Risky Business (1983)

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

Director:

Paul Brickman

Writer:

Paul Brickman

Stars:

Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay, Joe Pantoliano

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Cruise	...	Joel
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

Storyline

A suburban Chicago teenager's parents leave on vacation, and he cuts loose. An unauthorised trip in his father's Porsche means a sudden need for lots of money, which he raises in a creative way.

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Plot Keywords:

1980s | teen movie | dancing in underwear | sex | sex scene | 

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Taglines:

There's a time for playing it safe and a time for Risky Business.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Curtis Armstrong and Tom Cruise, the two male stars of this movie; are very short. Cruise is 5'7"; Armstrong is 5'4".

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Goofs

Guido charges toward the girls as they run toward Joel's house. In the next frame Guido is standing back where he was before he started running.

Guido charges, then stops. He never runs. He is standing where he started because he knew that chasing them would be futile, hence his reaction (throwing down the clothing) to his frustration over their behavior.

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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... girl, this incredible girl. I mean, what she's doing there I don't know, because she doesn't live there... but it's a dream, so I go with it. "Who's there?" she says. "Joel,"...

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Alternate Versions

CBS edited 2 minutes from this film for its 1985 network television premiere.

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Connections

Referenced in Stranger Things: Chapter Five: The Flea and the Acrobat (2016)

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Soundtracks

In the Air Tonight
Written by Phil Collins (uncredited)
Performed by Phil Collins
Courtesy of Atlantic Records

User Reviews

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.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

5 August 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Risky Business

Filming Locations:

1800 Block, Saint Johns Ave, Highland Park, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,200,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,275,327, 7 August 1983

Gross USA:

$63,541,777

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$63,541,777

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Geffen Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1