ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ

When you're a kid, all you want to do is grow up. And hey - that's exactly what happens in "Big" (1988). Young Josh (David Moscow) visits a fairground and after an embarrassing incident with the object of his desire, spies a machine - Zoltar - which promises to make his wishes come true. So he asks to be big, and next day wakes up in his early thirties as Tom Hanks.

Even though he ends up pretending to be kidnapped to save explaining himself to his mother, one must remember this is wish fulfilment territory and naturally, he soon finds his feet - thanks partly to street-smart buddy Billy (Rushton) and a lucky break that finds him with a job in a toy company, run by the kindly MacMillan (Loggia).

Of course as a young lad inside, he fits right into the industry, being appointed Vice-President and attracting the attentions of co-worker Susan (Perkins). But he's grown up just too quickly and soon - despite a loss of virginity and bucketloads of free toys - he finds himself pining for his innocence.

A movie which sparked a wave of similar, but far inferior body-swap comedies, "Big" remains an entertaining, yet not overly sentimental yarn, with an Oscar-nominated performance by Hanks and cracking support by the rest of the cast. And whether it's the foot-tapping piano duet between Josh and MacMillan, or the way Josh turns around the company with his childish enthusiasm, this is mainstream Hollywood filmmaking at its best - packed with intelligence, humour and pathos.