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Scott Ventura >> Movie Commentary >> August 2000 >> Risky Business

Risky Business

Movie Commentary by Scott Ventura

Details

Scott's Rating:
2 / 5
Times Seen:
1
Viewing Date:
August 2000
IMDB Name:
Risky Business (1983)
Director:
Paul Brickman
Keywords:
drama
Made:
1983
MPAA Rating:
R

Cruise Control

I'm almost sad to have watched Risky Business. Suddenly, Tom Cruise's acting in Eyes Wide Shut doesn't seem like such an accomplishment. He'd already played the part sixteen years before!

Recommendations

I'm going to have to stop taking recommendations from friends who haven't seen a particular movie in a while. At least three people who should be reasonably aware of my taste in movies told me to see Risky Business. If they had to sit through it again, would they still enjoy it? Is there something about seeing these movies before going to college that makes them palatable? I'm starting to think that most of the "classics" of the 1980's should be left there. The clothing alone is distracting enough to take me out of the story.

To my eye, Risky Business is largely devoid of humor, fairly predictable, and hypocritical. How can a movie have a wuss-o-rama score by Tangerine Dream surrounding a kid revelling to "Old Time Rock and Roll"? How could anyone find Rebecca De Mornay attractive at that age? She looks like an alien! My first thought when I saw her face was of the main character in The Dark Crystal.

Cast Connections

I did enjoy seeing early performances by people who have gone on to do better things. Joe Pantoliano's accent made him a slightly funny pimp in Risky Business, but later became a terrific gangster in Bound. Bronson Pinchot was still three years away from being Balki on "Perfect Strangers". Curtis Armstrong went on to give boogers a bad name.




Copyright 2000-2002 by Scott Ventura. All rights reserved.