Review of Risky Business (1983) by Jessica V — 03 Dec 2008

I admit, it took an awfully long time for me to adjust to such a young, evidently inexperienced Cruise... The pacing was wacky; it felt much longer than it needed to. The first half whizzes by, characterized by those tidbits we usually associate with teen comedies, but the last half is much more dark.

So much so that it's a bit of a shock and often doesn't feel like the same film to me. Plus the sex scenes were incredibly drawn-out and slightly melodramatic. On the windowsill with the wind raging around? Check.

On the subway with a creeper watching? Check. Awkward? Check. The script is usually very good, very true-to-life and honest, but it seems like a drama interspersed with situational comedy without being black humour.

Weird. Cruise grew on me as the film progressed, that boyish charm winning me over by the end. So be like Joel and say "What the f*&$" to this one. You just might like it.