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Risky Business

Risky Business

List Price: $14.97
Your Price: $7.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Risk Assessment
Review: There's little doubt that Risky Business helped to define the teen comedy of the 80's. Sure, there were other hallmarks like Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, and The Breakfast Club. But Risky is a bit different than those other examples in that, rather than go for the full on laughs of Ridgemont, or the teen angst angle of say John Hughes' work, the film takes an average student with no real hang-ups and puts him in an ambitious situation that you don't quite expect. And oh yeah, it helped to launch the career of a future mega star.

Joel Goodson (Tom Cruise) is a high school senior, pretty nerveous about starting college next Fall, especially with his average test scores. He decides to spice up his last high school summer by taking advantage of his parents (Nicholas Pryor and Janet Carroll) being away and throwing a non-stop party. The next thing he knows, his house becomes the local brothel, after pals Miles (Curtis Armstrong) and Barry (Bronson Pinchot) convince him to meet Lana (Rebecca DeMornay), a kind hooker who is trying to break away from her "boss" Guido (Joe Pantoiano).

Writer/director Paul Brickman might have had a dud on his hands if the casting hadn't worked out as well as it did. Cruise owns the role from the very start and is supported by great actors around him. DeMornay is totally believeable as Lana Great comic turns from Pantoliano and Richard Masur as Rutherford, a college recruiter, in one of the film's funniest scenes, makes the most of a small part. I could mention the scene using mass transit, Joel dancing around in his underwear, or a beloved car falling into a body of water..these scenes are very well known, even if you've never seen the movie...

The DVD loses points for its poor collection of extras. Given the film's popularity and "iconic" status, I expected more. The theatrical trailer, production notes, and filmographies are all you get. The film deserves to have a special edition by now. A recommended 80's classic just the same.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Tom's cute-but thats about it
Review: This 1983 film that launched the career of Tom Cruise proves its relative timelessness by entertaining audiences even today. Mediocre student and always-obedient son Joel (Cruise) is left alone in his upscale suburban house when his parents take a vacation. It's Joel's senior year in high school and it appears that the only highlight is going to be a boring project for the Young Enterpriser Club contest. When his friend Miles (Curtis Armstong) forces his hand to take a chance, Joel is thrown into an out-of-control scenario involving the charming prostitute Lana (Rebecca de Mornay), her enterprising friends, an irate pimp named Guido (Joe Pantoliano), and a high school full of unfilled but hormonally charged teenage boys. Throw in Joel's father's Porsche, an application to Princeton, and the all-important midterms that Joel is in danger of failing - and you've got a fast-paced, hilarious flick of adolescence out of control.

Unlike today's teen movies, "Risky Business" is not preoccupied with sophomoric humor and gratuitous foul language. It's too smart a screenplay for that. Instead, it focuses on the humor of a good boy gone temporarily bad, and how one small act of rebellion changes everything. At times, the film tries to be artsy with its gimmicky camera shots, direction, and editing, thus dating the film more than the costumes and screenplay do, but overall it succeeds. The music is great, particularly for those who remember the times.

Dust off your memories and revisit this fun flick. If you've never seen it, you should, if for no other reason than for seeing why Tom Cruise and Rebecca de Mornay rocketed to fame following its release.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Still loads of fun!
Review: This 1983 film that launched the career of Tom Cruise proves its relative timelessness by entertaining audiences even today. Mediocre student and always-obedient son Joel (Cruise) is left alone in his upscale suburban house when his parents take a vacation. It's Joel's senior year in high school and it appears that the only highlight is going to be a boring project for the Young Enterpriser Club contest. When his friend Miles (Curtis Armstong) forces his hand to take a chance, Joel is thrown into an out-of-control scenario involving the charming prostitute Lana (Rebecca de Mornay), her enterprising friends, an irate pimp named Guido (Joe Pantoliano), and a high school full of unfilled but hormonally charged teenage boys. Throw in Joel's father's Porsche, an application to Princeton, and the all-important midterms that Joel is in danger of failing - and you've got a fast-paced, hilarious flick of adolescence out of control.

