Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Big
1988
***
Director: Penny Marshall
Cast: Tom Hanks, Elisabeth Perkins, John Heard, Robert Loggia

12-year-old Josh, sick of being a kid, makes a wish that comes through. He wakes up in a grown man's body. While he is forced to hide from his family, he lands a job at a toy company. This slow-paced fantasy comedy is adorably innocent or deeply disturbing, depending on your viewpoint. There are some troubling story aspects that the script simply decides to ignore, like the fact that Josh's mother thinks the boy was kidnapped or that a grown woman seduces a young boy. Nevertheless, Tom Hanks gives a perfectly balanced performance in the lead.