1988
Directed by Penny Marshall
Is it possible to watch this film and not fall in love with Tom Hanks? I think this is a great comedy. I also think we should all band together and not make the relationship between Susan and Josh gross. It's sweet...kind of.
Twelve year old Josh Baskin is told he is too small to ride the Ring of Fire at a carnival. He encounters a weird fortune telling machine behind some of the other rides and wishes to be big. He gets his wish and wakes up as a thirty year old man. He gets a job at a toy company, gets a cool apartment, and meets a really great woman. Basically, he is better than at adulting than I am and he's twelve. I am not thirty yet, so I still have time to be as cool as him (I do know how to play Heart and Soul already).
So like I said, Hanks couldn't be any more lovable in this role. I think it would have been easy to have a twelve year old male character be horrible, because really, who wasn't horrible at twelve? But Josh is a great character; I found myself wanting him to succeed as an adult as much as I wanted him to become a child again.
Just a great, heart warming comedy. Oh and it is directed by a woman! Get it girl.
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
David Moscow, who played Young Josh, would film every grown up scene. Tom Hanks would then study how he acted and imitate him.
Penny Marshall is the first female director to direct a movie that grossed over $100 million. Hurray!
