Big

A real and true American classic. People now always say, “this could never get made today.” Usually in regard to The Woke Mind Virus™️ taking over our sensibilities and making edgy or racist movies impossible. But what’s really impossible is shit like this. The 80’s brought heart and sincerity to the most wild and sometimes mundane concepts in movies and making them into absolute bangers. Moviemakers really lost their secret sauce sometime in the 2010s and they need to find it again because I’m fiending. This is a movie that could never be made today. I’m not talking about the pseudo-pedophilic behavior, or New York in the 80’s and all of its set dressing being baked into the movie, or even the toy industry being practically dead in favor of apps and digital entertainment. I’m talking about the spirit and feel of this is part of the 80’s lightning in a bottle filmmaking. No one on this planet would touch a script like this today and if they did then I know for damn sure no one would bother to see it. I know I wouldn’t. When I try to imagine a trailer for this movie dropping had it been made in the modern day my eyes roll into the back of my fucking skull. This would rank in D-tier straight to streaming Disney slop AT BEST. What really ties this all together is very obviously Tom Hanks. The man kills it here and anytime he’s doing childish goober shit you can’t help but smile. He could’ve gone for a Jim Carrey-esque over-the-top performance but what he gives here really, genuinely feels like a child trapped in the body of a grown man. So many great moments, such a good experience, and something I will be grateful came out at the only time it was possible.