---
title: "Big"
year: 1988
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/big"
fi1m_id: "big"
imdb_id: "tt0094737"
tmdb_id: 2280
wikidata_id: "Q858467"
fi1m_score: 81
critics_score: 75
critics_reviews: 10
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:50.184678+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Big (1988)

Directed by Penny Marshall · 1h 44m · MPA PG · Fantasy, Drama, Comedy

## Identity

Big

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/big
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** big
- **IMDb ID:** tt0094737
- **TMDB ID:** 2280
- **Wikidata ID:** Q858467
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094737/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/2280, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q858467

**Fi1m score: 81** · Critics 75 from 10 reviews

*In a sentence:* Tom Hanks makes a giant piano look like a more sensible use of adulthood than a promotion

> *Big* is a warm, funny fantasy built around Tom Hanks’s convincing sense of a child’s uncertainty. Penny Marshall keeps the comedy gentle, though the sweetness sometimes makes adult life look too easily dismissed.

## Synopsis

Josh (David Moscow) is a boy who wakes up in an adult body, now played by Tom Hanks. He has to find his way through grown-up life while still thinking and feeling like a child. The pleasures of toys and play follow him into a world more concerned with corporate success, where his innocence unsettles adult habits and expectations. Jared Rushton plays Billy, Elizabeth Perkins is Susan and Robert Loggia is MacMillan, among the people around Josh as he tries to live at an age he has not yet reached.

## Review

*Big* succeeds because Penny Marshall takes a child’s discomfort in an adult body seriously enough to make the comedy matter. The premise could sustain a procession of jokes about grown-up privileges, but the film keeps returning to the simpler question of how a boy is supposed to manage all this. It is warm, funny and occasionally too sweet for its own good. We recommend it chiefly for Tom Hanks, whose Josh remains recognisably a child even when the surrounding fantasy starts making life convenient for him.

Hanks’s physical acting is the main reason to believe in that impossible situation: Josh seems to be learning what to do with the body he has been given. There is pleasure in his freedom, but also uncertainty about what adults expect him to know already. Hanks allows fear into the performance without making Josh pitiable, which gives the comedy something to lose. Marshall does not press every sign of childishness into service as a punchline, and the restraint makes him easier to care about.

The giant piano scene earns its reputation by giving that performance something worth getting excited about. We laughed because Hanks makes play seem like the obvious thing to do, with no need to announce how charming he is being. Cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld makes the scale of the instrument part of the joke. Editor Barry Malkin lets the physical performance supply the rhythm. The scene has enough patience to let the sight of a grown man absorbed in play be funny.

Production designer Santo Loquasto’s work helps make toys look worth an adult’s attention, which matters when so much of the film depends on their appeal. The giant piano is an especially good fit for a child suddenly occupying more space. Howard Shore’s music is less necessary when it encourages tenderness that Hanks has already supplied. It suits Marshall’s gentle tone, but there are moments when the film could do with less help being sweet.

The weakness is in how readily the screenplay by Anne Spielberg and Gary Ross favours childhood over the alternatives. Adult life can look like a fairly dreary misunderstanding, curable by remembering how to enjoy a toy. That is a pleasing thought for a comedy, and it gives Josh’s innocence a purpose beyond keeping the plot moving. It also makes the film predictable: once play has been granted so much wisdom, the grown-ups have rather little chance of putting a convincing case.

Among body-swap comedies, *Big* stands out for Marshall’s patience with the boy. She gives the central performance room to be funny without leaning on crude innuendo, and the affection for Josh survives the script’s tidier assumptions. At 104 minutes, there is enough of Hanks’s uncertain, eager boy to make the familiar machinery worth accepting. Watch it for that performance, with a little tolerance for a film that remembers childhood more fondly than we do.

*Fi1m score 81, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like Big a good deal, and the praise gathers almost entirely around Tom Hanks. Review after review dwells on how he plays a thirteen-year-old in a grown man’s body without tipping into caricature, the slapstick balanced against fear and vulnerability. Penny Marshall’s direction earns the next share of credit, chiefly for keeping the comedy small and unforced and for steering the awkward business of a boy in an adult romance clear of crassness. Several reviews rank it above the other late-80s body-swap comedies, and the giant piano scene is named more than once.

The reservations are mild and cluster around the script rather than the performance. Time Out finds the plot predictable and the ending saccharine, and a few warm notices stop short of enthusiasm. The one real dissent is The New Yorker, where Pauline Kael sees a formula fantasy, tactfully made but tepid, selling childhood back to adults. Nobody else shares her coolness; the spread is otherwise narrow.

## Straight answers

**Is Big worth watching?**

*Big* is worth watching, chiefly for Tom Hanks, and we scored it 81. Penny Marshall takes a boy's discomfort in an adult body seriously enough to make the comedy matter, and the giant piano scene earns its reputation. The film is sometimes too sweet, and it dismisses adult life rather too easily, but the performance carries it.

**How long is Big, and what is it rated?**

*Big* runs 1h 44m and is rated PG by the MPA in the US. It is a fantasy and drama film.

**Where can I watch Big in the US?**

*Big* is streaming on Disney+ in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Big, and is it suitable for children?**

*Big* is a gentle fantasy comedy with a UK 12 certificate, and there is no violence or anything frightening in it. The certificate reflects a boy living an adult life, including a romance with Elizabeth Perkins's Susan, rather than anything alarming. It suits older children and teenagers; younger ones may find the corporate scenes slow.

