Big Business

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Big Business

PG

Released Jun 10, 1988

1h 37m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

52%

Tomatometer

23 Reviews

69%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

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.

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Pauline Kael

The 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

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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

Quentin Crisp

Christopher Street

This is easily the most enjoyable film that we have seen since Down and Out in Beverly Hills.

May 7, 2024

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

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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

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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

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Hollie R

So many childhood memories with this movie! I’m not sure how many times I’ve watched it, but a lot in my younger years when block buster was 5 movies for $10!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/15/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Funny in 1 hour and 37 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $39,600,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/09/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme ruim, o roteiro é fraco, o elenco é ruim, as cenas são fracas e nenhuma cena relevante para Filme ser bom, e as protagonistas são muitos ruins e deixam o filme ruim, com isso, eu não recomendo esse filme.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/10/25

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Amelia A

A delightful comedy from the late 80's. Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin are twice the perfect duo in this classic tale of swapped twins and romantic mishaps, with New York as the glamorous setting of the evil business vs rural town showdown. What's not to love? Even if a couple of gags have been since done to exhaustion, the movie remains fresh and perfectly enjoyable.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/09/24

Full Review

Da Nugster Joel N

bette and lily are a riot.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/04/24

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Cristina B

Pretty darn hilarious and love the chemistry between Bette and Tomlin!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/18/24

Full Review

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Jim Abrahams

Director

Bette Midler

Sadie Ratliff

Lily Tomlin

Rose Ratliff

Fred Ward

Roone Dimmick

Edward Herrmann

Graham Sherbourne

Michele Placido

Fabio Alberici

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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
Producer: Michael Peyser, Steve Tisch
Screenwriter: Dori Pierson, Marc Rubel
Distributor: Touchstone Pictures
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures, Silver Screen Partners III
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
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Surround

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