recognize him, but he convinces his best friend Billy (Jared Rushton) and together he manages to get a place to stay and work in the city while they look for the arcade machine. But alas, while Josh is at first very lost in the adult world, he begins to grow used to it and even lands a girlfriend, Susan (Elizabeth Perkins).

Penny Marshall is fairly experienced in dealing with issues of loss. Here it's Josh's childhood, something she'd delve into again with Awakenings. It's a bittersweet tale with a dash of humor. While most of the jokes attempted aren't worth more than the occasional smile, it's the little things that are really worth the laughs. A good deal of that is due to Tom Hank's performance. But the weight of everything is evident with the changes that Josh undergoes, mostly triggered by his relationship with Susan.

Though believability is never given much thought, some of the relationships don't always warrant the best attention. The subject matter is also sometimes a bit much for younger viewers, though it's hard to decide which audience would have cause to like this better. Kids like the fantasy about a boy growing up to be a man and watching him eventually succeed in the adult world mostly through luck and convenient screenwriting. Adults can more identify with the underlying issue of the passing of childhood.

Tom Hanks is the star here and he puts forth a believable performance. Of course every kid is different and it's hard to grasp exactly how one acts once one is no longer that age. However, sometimes it seems like Hanks' portrayal jumps around, but you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Elizabeth Perkins works well as his more mature girlfriend who is initially passed off as another soulless employee. Then there's Jared Rushton as Billy, Josh's best friend who apparently is well versed with street smarts.

Granted that it's at times a bit much and has its grievances, Marshall manages to mix the light hearted tone with the content and keep a tender touch through it all. And that's what really counts.



-The Gnome