**How does Big compare to The Kid?**

*Big* and [*The Kid*](https://film.one/film/the-kid) are both comedies that make room for a child's fear and dependence, but Chaplin's silent film is the sharper and less indulgent of the two. *Big* is warmer and funnier for a modern audience, carried by Hanks's physical performance. Both give in to sentiment; *The Kid* does so with rather more discipline.

**What should I watch after Big?**

After *Big*, try [*The Kid*](https://film.one/film/the-kid) (1921, Fi1m 84): For physical comedy that makes room for a child’s fear and dependence. Then [*Local Hero*](https://film.one/film/local-hero) (1983, Fi1m 86): Another gentle comedy about discovering that corporate success might not be quite enough; and [*13 Going on 30*](https://film.one/film/13-going-on-30) (2004, Fi1m 67): Another child reaches adulthood early and has to work out what was missed.

### Reviews we read (10)

- **Empire**, Ian Nathan (90/100, inferred): The film is the best of the late-80s body-swap comedies and showcases Tom Hanks' physical acting as a boy in an adult body. Penny Marshall directs with subtlety, delivering joyful set pieces like the giant piano scene while avoiding crassness in its trickier elements. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/big-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kevin Thomas (90/100, inferred): The critic calls 'Big' the best of the body-swap comedies, praising it as funny, warm, sophisticated, and imaginative throughout. Direction by Penny Marshall is highlighted for its verve and judgment, along with Tom Hanks' charming performance and a satisfying ending that avoids confusing childlike with childish. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-06-03-ca-4758-story.html)
- **Slant Magazine** (90/100, inferred): The critic hails Marshall’s film as gold and a consummate ’80s film about kid-dom and growing old too fast, singling out Hanks’ sanguine performance and the inventive handling of the boy-as-man premise, especially the iconic piano scene. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/big/)
- **The Telegraph** (80/100, inferred): Nicely directed by Penny Marshall with Tom Hanks marvellously child-like as the boy who wakes up big; succeeds by showing how adult life can become boring while celebrating the joy of toys and play. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/11312303/Big-review.html)
- **Time Out**, GA (75/100, inferred): The film is genuinely funny thanks to Tom Hanks' engaging performance and a script that avoids gross innuendo, with Josh's innocent perspective revitalising those around him. It is somewhat predictable with a saccharine ending. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/big)
- **The Guardian** (70/100, inferred): Best of the late-80s body-swap films thanks to Tom Hanks's career-making turn as the boy in a man's body. Still charming and funny. [Read](http://www.theguardian.com/film/movie/82589/big)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Duane Byrge (70/100, inferred): The critic calls the film good and very funny, praising Tom Hanks' wonderfully slapstick and kid-like performance as the standout element. Penny Marshall is commended for keeping the comedy natural, unforced and likeably small without hammering themes. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/big-review-1988-movie-899374/)
- **Variety**, Variety Staff (70/100, inferred): The film unspools with enjoyable genuineness and ingenuity as a 13-year-old is transformed into an adult body. The characters enjoy life away from responsibility in a way that reminds viewers why adults get so serious. [Read](https://variety.com/1987/film/reviews/big-1200427661/)
- **The New Yorker**, Pauline Kael (40/100, inferred): The critic describes 'Big' as a formula fantasy movie directed tactfully and gently by Penny Marshall, with Tom Hanks delivering a predictable but inoffensive little-boy act. It is seen as nostalgic for childhood and suburbia, ultimately selling the slick wonders of immaturity in a wholesome but tepid way. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1988/06/27/sunshine)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's immense charm and Tom Hanks' layered performance as a boy in a man's body, noting his ability to blend vulnerability, fear, and humor without exaggeration. The review highlights the story's exploration of lost innocence and the superiority of childhood freedom over corporate success. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/big-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

## Details

- **Director:** Penny Marshall
- **Director:** Penny Marshall
- **Writer:** Anne Spielberg, Gary Ross
- **Cinematography:** Barry Sonnenfeld
- **Editor:** Barry Malkin
- **Music:** Howard Shore
- **Production design:** Santo Loquasto
- **Costume design:** Judianna Makovsky
- **Producer:** James L. Brooks, Robert Greenhut
- **Cast:** Tom Hanks as Josh; Elizabeth Perkins as Susan; Robert Loggia as MacMillan; John Heard as Paul; Jared Rushton as Billy; Jon Lovitz as Scotty Brennen; David Moscow as Young Josh; Mercedes Ruehl as Mrs. Baskin
- **Runtime:** 1h 44m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG
- **Release (the US):** 3 June 1988
- **Genres:** Fantasy, Drama, Comedy
- **Also in:** [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 1988)
- **Budget:** $18 million
- **Box office:** $152 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM8zgY7sG_g

## Where to watch in the US

- Disney+: streaming, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $4.99, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BG, CA, CH, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, HR, IE, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, NL, NO, NZ, PH, PL, PT, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Saturn Awards 1990: Best Writing (won)
- Academy Awards 1989: Best Actor (nominated); Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *The Kid* (1921), Fi1m 84: For physical comedy that makes room for a child’s fear and dependence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-kid.md)
- *Good Morning* (1959): Children question the rules while the adults struggle to explain their own behaviour.
- *Local Hero* (1983), Fi1m 86: Another gentle comedy about discovering that corporate success might not be quite enough. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/local-hero.md)
- *13 Going on 30* (2004), Fi1m 67: Another child reaches adulthood early and has to work out what was missed. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/13-going-on-30.md)
- *Petite maman* (2021), Fi1m 88: A quieter childhood fantasy, with equal care for what children and adults cannot explain. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/petite-maman.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/big