Review of Risky Business (1983) by Eddy J — 18 May 2018

Tom Cruise charges forth in this wild and fun coming of age comedy.

Paul Brickman wrote and directed this very raunchy romance film with witty dialogue and lots of laughs. The direction is pretty cool as shot after shot impresses you with clever angles, panning shots, editing sequences, and creative use of lighting and surroundings. Risky Business is naughty, but not crude. It has a class and style that is totally its own. I think it is still worth a watch.

Tom Cruise is excellent as the lead Joel. He is funny and relatable throughout. It is a humorous situation how he becomes an accidental pimp, but you are always intrigued by his reactions. Cruise gives his breakout performance in Risky Business and his acclaim is well deserved. He pulls off a much more mature role for his age.

Rebecca de Mornay is gorgeous and seductive in Risky Business. She plays Lana with a playful teasing quality, while also portraying a sincere side. You really wonder who this girl is and hope she is for real. She is acting at a more mature level than girls her age as she steals the show in Risky Business in many scenes. You cannot take your eyes off her.

Risky Business features an iconic soundtrack of 1980's classic rock music, but the real treat is Tangerine Dream's electronic score. I found myself humming along to Risky Business' theme. It absolutely captures the tense and uncertain tone of the movie. You never know what is going to happen next.

I recommend Risky Business for any teenage guy and older. It is a coming of age narrative with lessons as well as laughs. Beautifully filmed to look at, but even more fun as you join Cruise's Joel on a joyous journey.