Tom Cruise ran through the living room in his undies and sunglasses long before he hopped on the Oprah’s couch. Twenty-five years have passed since Tom’s living room ruckus and now he and others return to celebrate his first dose of stardom.
Joel Goodson (Tom Cruise) is in high school and doesn’t seem to want for much. He wants to go to Princeton so his after school activities include a group called Future Enterprisers where students create small businesses. Joel’s parents go out of town and he has run of the house.
Joel’s friend Miles (Curtis Armstrong) convinces Joel that what would complete his lack of parental supervision is a call girl. Miles make a call to one, but the results are a bit manly. However, the butch call girl leaves the number of the call girl that “every white boy off the lake wants.” Joel calls the number and the luscious Lana (Rebecca De Mornay) arrives and they spend a steamy evening together.
When morning comes the bill is due and Joel has to go to the bank to get payment, leaving Lana to wait. When he returns he finds that his mother’s expensive Steuben glass egg is missing and Lana is gone. Joel tracks her down to get the bauble back but her pimp, Guido (Joe Pantoliano), chases Joel and Lana down.
Eventually Joel uses his Future Enterprisers experiences to bring some horny teenagers and Lana’s prostitute friends together and make a ton of cash doing so. Sometimes you just have to say “what the f**k.”
It’s hard to believe that it’s been twenty-five years, but it has (boy do I feel old). One thing that struck me while watching the special features is that Rebecca De Mornay is still one foxy lady. I’ve been seeing a preview for another film recently starring a lady movie star that has had some really bad plastic surgery for her 52nd birthday.
De Mornay hasn’t reached that mark at 49, if she’s had work it’s been well done, but she’s matured magnificently. I’ll put on my Tex Avery wolf’s head and start howling now.
I suppose if I must I’d have to say that Cruise still looks rather boyish for his 46 years. Surprisingly he also turns up quite a lot in the special features and is rather genial. I guess he needs some good publicity after the Oprah incident, talk of his religious beliefs, and more talk that his Nazi movie isn’t going to serve him very well whenever it opens.
I guess that one must try and rid the mind of the modern day baggage that goes with him and just concentrate on the fresh faced kids that loves that “Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
Dare we call Risky Business the thinking teen’s sex comedy? Perhaps so since it throws in some economics along with the sex and comedy. It has more bits to ponder than Porky’s did. It’s still a fun film after all these years and I’d still have to howl over either De Mornay (though the film shows more skin than the interview).
Risky Business is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features include a commentary with producer John Avnet, writer/director Paul Brickman, and Tom Cruise. The 29 minute “The Dream is Always the Same” looks back at the film with Avnet, Cruise, Brickman, De Mornay, Pantoliano, Curtis Armstrong, and others.
Next are 14 minutes of screen tests with Cruise and De Mornay. Director Paul Brickman was forced to change the ending of the film and now he presents this 7 minute preferred cut of the ending, as he wanted it. Finally you get the 87 second theatrical trailer.
Risky Business definitely has some high comedic moments, teaches you something about economics, and also has the iconic image of Cruise sliding across the living room. This new edition brings some excellent special features and some reminiscences with the major cast members.
Other’s eighties product that I’m working on is missing the stars (Sixteen Candles) and it’s nice that the special features here are so comprehensive. The dream is still the same no matter how long it’s been.
Risky Business: 25th Anniversary is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
Your Talkback on this Story