I must admit that I am partial to "
cheesy" 1980s movies. However, I think
Risky Business is especially good.
Risky Business is, at
first sight, nothing more than a slick
coming-of-age comedy. But it is much more. The values that are being pounded into Joel, the lead character played by
Tom Cruise, as a "Future Enterpriser" whereby he and his
schoolmates have to make and ruthlessly market a product that people will want to buy) are exactly those that he uses so successfully to turn his parents' home into a
bordello for one night, grossing $8000 in the process. His actions may be seen as seedy and reprehensible, but they mirror precisely the economic values of the period - it's no coincidence that
Paul Brickman made this remarkable film at a time when
Reagan/
Thatcher policies were leading to financial fortune for some at the expense of destitution for many. The film is a
parody of 1980s
business ethics - hence the title. Oh, and it's also funny (
Bronson Pinchot is marvellous as Joel's geeky friend Barry), erotic (the scene on the train especially so, which is remarkable as you don't see any
flesh) and with a great
soundtrack (witness Joel taking his Dad's
Porsche out for a spin to the pounding accompaniment of
Jeff Beck's "The Pump", or the instant classic status accorded to the scene where Joel dances in his
underpants to
Bob Seger's "
Old Time Rock 'n' Roll")
Memorable
Quotes:
Miles: Joel, you wanna know something? Every now and then say, "What the fuck." "What the fuck" gives you freedom. Freedom brings opportunity. Opportunity makes your future.
Joel Goodson: My name is Joel Goodson. I deal in human fulfillment. I grossed over eight thousand dollars in one night. Time of your life, huh kid?
Joel Goodson: There's one thing I've learned in all my years: sometimes you gotta say "what the fuck," make your move.