Wikipedia does a brief mention that Big was inspired by the 1987 Italian movie Da Grande. So what's the answer?
Not at all. Similarities happens only with the fantasy element and the child x adult romantic pairing. The premise of both movies is the same but the characters and solutions to all the conflicts are completely different. It's not a remake in disguise.
The age gap of the main character is larger. It's much more funny a fat middle-aged dude behaving like a 8-year old that acts more like a absent-minded child. The Italian script makes great use of 'child logic' to create comedy.
Big is a great movie and only has problems if you look for them. Like the contradiction in Hank's character that is old enough to be already chasing women and his desire happens because of a girl, but he retreats to be obsessed with physical toys despite being also computer geek.
The corporate play that dominates Big feels forced. It happens because of his best friend, this script agent that makes things easier to move around for the movie's writers. Also the parents are away from the plot, conveniently. It's a competent script but overuses the 'Hollywood solutions'.
Da Grande in contrast has a very neat script that is very clever. It makes use of each person in the kid's life so we can see the interacting with them in both forms. And the kid's job as adult is hilarious, perfect fit!
Big is an iconic movie for the 80s and a key moment for Hanks' career, albeit it is a bit laboured plot-wise and slow. I found Da Grande funnier, faster-paced and especially more sweet. Too bad it's hard to watch it outside Italy.
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