Unlike today's teen movies, "Risky Business" is not preoccupied with sophomoric humor and gratuitous foul language. It's too smart a screenplay for that. Instead, it focuses on the humor of a good boy gone temporarily bad, and how one small act of rebellion changes everything. At times, the film tries to be artsy with its gimmicky camera shots, direction, and editing, thus dating the film more than the costumes and screenplay do, but overall it succeeds. The music is great, particularly for those who remember the times.

Dust off your memories and revisit this fun flick. If you've never seen it, you should, if for no other reason than for seeing why Tom Cruise and Rebecca de Mornay rocketed to fame following its release.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Risky Business!
Review: This is a great movie. I highly recommend it for people who want to laugh and have a good time. Tom Cruise is so hot in this movie! I love when he dances to old time rock n roll!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Tom Cruise, Dark Sunglasses,and a Great Movie!
Review: This is one of the best films of the early 1980's! I was a teenager at the time, and remember thinking this was the best movie, and that Tom Cruise was SO cool! I wanted to be like that! The film has an excellent story, and is very erotic! I like the DVD version, it has excellent video, and audio! "Risky Business," has an excellent soundtrack, also! Yes, this is the film of Tom Cruise's where he slides out onto the living room floor(while his parents are away)in his socks, shirt, and underwear and dances to "Old Time Rock and Roll! " I think that's a classic scene, and worth the price of the DVD just to see Tom Cruise dance in his underwear! I don't think any guy fills out his white underwear quite like Tom Cruise! A must see film, and a must to own! Buy It! :-)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Classic
Review: This is one of the funniest, sexiest movies out there, and the acting and comic timing are excellent. Filled with great one liners and hilarious characters, plus eye-candy for the guys and the ladies- Tom Cruise and Rebecca DeMornay are at their finest.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Porsche there is no substitute.
Review: This is the most believable acting Tom Cruise has done before he started taking himself way too seriously. Great plot, superb soundtrack, very humorous and erotic. Worth the time to see.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Princeton could use fine men like Joel
Review: This movie still holds up well over time, which is more than one can say for most Tom Cruise movies. Cruise played the perfect teenager looking to break out of his comfortable little nest in suburban Chicago, while his parents are away. He quickly finds himself over his head when he has to find a way to cover the cost of repairs for his father's Porsche, which unceremoniously rolls into a lake while trying to impress the crafty Rebecca de Mornay, a call girl. She sees that there are a lot of yuppie teenagers with money burning holes in their savings accounts. Why not make a fun time of it, Joel, she coos in his ear, and soon the family estate is transformed into a brothel, which even pleases the Princeton recruiter.

Brickman keeps the movie afloat with a fine sense of irony, witty dialog, plot shifts and a surprising amount of tension for what is ostensibly a high school movie. Cruise and De Mornay play well off each other and Curtis Armstrong as Miles makes a fine foil. Joe Pantoliano plays the pimp who comes back to haunt Joel when the girls quite literally turn the tables on him.

The film was of a slew of brat pack films of the 80's, launching the career of Tom Cruise. He hasn't had to look back since.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: If you didn't like Tom Cruise before, you will now
Review: This was Tom Cruise's big break and he deserved it after this movie. You can see why he got popular after this movie. He is the main reason I watch this movie. The story is pretty good. but it wouldn't be the same without Tom. It is one of those few movies where teenagers actually have some level of intelligence (but maybe not through the whole movie!) This one will definitely make you a Tom Cruise fan!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Really Good Guy Movie
Review: Tom Cruise really broke out in this film. It is really un-brat pack which was good. Teen movies needed to look outside the box after the numerous Brat Pack Movies. In this Tom Cruise plays a good bad boy who sneeks behind his parents while they are away. The movie is very unrealistic, but it really plays out every man's fantasy. The acting is honest. The plot is good. The soundtrack is great, and it all combines to make a classic teen movie. One of the best. I reccomend it.


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