Risky Business (1983)
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A high school senior's life takes a wild turn when he begins a series of risky adventures while his parents are away on vacation.
The story
High school senior Joel Goodsen lives with his wealthy parents in the Chicago North Shore community of Glencoe. While his father prepares for his admission to Princeton University, Joel finds himself alone during his parents' vacation. Encouraged by a friend to enjoy his freedom, Joel begins to push the boundaries of his suburban life. The situation escalates when he meets a call girl named Lana. After a series of escalating events involving a stolen item and a damaged car, Joel finds himself forced to make unconventional choices to manage the consequences of his actions while trying to maintain his future prospects.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
High school senior Joel Goodsen lives in a wealthy Chicago suburb. While his parents are away, he begins a series of reckless acts, including hiring an escort named Lana. After a confrontation with her pimp, Guido, and the destruction of his father's Porsche in Lake Michigan, Joel decides to host a large party to fund the car's repairs. He even turns his home into a temporary brothel for one night. During the party, he meets with a Princeton admissions officer, Bill Rutherford. Despite the chaotic environment, Rutherford is impressed by Joel's initiative. After his parents return, they find the house in disarray but are unaware of the extent of the chaos. Ultimately, Joel's father reveals that Rutherford recommended him for admission to Princeton. The film ends with Joel and Lana meeting at a restaurant to discuss their future.
- First release year
- 1983
- Runtime (minutes)
- 99
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Paul Brickman
- Writers
- Paul Brickman · writer
- Cast and characters
- Tom Cruise · Joel Goodson; Rebecca De Mornay · Lana
- Genres
- coming-of-age; teen comedy; satire; sex comedy
- Themes
- coming-of-age; teen angst; suburban life; pressure to succeed
- Tone and mood
- satirical; stylish
- Premise and plot tags
- high school; prostitution; virginity
- Reception
- A commercial and critical success, the film was praised for its style and its portrayal of teen angst, with many critics comparing it to The Graduate.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 93% · scale: percentage · review count: 54
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Globe Award · nomination · nomination
- Production trivia
- Several high-profile actors, including Sean Penn and Tom Hanks, auditioned for the lead role.; The song 'Old Time Rock and Roll' was ranked on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs list.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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