History Film / Big

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Josh's school crush Cynthia Benson is not seen again after the carnival scene, except for a brief moment when he visits the neighborhood while an adult. When he returns home, it's left unknown if he still had a crush on her or lost all feelings in favor of his love for Susan. Presumably he won't be ready to date for a while.
* YouMustBeThisTallToRide: The entire plot is sparked by Josh not being tall enough to ride the roller coaster.

-->'''Paul:''' You expect a kid to pay $19.00 for a comic book?\\

* ChekhovsSkill: Josh's interest in computer video games helps him pitch one to the [=MacMillan=] board of directors.

* FaceOnAMilkCarton: When Paul and Susan have breakfast, they have a milk carton on the table with Josh's child face on it. All while talking about the fact that Adult Josh seems to have come from out of nowhere.

* ChekhovsSkill: Josh's interest in computer video games helps him pitch one to the McMillan board of directors.

* FaceOnAMilkCarton: When Paul and Susan have breakfast, they have a milk carton on the table with Josh's child face on it. All while talking about the fact that Adult Josh seems to have come from nowhere.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Josh's school crush Cynthia Benson is not seen again after the carnival scene, except for a brief moment when he visits the neighborhood while an adult. When he returns home, it's left unknown if he still had a crush on her or lost all feelings in favor of his love for Susan. Presumably he's won't be ready for a while.

* WhamShot: Zoltar not being plugged after Josh makes his wish.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Josh's school crush Cynthia Benson is not seen again after the carnival scene, except for a brief moment when he visits the neighborhood. When he returns home, it's left unknown if he still had a crush on her or lost all feelings in favor of his love for Susan.

* ManChild: Josh Baskin comes off this way, he really is a 12-year-old boy in the body of an adult due to a wish he made to become taller so he could ride a roller coaster at the carnival. It gets {{Squick}}y when, in an attempt to prove to his mother he's really her son despite having a 30-year-old's physique, he [[StealthPun briefly]] pulls down his pants to show her his [[GoofyPrintUnderwear little-boy underwear]] (mostly to show his birthmark), and she [[AccidentalPervert naturally freaks out]].

* ChekhovsGun: The song Josh and Billy sing. See SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay below.

* PantyShot: Susan while on the trampoline.

* AdultFear: Josh's cover story for his mother is that he's been kidnapped. Despite assurances that he is being treated very well and will eventually be returned, his mother is understandably terrified and deeply concerned.

Desperate, he turns to his best friend, Billy Kopecki (Creator/JaredRushton), for help. With a little money, he goes to [[BigApplesauce New York City]] where he gets an entry-level job at the [=MacMillan=] Toy Company so he can support himself until he tracks down the Zoltar machine. While there, his childlike viewpoint and honesty helps him gain favor with the CEO, [=Mr. MacMillan=] (Creator/RobertLoggia), and he moves up the ranks of the company quickly. Which is how he meets Susan Lawrence ([[Series/{{Weeds}} Elizabeth Perkins]]), an ambitious fellow executive. They soon fall for each other, although Josh starts to wonder: Should he stay with Susan or go back to his life as a 13-year-old?

* FellAsleepCrying: Josh cries himself to sleep on his first night as an adult, and no wonder. Nobody knows who he is, he's staying all lone in a fleabag hotel in the BigRottenApple, somebody just got shot outside, and another guest is shouting verbal abuse.

* OhCrap: Josh’s expression says it all when he sees the carnival has left.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Apart from a small shot of her in Derek's car, Josh's school crush Cynthia Benson is not seen again after the carnival scene. After he returns home, it's left unknown if he still had a crush on her or, due to his love for Susan, lost all feelings he had for her.

->''[[TagLine Have you ever had a really big secret?]]''

''Big'' is a 1988 film produced by Creator/JamesLBrooks and directed by Creator/PennyMarshall, starring Creator/TomHanks as a 13-year-old boy in the body of a 30-something man.

* MaleGaze: When Josh accidentally bumps into Susan on his first day at [=MacMillan=] Toys.

* NiceToTheWaiter: Mr. MacMillan is shown to go out of his way to be nice to every employee, even those on the lower rungs like Josh (initially).

How did this happen? Well, Josh Baskin (David Moscow) was your average 13-year-old boy, who liked to play baseball and trade baseball cards. One evening, while he was at a carnival with his family, he tried to impress an older girl who was standing in line at a rollercoaster. But it backfired when the carnival worker pointed out he was [[YouMustBeThisTallToRide too short to go on the ride]]. Disappointed, he comes across the eerie-looking "Zoltar Speaks" wishing machine. With the machine, Josh wishes he was "big". The next morning, Josh awakens to find he's become a grown adult (Creator/TomHanks). He tries to go back to the carnival site but finds everything, including the wishing machine, gone. He tries to go home, but his mother mistakes him for an intruder, and he gets chased out.

Desperate, he turns to his best friend, Billy Kopecki (Jared Rushton), for help. With a little money, he goes to [[BigApplesauce New York City]] where he gets an entry-level job at the [=MacMillan=] Toy Company so he can support himself until he tracks down the Zoltar machine. While there, his childlike viewpoint and honesty helps him gain favor with the CEO, [=Mr. MacMillan=] (Creator/RobertLoggia), and he moves up the ranks of the company quickly. Which is how he meets Susan Lawrence ([[Series/{{Weeds}} Elizabeth Perkins]]), an ambitious fellow executive. They soon fall for each other, although Josh starts to wonder: Should he stay with Susan or go back to his life as a 13-year-old?

Desperate, he turns to his best friend, Billy Kopecki (Jared Rushton), for help. With a little money, he goes to [[BigApplesauce New York City]] where he gets an entry-level job at the [=MacMillan=] Toy Company so he can support himself until he tracks down the Zoltar machine. While there, his childlike viewpoint and honesty helps him gain favor with the CEO, [=Mr. MacMillan=] (Robert Loggia), and he moves up the ranks of the company quickly. Which is how he meets Susan Lawrence ([[Series/{{Weeds}} Elizabeth Perkins]]), an ambitious fellow executive. They soon fall for each other, although Josh starts to wonder: Should he stay with Susan or go back to his life as a 13-year-old?

* SuddenlyVoiced: Zoltar can talk in the musical, though all he can say is "Make your wish" and "Your wish is granted".