Movie Review: "Big" - A comedy that leaves a lasting impression on the heart

Have you ever wished, when you were a child, that you could grow up quickly?

One day, Josh goes to an amusement park with his family and spots a girl he admires. He is determined to show off how cool he is by riding a roller coaster without being scared, but he is turned away by the staff because he isn't tall enough.

Dejected, Josh makes a wish at a fortune-telling game machine.

"I wish I was big."

The eyes of the doll inside the machine glow red, and its mechanical mouth opens and closes eerily. Afterward, a slip of paper comes out saying, "Your wish has been granted."

The next morning, his mother, who is preparing breakfast, shouts from downstairs, "You'll be late for school if you don't get up soon!" It's a morning like any other. He reluctantly gets out of bed, looks at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, and is stunned. Who on earth is this??

This movie is about Josh, who becomes an adult overnight, and his struggle to return to his original form with the help of his best friend Billy, the only one who believes him. (For information about the film, click here.)

Below, I would like to introduce the highlights of this movie based on my own super-personal perspective. There are plenty of spoilers.

Highlight 1: Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks plays the adult Josh. He was 32 at the time. Young. He plays around with his best friend Billy and makes strange remarks in conversations with adults, but he successfully expresses the awkwardness of having the appearance of an adult but the mind of a child. I think the reason we, the viewers, can get into the story without doubting this premise is due to Tom Hanks' expressive power.

Highlight 2: A scene that makes everyone smile

The two visit a government office to find the location of the game machine that granted Josh's wish to be an adult. However, they are told it will take six weeks to get the relevant documents. To make ends meet in the meantime, Josh joins a toy company and starts working.

One holiday, Josh enters a toy store and happens to run into the company president. Josh speaks frankly to the president about the toys in the store from a child's perspective (which is natural, as he is a child inside) without hesitation.

Suddenly, he steps on a floor piano spread out on the floor, and it makes a sound under his feet. Josh thinks for a moment, then begins to play the accompaniment part of a song. The president joins in on the melody part to match the accompaniment. Then, halfway through, the two of them perfectly match the melody and play it to the end.

This song is "Heart and Soul," released in 1938, and it seems to be a nostalgic melody for Americans.

One by one, people stop, and before they know it, a crowd has gathered around them. When the song ends, everyone, both adults and children, is smiling, and a burst of applause erupts.

In this scene, I found it heartwarming, thinking that the practice must have been tough. You can tell that the actors themselves are enjoying it while taking it seriously, and the relieved, "we did it!" expressions on their faces after finishing must surely be genuine, not just acting.

This is a famous scene from the movie.

Highlight 3: What it means to be an adult...

At the company, following his interaction with the president mentioned above, Josh's comments and ideas from a child's perspective are valued, and he is promoted rapidly, becoming a high earner. Gradually, he begins to be entrusted with major work.

Meanwhile, Billy, who has obtained information on the whereabouts of the game machine, visits Josh's office, but Josh is in the middle of a call with an important client. Josh tells him he doesn't have time to talk now and to come back later. However, Billy insists that this (finding the game machine) is important, and they end up arguing.

Josh: You don’t get it, do you? This is important! (Don't you get it? This (work) is important!)
Billy: I’m your best friend. What’s more important than that, huh? (I'm your best friend, right? What could be more important than your best friend?!)
[Turns to leave]
Billy: And I’m three months older than you are, ASSHOLE! (Besides, I'm three months older than you!) *The text in parentheses is the author's tentative translation.

As we grow up, the number of things we hold dear increases. That is not a bad thing. But as the number of important things grows, it becomes difficult to treat them all with the same level of care. Naturally, we are forced to set priorities. So, what do we put first? That changes depending on the time and situation. The order of the list is constantly shifting in complex ways.

Looking back, there was a time in my life when nothing was more important than my best friend. Reflecting on that, Billy's line really strikes a chord.

Highlight 4: What we project onto the final scene

In the final scene, Josh says goodbye to Elizabeth. No matter how many times I watch it, it touches my heart. The pure heart that everyone possesses in childhood. It is something that many people tend to lose in exchange for gaining experience and learning the ins and outs of human relationships. I nostalgically remember those days when I lived by prioritizing what was most important, and my heart trembles at the sadness that those distant days will never return.

While projecting myself onto Josh and the child I once was, before I knew it, I am also projecting him onto the image of my young son ten years from now. When that happens, the sight of the innocent boy returning to childhood and looking back at Elizabeth becomes unbearably precious. I realize that the reason I shed tears during the final scene was actually my love for my own child.

I wondered what kind of adult Josh became as the end credits rolled. And I wondered how my own child would grow up from here on out.

***

While browsing various pages to write this article, I found this review about the movie.

" When I watched this movie as a child, it taught me to fully enjoy being a child. And now that I am an adult, it teaches me to listen closely to the voice of the child within me." (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF7-rz9nIn4)

I thought that was well put.