Risky Business

Risky Business

5/8/1983 1h 38m 6.6/10

Overview

Meet Joel Goodson, an industrious, college-bound 17-year-old and a responsible, trustworthy son. However, when his parents go away and leave him home alone in the wealthy Chicago suburbs with the Porsche at his disposal he quickly decides he has been good for too long and it is time to enjoy himself. After an unfortunate incident with the Porsche Joel must raise some cash, in a risky way.

Director

Richard H. Prince

Top Billed Cast

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise

Joel Goodson

Joe Pantoliano

Joe Pantoliano

Guido

Rebecca De Mornay

Rebecca De Mornay

Lana

Curtis Armstrong

Curtis Armstrong

Miles Dalby

Richard Masur

Richard Masur

Rutherford

Bronson Pinchot

Bronson Pinchot

Barry

Reviews

Wuchak

12/11/2018

5/10

***Entertaining teen comedy with Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay, but disturbingly dishonest*** “Risky Business” (1983) stars Tom Cruise as a preppy teen from the Chicago suburbs. When his parents leave for a trip, he has the house to himself and enlists the services of a call girl (Rebecca De Mornay), which leads to serious and amusing problems. This is the film with the iconic sequence of Cruise lip-syncing in private to Bob Seger’s "Old Time Rock and Roll." We’ve all done it. In any case, “Risky Business” is similar to “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986), but with the artiness of “Less than Zero” (1987) minus the melancholy. As far as all-around entertainment goes, this is an easy 7/10, but I have to lower my grade due to the glorification of prostitution. Yes, I realize it’s a teen comedy and you have to roll with it to enjoy it, which I did and did. But the portrayal of prostitution & prostitutes is strictly fantasyland and I find it disingenuous and irresponsible. Would all these guys seriously be so hot for these women who have sex with several strangers every work day? Am I the only one who finds this gross? Wouldn’t at least some of them be concerned about STDs? Wouldn’t the loose lifestyle of prostitution negatively affect the women, psychologically and spiritually? Wouldn’t there be signs of “wear and tear”? Of course none of these types of realities are addressed. The film runs 1 hour, 39 minutes and was shot in Highland Park, Illinois, & the Chicago area. GRADE: C

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