Rating: 
Summary: Endearingly Silly Comedy With Some Subtle Weight
Review: The comedic story of two people locked overnight in a department store, one of them being Jennifer Connelly and the other being, obviously, one of the luckiest guys in the world. They end up encountering some rather incompetent would-be robbers in the process. Underneath the surface there are some kind of dark hints though. Connelly's character is in the store hoping to get caught shoplifting in order to embarrass her rich but scummy father. He's apparantly quite controlling and verbally abusive of her, and it's even implied that it might go far beyond that. The movie never really gets into that possibility beyond a glimmer, because it's chosen to be a fun, endearing romantic fantasy rather than a dark and disturbing drama, but the hint does add an extra dimension.
I think I'd prefer to think that the father is just an immense creep and not something far worse, because while that path could have made a really good drama, I like the really good comedy we got instead. People complain that this isn't serious; but it's a romance and where is it written that romances have to be all somber, stone-faced serious all the time? This romance is chipper, at times endearingly goofy, and wonderful fun, as the two leads (Jennifer and male co-star Frank Whaley) fall in love over the space of an evening. Cynics will scoff at that too, but good grief if you can't believe that something so cool could happen in one night in the movies, what hope do people have of love striking like lightening in real life? Not to mention the pluses of scenes like Jennifer riding the store's coin-opreated mechanical horse (with, happily, the inevitable bounce) or the fact that hearing her giggle is worth buying the movie alone.
Now that Connelly has finally received her rightful acclaim thanks to her recent movies, alot of people have dismissed her earlier stuff. To me, all through her career she's been brilliant. She's shined in the dramas everybody knows about (and a few that have slipped through the cracks, like "Seven Minutes In Heaven", one of her alltime best), she's shined in horror ("Phenomena", aka "Creepers"), she's shined in action/adventure like "The Rocketeer" and she's shined in comedies like "Career Opportunities". This diversity makes her one of moviedom's most valuable performers.
I don't mean to ignore the other performers; they all did fine jobs, but Jennifer was the main draw for me. Besides, I just don't think Whaley or the bumbling robbers would have looked quite as good in that white halter top.
As good as it is, it missed some opportunities to be significantly better, so it's refined to a strong four stars. The script was pretty minimal, and there were missed opportuities for humor, but the cast have made what they have work splendidly, and I fully recommend it. If you like this kind of comedic romantic fantasy fun, I also recommend the 2 "Mannequin" movies, the charming and enchanting "Amelie" and the heartpoundingly sexy "Dream Trap".
Rating:
Summary: Everyone is Right
Review: 1. After first seeing this movie I was surprised to see that Jennifer Connelly's breasts were not given film credit.2. This movie is genuinely funny, but it came at a time when Hughes was losing the whole Brat Pack audience and edginess of those films. 3. This film won't cure cancer, and it might piss of a lot of women because young men flock to it, but it works on a lot of levels. 4. I give it 4 stars because Jennifer's breats are distractions, but I only deduct 1 star because hey, we ARE talking about Jennifer Connely's breasts.
Rating:
Summary: Everyone is Right
Review: 1. After first seeing this movie I was surprised to see that Jennifer Connelly's breasts were not given film credit. 2. This movie is genuinely funny, but it came at a time when Hughes was losing the whole Brat Pack audience and edginess of those films. 3. This film won't cure cancer, and it might piss of a lot of women because young men flock to it, but it works on a lot of levels. 4. I give it 4 stars because Jennifer's breats are distractions, but I only deduct 1 star because hey, we ARE talking about Jennifer Connely's breasts.
Rating:
Summary: Attention Shoppers! Comedy on Aisle 5.
Review: Amusing tale of a town liar (Whaley) who is down on his luck in obtaining and holding a job in a small Southern town. When forced by his father to get a job or get lost, Whaley gets a job at the local Target store working the midnight shift as the store janitor. There, he encounters Josie (Connelly), the daughter of the richest man in town, who is hiding out in the store past closing hours. The relationship between Whaley and Connelly develops, and they discover each other's strengths and faults. When two burglars break into the store to rob it blind, Whaley and Connelly must play it cool in order to stop them. However, the beautiful Connelly only leads all three guys into further trouble due to lust. Written by the great John Hughes, "Career Opportunities," is somewhat like a "Home Alone" for teens. Hughes, who has written similar stories in the past (e.g. "Pretty in Pink" & "Some Kind of Wonderful" have the same premise) does a good job in illustrating life in a small town (suprisingly it does not take place in Shermer, Illinois, the fictional town Hughes has used in his past films). While the film starts to slow down after the discovery of the two burglars, the film ends happily, justice served and all. The transfer to DVD is great. The only NEGATIVE thing about the DVD version is the fact that there is no theatrical trailer included on the disc, even though the packaging states that there is. Whether an act of false advertising or a company error, this leaves the owner short of all expectations we expect when we buy films in this great format. If you are in the mood for a cute comedy involving a geeky hero and a beautiful girl, this is the perfect film for you. Keep an eye out for Dermot Mulroney (Julia Robert's "best friend" in "My Best Friend's Wedding") as one the scruffy burglars (the other burglar is played by Dermot's real-life brother, Kieran). Also watch for a special unbilled cameo by the late comic John Candy who plays the manager of the Target store.
