‘Big’ With Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, and Van Lathan
January 24, 2023 · Big (1988) · Comedy · Drama · Fantasy · 1:52:29 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Half-Assed Internet Research
Mallory RubinAlternate ending where Josh goes to class, new student named Susan walks in implying she used the Zoltar machine▶ 21:46
Van LathanThe alternate ending would be weird and make the movie totally different, like Donnie Darko▶ 22:17
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsJosh Wakes Up scene, F.A.O. Schwarz piano scene, the 'I don't get it' toy meeting scene, and company cocktail party scene▶ 35:37
Mallory RubinDiscussed scenes through quoted dialogue but didn't clearly state specific picks as most rewatchable▶ 36:09
Van LathanJosh trying to convince his mom he's her son (especially the underwear reveal moment) and Josh checking into the gross hotel room▶ 36:32
Big Kahuna Burger Award
Mallory RubinAgrees with the cocktail party food scene, mentions Josh on the floor with the napkin▶ 40:19
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsThe kidnapping plot logistics - how the kidnapper can call multiple times without police tracing, despite it being the biggest story in NYC▶ 57:38
Van LathanThe kidnapped son writing letters to his mother saying the experience might be good for him, while she's suffering▶ 58:09
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsMultiple questions including why Josh doesn't miss his dad, why have the dad character at all, and how Josh's clothes improved without showing a shopping scene▶ 59:29
Mallory RubinWhat happened to Josh's father? He disappears after the carnival scene and was never abducted despite Josh being missing▶ 58:30
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsJohn Travolta — Discussed Harrison Ford with Spielberg (too sexy), mentioned De Niro, Dennis Quaid, Richard Dreyfuss, Sean Penn, and Travolta as possibilities - thought Travolta would have been okay but not as good as Hanks▶ 1:11:16
Mallory RubinHarrison Ford — Noted timing issue with Harrison Ford being after his major roles by 1988▶ 1:12:46
Van LathanHarrison Ford — Thought Harrison Ford could work but agreed it would be a different movie, liked that Travolta could have done it with his 'ingenious dumbness'▶ 1:11:24
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsElizabeth Perkins — Elizabeth Perkins (definitive yes), 80s Tom Hanks as separate era (yes), toy companies in movies (yes), Zoltar machine (yes), height markers for amusement park rides (yes), various other items discussed▶ 1:22:24
Mallory RubinLimited participation, mainly clarifies body swap movie subgenres and comments on amusement park height markers still existing▶ 1:24:17
Van LathanElizabeth Perkins — Agrees on Elizabeth Perkins, discusses Tom Hanks' status as biggest movie star, suggests Independence Day for Robert Loggia's apex mountain▶ 1:22:36
Is This Movie Better With
Bill SimmonsJ.T. Walsh — Suggests multiple actors (Wayne Jenkins, Danny Trejo, Catherine Hunt, Steve Buscemi, Sam Jackson, JT Walsh, Phil Baker Hall) and proposes JT Walsh for the John Hurd part, and Chris Ryan as Wayne Jenkins in Big.▶ 1:37:50
Just One Oscar
Van LathanTom Hanks — Agrees Hanks is obvious, suggests considering Penny Marshall (director) or Screenplay as alternatives▶ 1:39:14
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsMultiple concerns: Would Josh's comic book idea actually work business-wise? What happens to Susan's psychological state after discovering Josh was a child? Could criminal charges be brought against Susan?▶ 1:42:09
Mallory RubinThe price point for Josh's electronic comic book idea is off - advanced computer chip tech can't be made affordable at $7 cost/$18.95 retail▶ 1:42:16
Van LathanSusan is psychologically destroyed and can never tell anyone what happened, while Josh will likely become an asshole who doesn't go to college▶ 1:42:55
Coach Finstock Life Lesson
Bill SimmonsIf your boyfriend tells you he's actually a 13-year-old, don't play with his ear, neck, and head as you're saying goodbye - treat him like you're his aunt and he's your little nephew▶ 1:51:32
Van LathanDiscussed the dark potential version of the movie where the relationship becomes inappropriate like Mary Kay Letourneau situation▶ 1:52:00
Movies Referenced (43)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forrest Gump (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 10:45 |
| Freaky Friday (2003) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 17:00 |
| Home Alone (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 30:49 |
| Philadelphia (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:45 |
| Scarface (1983) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 24:38 |
| Toy Story (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:21:33 |
| Clueless (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:03:55 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 35:05 |
| Identity (2003) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:18:12 |
| Independence Day (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan | ▶ 1:22:32 |
| Rain Man (1988) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 14:28 |
| Saving Private Ryan (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 9:10 |
Directors Referenced (8)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penny Marshall | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Mallory Rubin | Big, A League of Their Own | ▶ 32:05 |
| Steven Spielberg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan | ▶ 31:56 |
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 1:13:09 |
| Francis Ford Coppola | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Apocalypse Now, The Godfather Part II | ▶ 1:12:05 |
| Mel Gibson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Braveheart, Lethal Weapon 3, Conspiracy Theory | ▶ 57:38 |
| Dagny Atencio Looper | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Van Lathan | ▶ 1:05:53 | |
| Kosta Jokic | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 15:50 | |
| Sam Raimi | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Van Lathan | Spider-Man, The Evil Dead, Army of Darkness | ▶ 23:38 |
Actors Referenced (67)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Hanks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 46 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Mallory Rubin | Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump | ▶ 3:06 |
| Elizabeth Perkins | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Van Lathan | ▶ 4:52 | |
| John Travolta | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Mallory Rubin | Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty, Saturday Night Fever | ▶ 48:08 |
| Robert Loggia | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons | Big, Independence Day, Lost Highway | ▶ 24:22 |
| Jon Lovitz | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | A League of Their Own, Rat Race | ▶ 48:08 |
| Mustafa Speaks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Van Lathan | ▶ 56:06 | |
| Judge Reinhold | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | Beverly Hills Cop, Fast Times at Ridgemont High | ▶ 2:42 |
| Lindsay Lohan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | Mean Girls, The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday | ▶ 17:00 |
| Harrison Ford | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive | ▶ 1:11:16 |
| James Brooks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | The Game | ▶ 1:01:50 |
| Kerry Washington | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan, Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | Save the Last Dance | ▶ 45:45 |
| Danny Trejo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Machete, From Dusk Till Dawn, Predators | ▶ 36:46 |
Writers Referenced (3)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Ross | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Hunger Games | ▶ 31:56 |
| Isaac Asimov | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Mallory Rubin | Bicentennial Man | ▶ 28:36 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Mallory Rubin | ▶ 28:14 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Grantland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Van Lathan | The Other Guys | ▶ 26:57 |