Risky Business (1983)

Director:

Paul Brickman

Writer:

Paul Brickman (written by)

Release Date:

5 August 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Joel had all the normal teenage fantasies...cars, girls, money. Then his parents left for a week, and all his fantasies came true. [UK Theatrical]

Plot:

A Chicago teenager is looking for fun at home while his parents are away, but the situation quickly gets out of hand.

Plot Keywords:

Porsche | Friend | House | Money | Erotica

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Tom Cruise	...	Joel Goodsen
Rebecca De Mornay	...	Lana
Joe Pantoliano	...	Guido
Richard Masur	...	Rutherford
Bronson Pinchot	...	Barry
Curtis Armstrong	...	Miles
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

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Iceland:14 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | Sweden:11 | UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:16 (1983)

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Geffen Company, The

Trivia:

Tangerine Dream based parts of the film's score on material from their previous albums, particularly the album "Force Majeure": The title track is the basis for Lana's theme, and the intro to "Cloudburst Flight" was reused for "Guido the Killer Pimp". "No Future (Get off the Babysitter)" is based on the title track to the album "Exit".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Joel is meeting with the college admissions official in his house, he closes a window to keep some friends from bothering him. When he closes the window, there is a latch on the window. In subsequent frames there is no latch on the window.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Joel Goodson: [voiceover] The dream is always the same. Instead of going home, I go to the neighbors'. I ring, but nobody answers. The door is open, so I go inside. I'm looking around for the people, but nobody seems to be there. And then I hear the shower running, so I go upstairs to see what's what. Then I see her; this...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The O.C.: The Risky Business (#2.18)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE

fun, funny, and smart

Most funny comedies aren't very smart. They're funny because of individual jokes that play by themselves, without relying on the overall plot. Risky Business is an exception and the reason why it works so well, is because it tells a simple story that could really happen and would also be a lot of fun. Youre a high school kid, your parents go on vacation for a week, leaving you the whole house to yourself. That's the setup. A friend calls up a call girl, she shows up, and the entertainment begins. This movie is smart enough to know what kids think about at that age, sex, and it holds nothing back. It is very clever at times and has a strong character in Joel, played by a young, energetic Tom Cruise. Another thing that this movie understands is mood and tempo. Everything hits the right beat. Smart and funny is an ideal combination and this movie achieves it.