Risky Business (2008)

I think most people who buy/rent this DVD have already seen the movie and know what they're getting. There are a lot of good reviews on this movie here at amazon.com but I only saw one that mentioned the quality of the DVD. It is absolutely horrible. The companies who produce these dark, grainy DVDs need to know that the consumers aren't going to accept this type of low-quality transfer. I'd gladly pay a bit more money for a DVD that's viewable. We know how good movies can look on DVD. So why release a disc that looks as poor as this one? As consumers we need to demand better! Just as VHS movies recorded in SLP or EP were unacceptable, so are DVDs that look as bad as this Risky Business disc.

"Risky Business" is without a doubt one of the classics from the 80's which I've continued to enjoy many times. This is simply a great movie with convincing acting, superb music, good script and believable characters. While the plot isn't anything too original, the above mentioned qualities make this movie fun to watch. Tom Cruise, having the house to himself while his parents are away, carries out the fantasy of just about every adolescent male by basically turning his home into a party haven with the inevitable consequences that follow. Rebecca De Mornay (it should be illegal to look that good in a pair of tight jeans!) plays a prostitute that becomes Cruise's "partner" in the scheme of things and Joe Pantoliano plays her sleazy pimp and does a great job in his role.

One thing that stands out about "Risky Business" is that while technically a comedy, the tone is often dark in terms of sequence of events and the eerie (yet great) instrumental music that pretty much makes up the soundtrack. While others might not really like this, I think it makes the movie stand out and avoid the over-the-top silliness that have caused many 80's comedies to become dated by today's standards. Don't get me wrong, I love those 80's movies, but "Risky Business" has a certain quality to it that takes on a more serious tone while also maintaining the fun element.

And finally, I have to say that the DVD transfer is absolutely horrific. Extras are virtually non-existent and image/sound quality is abysmal. 2003 has come and almost gone, so by now it's pointless to hope for a 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD. So if you intend to buy this get it on VHS. I can't see why anyone would want the DVD other than for longevity's sake.

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FYI disc comes with a digital copy, but the confirmation/serial code expired in Sept. of 2009.

Otherwise, the movie looks great on BD; clearly much money was saved on the production budget by not buying any bras for Rebecca DeMornay.

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Rarely will you find a video store without RISKY BUSINESS. Not only is it a contemporary classic, but it was also Tom Cruise's breakthrough film and a major hit. While reputed to be a very good movie, upon watching it, I found it to be something else. It's an excellent movie.

Tom Cruise plays Joel Goodson, a high-school kid who is just that a good son. He's responsible, careful, and trusted. But when his parents leave town for the week, Joel decides to loosen up but after he nervously invites call girl Lana (Rebecca De Mornay) into his house, everyone goes horridly wrong. With only a few days left to go, Joel must raise his grades, make $8,000, get back stolen furniture, and escape from the clutches of Guino (Joe Pontoliano), the killer pimp. Work is hell. And Joel knows it.

This movie is great. It wildly exceeded by expectations, and is much better than it's said to be. Cruise is great the fact that RISKY BUSINESS is Cruise's first major film is enough to make it worth the watch, anyway; De Mornay is also very good. Paul Brickman's direction has a sort of artistic feeling to it (he also scripted); he has a unique way of creating a film that's funny, erotic, and occasionally suspenseful.

Another wonderful aspect of the film is its terrific soundtrack. It features rockin' songs from such popular artists as The Police, Bob Seger, Talking Heads, Muddy Waters, Phil Collins, and Prince. It also features new music by the hit-making band Tangerine Dream, whose techno, futuristic-sounding score gives the movie an occasionally nightmarish, occasionally unpleasant mood to it and, of course, the film is about every teenager's nightmares come true.

All in all, RISKY BUSINESS is essential viewing from the 1980's, and it works just as well now as it did then. Tom Cruise's first hit, a terrific soundtrack, and a cult classic this is RISKY BUSINESS.

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(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)This 1983 film that launched the career of Tom Cruise proves its relative timelessness by entertaining audiences even today. Mediocre student and always-obedient son Joel (Cruise) is left alone in his upscale suburban house when his parents take a vacation. It's Joel's senior year in high school and it appears that the only highlight is going to be a boring project for the Young Enterpriser Club contest. When his friend Miles (Curtis Armstong) forces his hand to take a chance, Joel is thrown into an out-of-control scenario involving the charming prostitute Lana (Rebecca de Mornay), her enterprising friends, an irate pimp named Guido (Joe Pantoliano), and a high school full of unfilled but hormonally charged teenage boys. Throw in Joel's father's Porsche, an application to Princeton, and the all-important midterms that Joel is in danger of failing and you've got a fast-paced, hilarious flick of adolescence out of control.

Unlike today's teen movies, "Risky Business" is not preoccupied with sophomoric humor and gratuitous foul language. It's too smart a screenplay for that. Instead, it focuses on the humor of a good boy gone temporarily bad, and how one small act of rebellion changes everything. At times, the film tries to be artsy with its gimmicky camera shots, direction, and editing, thus dating the film more than the costumes and screenplay do, but overall it succeeds. The music is great, particularly for those who remember the times.

Dust off your memories and revisit this fun flick. If you've never seen it, you should, if for no other reason than for seeing why Tom Cruise and Rebecca de Mornay rocketed to fame following its release.

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