Official Synopsis:

"A classic American comedy" (Stephen Schaefer, Us) celebrates its enduring 25-years-young appeal. As a straight-arrow son - left home alone while his parents are away - who takes a walk on the wild side, Tom Cruise soared to stardom. Rebecca De Mornay makes a dynamic movie debut as a liberated call girl crossing his path. They, and the pitch-perfect script and direction by Paul Brickman, make Risky Business "a first-class affair" (People).

Our Take:

At a time when teenagers were patronized with comedies that poked fun at their insecurities and sexual adventures – or misadventures – writer and director Paul Brickman delivered a film that truly identified with them. A film that genuinely captures the essence of the maelstrom of feelings (awkwardness, camaraderie, doubt, excitement, etc.) that cultivate at the cusp of adulthood. Of course I’m speaking of the one and only Risky Business.

This movie had a huge impact on everyone involved. We all know that it took Tom Cruise from the dirty streets of The Outsiders and catapulted him to instant stardom, but it also launched Rebecca De Mornay’s acting career and established Paul Brickman as a talented and accredited director. These facts alone have earned the film a place in cinema history, but there is much more to it then just the players. While preceding teenage comedies like Porky’s and Fast Times at Ridgemont High heavily encompassed themes of sexuality and the folly of adolescence, Risky Business stands out in that it carries a significant moral: “Sometimes…you have to say, What the f--k. What the f--k gives you freedom, and freedom leads to opportunity. Opportunity makes your future.”

There are times in our lives, mostly in our teens but really at any age, when our nerves and our confidence falter. For some it’s talking to a pretty girl, for others it’s speaking up in a crowded room, but the effect is always the same. Your heartbeat picks up speed like a locomotive. The trembling in your hands keeps enough of your attention to eliminate any semblance of focus you might muster. Your thoughts, like fireflies, come to light only to fade before you can grasp them, and all you can think about is how hard it is to swallow. It is at these moments that you must make a decision. Fight or flight. Play it safe or take the risk. That’s what this movie is all about and it’s what makes it great.

Joel (Tom Cruise) is faced with “what the f--k” situations several times in Risky Business. It’s these moments that show his growth. The opening of the movie presents Joel and his teenage buddies sitting around a poker table, smoking cigars and BS-ing with each other about their sexual exploits, feigning experience and maturity where they obviously lack both. This is common among teenagers, so it’s expected and really nothing special. What’s great, however, is that as the story progresses Joel is faced with several difficult situations, and with each he leans more and more towards taking risks, coming out of his shell of insecurity and into his own as a man. In the beginning, he approaches circumstances with apprehension and little confidence, more like a child than anything else. As the story goes on he literally develops and matures right before our eyes.

As of late, Tom Cruise has been branded as a nut job, and let’s be honest, he is. What’s irrefutable is that he was at one time, and arguably may still be, a very talented actor. Risky Business may have been the film that launched his career, but it’s also the best evidence of just how skilled he is at his trade. The metamorphosis he goes through, developing from an adolescent to adulthood, is so subtle it’s eloquent. I’m not sure if it’s a direct result of Paul Brickman’s supreme script, Cruise’s charm with the camera, or a combination of the two, but the transition is so smooth I can’t even pinpoint the exact scene in which this transformation takes place!

There are a several special features on this new Special Edition DVD:

* Audio Commentary - With Jon Avnet, Paul Brickman, and Tom Cruise.

* The Dream is Always the Same: The Story of Risky Business (30 minutes) - Individual interviews with the various cast and crew reveal Paul Brickman’s vision for Risky Business, how it impacted those involved, and what their thoughts are in relation to the movie itself and their roles within it.   

* Original Screen Tests with Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay (14 minutes) - These are the actual screen tests performed to see if Cruise and De Mornay had that chemistry.

* Director’s Cut of the Final Scene (7 minutes) - This is the final scene as director Paul Brickman intended it to be.

* Theatrical Trailer.

Risky Business is categorized as a comedy of its time, but I would definitely have to rate it above others such as Porky’s or Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Not that these movies aren’t great in their own right, but Risky Business is more a story of character development and morals than a simple comedy in my opinion. It’s a great story told by actors made for their roles, and teaches an important lesson: If you play it safe you’ll never really grow up. You wanna take hold of your future? Then learn to say, “what the f--k.”

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Overall Picture:

Movie: A+

DVD: B+

- Jay Yager

Staff Writer