Ah, those were the days. All of us have done it. Wished we were older, so we could do more. Well, in the movie "Big", a child's wish to become big comes true.

Josh is a boy who is not tall enough to ride a roller coaster at a theme park. Humilated in front of a girl he likes, he goes to a "fortune telling" machine, and wishes he could be bigger. He wakes up the next day as a man. When everyone he knows throws him out of their lives, except his best friend, he goes into the adult world. Just by knowing what kids want in toys, he becomes a success in a toy company. He also manages to get a girl wanting him(even though he is completely oblivious to it). All he wants is be himself again.

9/10

Josh is a regular kid. He can't get the girl. He can't even get on the amusement ride because he's too short. So he makes a wish upon a carnival Zoltar machine. He just wants to be big, and the next morning he wakes up as an adult. The only person who believes him is his best friend Billy.

It's a nice premise. Certainly age changing is not a new idea for stories. Nevertheless, it is well written. Director Penny Marshall shows herself to be a very capable director. However this is all dependent on Tom Hanks. He really digs up his inner child with this impersonation of a 12 year old. The joy in his performance is unmistakable. Dancing on the roll out piano is the classic movie scene. Tom Hanks really excels playing around with Jared Rushton or acting childish around the unsuspecting adults.

Big does have its minor faults, such as the parents missing a child idea barely registering, but overall while goofy it is also very charming thanks to the performances and chemistry between the two leads. The story is nice and simple, and it is beautifully handled, while the script is witty, funny and quite charming, like the story. Then there is Penny Marshal's polished direction, some nice cinematography and a sweet soundtrack. The best thing though for me was the performances and chemistry of Tom Hanks and Elizabeth Perkins. Hanks is typically fine in his role, and Perkins makes the most of her character, and the two have a very effective chemistry on screen. So overall, very enjoyable and charming, and actually one of the better body-swap movies out there. 8/10 Bethany Cox