Film Snail

6.6

Risky Business

R·1983·98m

Romance

Comedy

Drama

Romance

Comedy

Drama

Summary

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.

Cast

Tom Cruise

Joel Goodson

Rebecca De Mornay

Lana

Joe Pantoliano

Guido

Richard Masur

Rutherford

Bronson Pinchot

Barry

Curtis Armstrong

Miles Dalby

Nicholas Pryor

Joel's Father

Janet Carroll

Joel's Mother

Shera Danese

Vicki

Raphael Sbarge

Glenn

Bruce A. Young

Jackie

Kevin Anderson

Chuck (as Kevin C. Anderson)

Sarah Partridge

Kessler

Nathan Davis

Business Teacher

Scott Harlan

Stan Licata

Sheila Keenan

Nurse Bolik

Lucy Harrington

Glenn's Girlfriend

Jerry Tullos

Derelict on Train

Jerome Landfield

Kessler's Father

Ron Dean

Detective with Bullhorn

Bruno Alexander

Mechanic (as Bruno Aclin)

Robert Kurcz

Service Manager

Jonathan Chapin

Kid at Gas Station

Jimmy Baron

Kid at Window

Harry Teinowitz

Kid at Party

Francine Locke

Shower Girl

Ann Cole

Call Girl

Candace Collins

Call Girl

Elizabeth Curran

Call Girl

Jill DeVries

Call Girl (as Jill De Vries)

Debra Dulman

Call Girl

Joyce Hazard

Call Girl

Kerry Hill

Call Girl

Megan Mullally

Call Girl

Lora Staley

Call Girl

Vivian Victor

Call Girl

Fern Persons

Lab Teacher

Cynthia Baker

Test Teacher

Wayne Kneeland

Russell Bitterman (as Wayne C. Kneeland)

Jade Gold

Evonne Williams

Dana Balkin

Girl in Nurse's Office

Karen Grossman

Hall Marshall

Brett Baer

Howie Rifkin

Vinny Argiro

Mr. Rents Salesman

Eric Minsk

Wimpy Kid

Mike Genovese

Rent-All Man (as Michael Genovese)

Steven Charous

Softball Player

George Brown

Swat Team Leader (uncredited)

Jason Gedrick

Extra at Party (uncredited)

Charlotte J. Helmkamp

Call Girl (uncredited)

Gerard Kaszubowski

Party Guest (uncredited)

Anne Lockhart

Babysitter (uncredited)

Robert Minkoff

Bit (uncredited)

Sean Penn

Cameo (uncredited)

Guy Van Swearingen

Party Goer (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Screenplay

Paul Brickman

Reviews

Wuchak

December 11, 2018

***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