Big Shots is a 1987 American adventure comedy film directed by Robert Mandel, written by Joe Eszterhas, and produced by Michael C. Gross and Joe Medjuck. The film stars Ricky Busker and Darius McCrary in the lead roles, with supporting performances by Robert Joy, Robert Prosky, Jerzy Skolimowski, and Paul Winfield.
Production and Release
The film was produced by Lorimar Film Entertainment and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It was released on October 2, 1987, with a running time of 91 minutes. The budget was approximately $10 million, and it grossed about $3 million at the box office. The cinematography was by Miroslav Ondříček, editing by William M. Anderson, Sheldon Kahn, and Dennis Virkler, and the musical score was composed by Bruce Broughton.
Plot
The story follows 11-year-old Obie Dawkins (Ricky Busker), a boy from Hinsdale, Illinois, who runs away from home following the death of his father. After being mugged on the South Side of Chicago, he befriends Scam (Darius McCrary), an 11-year-old street hustler. Together, the two boys become entangled with gangsters Doc (Jerzy Skolimowski) and Dickie (Robert Joy) after stealing their car—unaware that a body is in the trunk. The pair embark on a road trip to Louisiana in search of Scam's estranged father, encountering various obstacles and adversaries along the way.
Cast
- Ricky Busker as Obidiah "Obie" Dawkins
- Darius McCrary as Jeremy "Scam" Henderson
- Robert Joy as Dickie
- Robert Prosky as Keegan
- Jerzy Skolimowski as "Doc"
- Paul Winfield as Johnnie Red
- Brynn Thayer as Mrs. Dawkins / Mom
- Bill Hudson as Mr. Dawkins / Dad
- Jim Antonio as Uncle Harry
- Beah Richards as Miss Hanks
- Joe Seneca as Ferryman
- Ellen Geer as Bar Waitress
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a score of 60% based on reviews from five critics. Roger Ebert gave the film a positive review of 3 out of 4 stars, praising the humor and performances of the two young leads as well as Robert Prosky's supporting performance, stating: "The result is more entertaining than you might think."
Awards
Darius McCrary and Ricky Busker were nominated for "Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture: Comedy" at the 9th Youth in Film Awards for their performances, but lost to Patrick Dempsey for Can't Buy Me Love.
