I don’t know what I was expecting from Big when I picked it at random, and at that, what I got was a rather pleasant watch.
The idea of kids wishing to grow up faster isn’t something new, and its a relatively simple concept, which I think, is what made the movie so enjoyable and fun to watch.
By far my favourite scene was when Josh Baskin goes in a little trip to the toy shop, (that for plot purposes is owned by the same person who’s company he got a job at). I am a very simple person (as I’ve mentioned before) and him playing around with different toys was the peak of joy for me while watching the movie. Any time a toy was on screen I was by far more interested in the toy than whatever was happening in the scene. You cannot tell me that his home is not just an absolute goal. In a way the movie was saying in big bold letters that adults should really stop being so serious all the time. They have access to everything and anything and yet sometimes they choose to live boring little lives because they’re ‘MaTuRE’. If anything this movie just reminds that I do not want to become so monotone in my independent life.
Another thing I couldn’t notice was the (almost?) accidental portrayal of neurodiversity through Josh Baskin’s adult self. If you had showed me this movie without the premise of him being a literal child in the body of an adult trying to navigate the world, I would have legitimately thought of Josh Baskin as a neurodivergent character who is surprisingly well written considering when this movie was made. The adults around him are not aware of his circumstances, and Josh Baskin is not yet aware of all the unwritten social rules and prepositions that are gradually added onto you as you grow up. He spends his time in meetings playing with robots, and he isn’t afraid to question authority, because to him its just a question to which he wants an answer. If he doesn’t understand something he doesn’t try to take a round about “polite” way to show his confusion. But somehow, the adults around him don’t necessarily treat him any different, any less of an adult. Perhaps this is because he is under the protection of the CEO, but it was a nice touch.
I suppose one thing that was weird was the little romance between Josh and Susan but I can let that slide.
PhantomFiles 