Big Business

PG

Released Jun 10, 1988

1 hr. 37 min.

Comedy

List

50%

22 Reviews

Tomatometer

69%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Two sets of twins born in the small town of Jupiter Hollow are mixed up by a confused nurse. The parents -- one set poor local farmers, the other wealthy socialites just passing through -- are none the wiser and take the twins home. Now, some 40 years later, the wealthy pair (Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin) are involved in a business deal to buy and close down a factory in Jupiter Hollow. Hearing the news, the other set of twins travels to New York City to try and stop the sale.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Apr 24

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Disney+

Apple TV

Watch Big Business with a subscription on Disney+, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Kyle E

Warning: Spoilers Big Business has always been a movie I love watching from time to time. I will say that Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler never let me down as they got into their completely ludicrous, wacky antics that pay tribute to the old slapstick humor without being too in your face. Bette Midler came out to be the strongest of the two this time though and her performance is again what makes a film. Her character(s) were just so lovable, and Bette Midler's yodel scene was my favorite scene of the movie. One humongous personal problem I found with the movie, and practically this was the only thing wrong with the film, was I think they should have let more time in for the final meeting scene between all 4 of them. I mean, they finally find their twins, and then it has like 4 minutes for them to talk to each other and then goes off. Uh? They could have let us see more, you know? Anyway, I found Big Business to be good, and was just a nice, quaint film to watch indeed.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/08/22

Full Review

Audience Member

A Touchstone pictures release has Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin star as two sets of identical twins that were mismatched at birth and meet in Manhattan as adults. So the whole movie is a mistaken identity joke and that didn't work for me. I don't mind a mistaken identity joke in movies, but basing an entire plot on it was too much. A lot of the material was predictable. I will give credit to Midler and Tomlin on being able to create two unique characters each. The build up to the final punch line right before the credits worked well and had me laughing out loud. If this sounds like something you'd enjoy, then give this movie a watch, there is nothing terrible about it. But it is not for everyone, and I'm one of the people it is not for.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Big Business 1988 I feel as though The Parent Trap movies or Wish Upon a Star executed this story better. I think what confused me about this film was what was the main goal of the sisters in what they were trying to accomplish. I never realized till late in the film that both sisters objective was related to the home town they were born in. I felt satisfied by the ending. I think there were some funny moments but I don’t think this film was as funny or memorable as it could have been.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/28/20

Full Review

Audience Member

I cant believe the low scores! Have watched a billion times this is a 10/10 movie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

jona i

Really delightful. Muddy in a few parts, like the reveal and the climax. But it's all such fun.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

s r

A fun show that reminds me of the 80s.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Jim Abrahams

Director

Bette Midler

Sadie Ratliff

Lily Tomlin

Rose Ratliff

Fred Ward

Roone Dimmick

Edward Herrmann

Graham Sherbourne

Michele Placido

Fabio Alberici

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

67%

47%

Three Men and a Baby

70%

70%

Father of the Bride

11%

49%

Ernest Goes to Jail

40%

43%

Three Men and a Little Lady

82%

79%

What About Bob?

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Pauline Kael

New Yorker

Midler is a classic figure -- a grinning urchin out of Volpone. Her appetite is the audience’s appetite. It’s as if she and we were passing a flask of euphoria back and forth.

Sep 15, 2023

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

People running into each other can be funny, but when they just miss, what are we supposed to do? Slap our knees and say, "Lord a-mighty, they dern near ran into each other and wouldn't that have been funny!"

Rated: 2/4

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Rated: 1/4

Jun 10, 1988

Full Review

Kristin Battestella

InSession Film

Midler and Tomlin master four separate characterizations with zingers, press on nails, mint juleps, and sass to match.

Jul 25, 2023

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…Midler is in her element here; she’s the motor that keeps Big Business on track to deliver on the promise of double trouble…

Rated: 3/5

Jun 7, 2023

Full Review

Michael Bronski

Gay Community News (Boston)

The problem here is that beyond the premise of grand farce there is no script, just a series of formula misunderstandings without much sense or feeling behind them.

Sep 15, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

Two sets of twins born in the small town of Jupiter Hollow are mixed up by a confused nurse. The parents -- one set poor local farmers, the other wealthy socialites just passing through -- are none the wiser and take the twins home. Now, some 40 years later, the wealthy pair (Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin) are involved in a business deal to buy and close down a factory in Jupiter Hollow. Hearing the news, the other set of twins travels to New York City to try and stop the sale.

Director: Jim Abrahams
Screenwriter: Dori Pierson, Marc Rubel
Distributor: Touchstone Pictures
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 10, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 18, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $39.6M
Sound Mix: Surround

Most Popular at Home Now