Big (1988)

Twelve-year-old Josh Baskin is told that he is too short for a carnival ride called the Super Loops while attempting to impress a girl. Dejected, he inserts a coin into an antique fortune-teller machine called Zoltar, and makes a wish to be “big“. It dispenses a card stating “Your wish is granted“, but Josh discovers the machine has been unplugged the entire time. The next morning, Josh finds that he has grown into an adult. He tries to locate the Zoltar machine, but finds that the carnival has moved on to its next destination. Returning home, he tries to explain his predicament to his mother, who chases him from the house thinking he is a stranger who has kidnapped her son. He then finds his best friend Billy, and convinces him of his identity by reciting a rap which only they know. With Billy’s help, he learns that it will take at least six weeks to find the Zoltar machine again, so Josh rents a flophouse in New York City and gets a job as a data entry clerk at the MacMillan Toy Company. The Walking Piano, as featured in Big Josh meets the company’s owner, Mr. MacMillan, at FAO Schwarz, and impresses him with his insight into current toys and his childlike enthusiasm. They play a duet (“Heart and Soul“) on a Walking Piano, and MacMillan invites Josh to a massive marketing campaign pitch meeting with senior executives. Unimpressed with the toy being pitched, Josh shocks and challenges the executives with a simple declaration that the toy is not “fun“, and while his follow-up suggestions invigorate the team for new ideas, he earns the animosity of Paul Davenport, the pitch’s leader. Meanwhile, a pleased MacMillan promotes Josh to Vice President of Product Development. He soon attracts the attention of Susan Lawrence, a fellow executive, and a romance begins to develop, much to the dismay of her former boyfriend, Davenport. Josh becomes increasingly entwined in his “adult“ life by spending time with her, mingling with her friends, and being in a steady relationship. His ideas become valuable assets to MacMillan Toys; however, he begins to forget what it is like to be a child, and his tight schedule rarely allows him to spend time with Billy. MacMillan asks Josh to come up with proposals for a new line of toys. He is intimidated by the need to formulate the business aspects of the proposal, but Susan says that she will handle the business end while he comes up with the ideas. Nevertheless, he feels pressured and longs for his old life. When he expresses doubts to Susan and attempts to explain that he is really a child, she interprets this as fear of commitment on his part and dismisses his explanation. Josh learns from Billy that the Zoltar machine is now at Sea Point Park, and he leaves in the middle of his presentation to MacMillan and the other executives. Susan also leaves and encounters Billy, who tells her where Josh went. At the park, Josh finds the machine, unplugs it, and makes a wish to become “a kid again“. He is then confronted by Susan for running off, but upon seeing the machine and the fortune it has given him, realizes that he was telling the truth, and she becomes despondent at realizing their relationship will end. He tells her that he enjoyed their time together and suggests that she use the machine to wish herself younger, though she declines and offers to take him home.