Rating: 
Summary: Career Opportunities - A Fun 80's sleeper with nostaligia!
Review: As John Hughes movies go, this is as good as the best of them. Jimmy who lets everything slide off his back and models himself to be everything he isnt, is fun to watch and reminds me of all the times I wanted to pump myself up to be larger than what I was. Jennifer Connely is great, and there is a cameo by John Candy that is one of the films funniest moments. There is something about this movie that captures a piece of the eighties, and that makes it enjoyable as well. This is one of those films that get you in a good mood when you need it.
Rating:
Summary: A night in Target...Great storyline, Brilliant Movie!
Review: Career Opportunities has always been a favourite. Its comedy and great plot make it one of the few decent movies available! If you like department stores and would like to stay in one overnight with the girl of your dreams, rent this video and see what your missing! I hope they never stop producing this movie because its a classic, and so is Jennifer Connelly!
Rating:
Summary: Come on, guys, be honest
Review: Folks, any guy's review in here that has anything to do with cinematic technique is a shameless ruse. This movie is about two things and two things only -- Jennifer Connelly's breasts. Period; end of story. It's why the movie was made, why she was hired for the part, why she wore that clingy white top, and why it even made it to video. Guys, you know I'm not lying. That's why I gave it four stars and not five -- I couldn't divide five evenly.
Rating: 
Summary: I like it for what it could have been.....
Review: I absolutely love this film- it's strangely endearing. and the best part is, it is most endearing for what it COULD have been. i think that's why i like watching it so much. the film was made during john hughes' fall from grace (his deal with the devil had to run out sometime) and the early 90's weren't as kind or interested in his fantastic dissections of 80's class conflicts and teenagers know best philosophy. career ops does run a tad thin but there was a great deal of potential. i think whaley's performance was really underrated. if the film had kept some of the scenes shown in the teaser trailer in 1991, he would have been even more likable. the problem is, hughes wants whaley to be a cross between Duckie in 'pretty in pink', ferris bueller and even the anthony michael hall char. in 'weird science'. this amalgamation doesn't do Whaley justice in what was probably a sincere attempt to create an original character of his own. His Jim Dodge is actually really interesting- a cool guy that doesn't trust his own coolness, a lower middle class son who doesn't know how to do well in his parent's eyes and an imaginative, articulate guy who can't quite escape midwest america. if the film would have been less about slapstick (please please please shoot whoever decided bringing in the mulroney brothers for their unecessary subplot that just ruins the film) and more about the dynamic between whaley and connelly, it could have been fantastic. connelly, meanwhile, is also let down by someone- the editor. she is fantastic- beautiful, articulate, classy, and graceful, but appears to be acting in a totally different movie than whaley. the scenes both about and with her father border on the uneasy. i have a feeling that in the original script she was really abused by the bullying dad, perhaps both physically and sexually. i could see it as a possibility with that character. we get a hint of this but then the movie shies away from it completely and we never quite get if its a joke or not (although the scene of connelly in profile with the father outside her door always made me nervous.) i really do like she and whaley together but both hughes and the editors don't seem to know what kind of movie they wanted to make- a slapdash comedy in a newly popular chain store, or a character study of a 'much cooler than his town gives him credit for' guy and the genuinely kind and rich girl who befriends him under strange circumstances. for this matter, we also (b/c of the editing) are never quite sure where connelly's afections lie- in liking jim dodge, or in getting the hell out of town. i just have a soft spot for this film and what it could have been if everyone involved in the production had agreed on what they wanted to make. the ending is atrocious and corny but the rest has promise. this is a great film for aspring filmakers and especially WRITERS to watch both for its good points but mostly for its wrong turns. A great deal can be learned from it.
Rating:
Summary: Only if you like Jennifer Connelly
Review: I couldn't stand Frank Whaley's character, and I despised the script, but I liked Jennifer Connelly a lot. So, if you are a fan of Connelly's this is a must see - otherwise, a must to avoid.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: I first saw this as a VHS rental about a few months after it first came out when spending the weekend over a friend's house. The part with the robbers was more of a "Home alone" type and wasn't as good as the interaction between Jim and Josie. DVD is surprisingly barebone (NO Trailer,despiter it saying so on the package) and 2.35:1 Letterbox non anamorphonic)
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