Career Opportunities (1991)

Director:

Bryan Gordon

Writer (WGA):

John Hughes (written by)

Release Date:

29 March 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

He took the job that no one wanted...and got the girl that everyone did.

Plot:

Josie, the daughter of the town's wealthiest businessman, faces problems at home and wishes to leave home...

Plot Keywords:

Liar | Target | Janitor | Department Store | Teen Angst

Cast

Frank Whaley	...	Jim Dodge
Jennifer Connelly	...	Josie McClellan
Dermot Mulroney	...	Nestor Pyle
Kieran Mulroney	...	Gil Kinney
John M. Jackson	...	Bud Dodge
Jenny O'Hara	...	Dotty Dodge
Noble Willingham	...	Roger Roy McClellan
Nada Despotovich	...	Penny Dodge
Reid Binion	...	Cal Dodge
Barry Corbin	...	Officer Don
Denise Galik	...	Lorraine (as Denise Galik-Furey)
Wilbur Fitzgerald	...	Bob Bosenbeck
Dan Albright	...	Dave Hockner
Marc Clement	...	Otis
Andrew Winton	...	Boy #1

Also Known As:

One Wild Night

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (certificate #30893) | Germany:6 | South Korea:15 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Hughes Entertainment

Trivia:

The German title "Kevins Cousin allein im Supermarkt" references to "Home Alone" (1990) and "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" (1992).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: After Jim grinds the pepper onto the chicken dish that he microwaves at Target, he puts the pepper mill back on the table, but the sound of the mill being replaced is heard before it actually touches the table surface.

Quotes:

[On his first day as Target janitor (night cleanup boy) Jim Dodge meets the Custodian, who points a rifle at him]
Custodian: Are you a slacker?
Jim Dodge: No... Presbyterian actually.
Custodian: What did you say? What did you say? Now I'm asking you a simple question: Are you lazy?

Movie Connections:

References Modern Times (1936)

Soundtrack:

I Wanna Stay Home

quite opportune

We've all had problems with our jobs, but how a job can relate to relationship problems is something else. In "Career Opportunities", they develop that to an interesting degree. In this case, janitor Frank Whaley and popular girl Jennifer Connelly accidentally get locked in a department store overnight, and thus have to reassess their lives (especially when some thugs break in).

Knowing that John Hughes was involved in this movie, we may expect it to be another "Breakfast Club" or "Home Alone". "Career Opportunities" is far superior to either of those. More than an excuse to look cool or cute, this movie dissects the characters' lives: he's the guy who no one ever thought could make something of himself, she's the pampered teenager primed for a world of excesses. And it's up to them how they deal with this sticky situation.

Anyway, this isn't a masterpiece, but I still recommend it. Also starring Dermor Mulroney, and John Candy in a bit part.