Big Shots

Big Shots

Year: 1987

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: English

Director: Robert Mandel

ComedyAdventureDramaCrime

After his father dies, a suburban teen runs away and lands on Chicago’s South Side, where he’s mugged and bonds with a street‑wise youngster. Together they steal a gangster’s Mercedes that hides a corpse, then drive the car on a reckless journey southward in search of the hustler’s estranged father, even eleven‑year‑olds can handle danger and fun.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Big Shots (1987)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Big Shots (1987). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1980s

The events unfold in a late 20th-century urban landscape, depicted without modern digital technology. The environment relies on practical locations, street-level danger, and relatable city life. This period texture is reinforced by the presence of bars, pawn shops, banks, and road-tripping between states.

Location

Hinsdale, Illinois, South Side, Chicago, Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri

Primarily set in the Chicago area, the story begins in Hinsdale and moves into the South Side’s gritty streets and pawn shops. The plot then follows Obie and Scam on a road trip that crosses Missouri and Louisiana, weaving through bars, diners, and urban spaces that drive the action. The settings contrast quiet suburbia with harsh city landscapes and midwestern travel routes.

🏙️ Urban Midwest 🗺️ Travel & Road trip 🏚️ Urban hardship

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:59

Main Characters – Big Shots (1987)

Meet the key characters of Big Shots (1987), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Obie Dawkins (Ricky Busker)

An 11-year-old boy who faces his father’s death and quickly navigates a dangerous urban world. He begins with curiosity about his father and his watch, then learns resilience as he protects himself and others. Obie’s loyalty to Scam and his mother shapes his choices, driving the quest for closure.

🎒 Youth 🧭 Loyalty 🛡️ Courage

Scam (Darius McCrary)

A street-smart 11-year-old hustler who befriends Obie and helps him retrieve the watch. He embodies street savvy and a pragmatic sense of survival, yet carries his own pain and a desire to find his missing father. His bond with Obie evolves into a genuine companionship that fuels their joint efforts.

🕶️ Street-smart 🧭 Loyalty 🧒 Youth

Johnnie Red (Paul Winfield)

A bar owner who initially resists involvement but ultimately aids the boys by embodying a paternal figure. He agrees to help when needed, even adopting a ruse to protect Scam and Obie. His actions demonstrate a blend of streetwise pragmatism and unexpected generosity.

🍷 Bar owner 🤝 Ally 🧭 Protector

Keegan (Robert Prosky)

A slick pawn shop owner who monetizes Obie’s watch and tries to evade responsibility. He becomes a foil to the boys, displaying greed and manipulative tactics. Keegan’s confrontation with Obie and Scam escalates the drama and danger.

💎 Pawn shop 🕵️ Manipulative 💰 Greed

Doc (Jerzy Skolimowski)

A professional hit man pursuing a target, whose appearance sets off a deadly chase. He and his partner kill a man and stash the body in a car trunk, creating a perilous backdrop for the boys’ plans. Doc embodies cold efficiency and a perilous willingness to use violence.

🔫 Hitman 🗡️ Pursuit

Dickie (Robert Joy)

Doc’s associate, a bold but less capable ally who participates in the pursuit and kidnap attempts. His presence adds tension and a sense of looming danger, culminating in capture and a testimony of guilt. He represents the brutal side of the criminals chasing the boys.

🔗 Sidekick 🎯 Pursuit

Miss Hanks (Beah Richards)

Operator of the hotel where Scam stays and a caretaker presence who interacts with the boys. She becomes a link to safety when a social worker intervenes, illustrating the precarious support networks surrounding at-risk youth.

🏨 Hotelier 🤝 Caretaker

Mom (Brynn Thayer)

Obie’s mother, protective and concerned after learning of her son's disappearance. Her reactions—taking him to school and reporting him missing—ground the story in family responsibility and maternal worry.

👩‍👦 Mother 💔 Worry

Dad (Bill Hudson)

Obie’s father, whose sudden heart attack precipitates the family crisis. His death becomes the emotional anchor of the film, shaping Obie’s need for closure and understanding.

👨 Father 💔 Loss

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:59

Major Themes – Big Shots (1987)

Explore the central themes of Big Shots (1987), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

👨‍👩‍👦 Family

Obie’s world is shaped by his father’s death and his mother’s presence, creating emotional tension at home. The film explores loyalty, responsibility, and how children cope with loss. A key dynamic is Obie and Scam forming a surrogate family through their bond and shared goals. Closure and reconciliation emerge as central emotional throughlines.

🕵️ Crime

Criminal activity threads through the plot, from thefts and pawn shop scheming to a deadly pursuit. The adults around Obie are often implicated in illegal acts, forcing the boys to improvise and stay one step ahead. The narrative probes moral ambiguity, showing how desperation can blur ethical lines. The pursuit itself pushes Obie toward growth and decision-making.

🏙️ Urban Life

City streets, bars, pawn shops, and a bank lobby form the stage where the drama unfolds. The urban environment dictates fast decisions, improvisation, and risk for the protagonists. The setting reveals themes of class, anonymity, and the fragile safety nets of city living. Through its environments, the film portrays a world where childhood ends abruptly in the pursuit of something real.

🌱 Growing up

Obie and Scam shift from youthful innocence to responsibility as they confront real danger. Their alliance highlights how friendship can substitute for family when blood ties fail. The road trip becomes a journey of self-discovery, loss, and learning to let go. The ending underscores a fragile, earned maturity in the face of tragedy.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:59

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Movies about grieving children on a journey like Big Shots

Young protagonists process profound loss through an adventurous and perilous quest.Discover movies like Big Shots where young characters embark on perilous adventures to cope with grief and loss. These bittersweet stories blend tense action with poignant emotional journeys, offering a similar mix of danger and heartfelt healing for viewers who enjoyed this film.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a young protagonist who, after a significant loss like the death of a parent, runs away or is thrust into an unexpected adventure. This journey serves as a physical and emotional crucible, forcing them to confront danger, form unexpected bonds, and ultimately find a form of closure that is hopeful yet forever marked by their initial sorrow.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on a child's perspective of grief, the use of a high-stakes journey as a coping mechanism, and the resulting bittersweet emotional tone that mixes the excitement of adventure with the weight of sadness.

Reckless crime road trip movies similar to Big Shots

Characters on the run after a impulsive crime, bonded by shared danger.If you liked the high-stakes journey in Big Shots, explore these movies about characters thrown together on a chaotic road trip after a disastrous crime. These fast-paced adventures feature tense pursuits, found family dynamics, and a mix of danger and camaraderie.

tenserecklessadventurousdangerouson the runimprovisedfound family

Narrative Summary

The narrative begins with a impulsive act, often a crime, that immediately puts the protagonists in grave danger. They are forced to flee, embarking on an improvised road trip with a valuable or dangerous MacGuffin (like a stolen car containing a corpse). The plot is propelled by pursuit, forcing an unlikely duo or group to rely on each other to survive, leading to a strong bond formed in adversity.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a specific plot engine: a reckless decision triggering a fugitive journey. They are united by their fast pacing, medium-to-high tension from constant pursuit, the development of a central interracial or mismatched friendship, and a tone that blends crime thriller elements with character-driven drama.

Unlock the Full Story of Big Shots

Don't stop at just watching — explore Big Shots in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Big Shots is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Big Shots Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Big Shots, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Big Shots Summary

Big Shots Timeline

Track the full timeline of Big Shots with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Big Shots Timeline

Big Shots Spoiler-Free Summary

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Big Shots Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Big Shots

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Big Shots: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

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