The edgy and tumultuous 1970s brought us dark and gritty films like The Godfather (1972), The French Connection (1971), and The Deer Hunter (1978). The war in Vietnam, feminism and women’s rights, and satanic panic all brushing up against the socio and political climate and what would soon be the rise of Reaganomics and conservatism, the “upper-middle class” family would begin to explode, and, because of this, fall under the microscope of Hollywood. At the end of the ‘70s you have a film like Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Best Picture winner and highest grossing movie of that year, about an upper middle class family breaking at the seams, with themes of divorce, feminism, and the idea of a woman’s role in the home. The very next year, in 1980, another Best Picture winner, another top grossing movie, Ordinary People; again, an affluent white family battling a hidden war with depression, suicide, and again, divorce. The American public was throwing money at these kinds of films; they were interested in looking behind the closed doors of these families.
L-R: Tom Cruise as Joel and Curtis Armstrong as Miles in RISKY BUSINESS. Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection.
All that leads me to 1983 and Risky Business, written and directed by Paul Brickman (Men Don’t Leave), who made this his directorial debut no less, and starring Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible series) as Joel in a breakout role that pushed him over the edge in his burgeoning stardom. Along with Cruise is a supporting cast of Rebecca De Mornay (The Three Musketeers) as Lana the call girl, Curtis Armstrong (Revenge of the Nerds; Supernatural) as Miles Dalby, Bronson Pinchot (Beverly Hills Cop series) as Barry, and Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix; Bound) as Guido. The cast brings the ambiance and a comradery that really drives the comedy. Joe Pantoliano as “Guido the killer pimp” is the perfect looming threat over the film; his scenes with Cruise are dynamite.
The story kicks off when Joel’s parents are away, leaving him with the house, his friends, and a series of bad decisions. Part teen sex comedy, part coming of age, Risky Business succeeds in not only entertaining you, but also subtly satirizing the middle class and America’s new puritan response to the women’s movement of the late ‘70s. There is a sex positivity shown that is ahead of its time. The only thing I can relate it to as far as contemporary cinema are the films of Sean Baker, mainly Tangerine (2015) and Starlet (2012), films about trans women and adult film stars, dealt with honesty, unflinchingly, and without judgement. That same setting is present here, 30-some-odd years earlier. The camera doesn’t ogle the female body, there are no jokes to be had about the trans call girl who shows up on Joel’s doorstep, and when Lana helps Joel make money by having what is essentially a sex party with hookers, it was deemed a sound financial decision and a step in the right direction for Joel and his future. That was not something I expected in 1983.
Rebecca De Mornay as Lana in RISKY BUSINESS. Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection.
There is also the state of teen coming-of-age films of that time period. They were at somewhat of a crossroads. Up until now, teens had either been ax fodder for sadistic killers or having sex in the comedies of the day like Porky’s (1981) or both. There was not really a home for a more mature, contemplative performance from a central teen actor. That’s not to say Cruise doesn’t devolve into some teen sex tropes, but there is a certain weight behind his character that breaks free from the mold. It’s interesting that Brickman only directs one more film and a short film after this and writes a handful of others, because he seems to have tapped into a certain angst of the time and brings it to the screen, at times in a beautiful way.
The film is photographed brilliantly by Reynaldo Villalobos (The Came You) and Bruce Surtees (The Substitute), classing up even the most banal of scenes, like a phone call, and having it drenched in neon and obscured by darkness. It’s decisions like these that bring a sophisticated approach to what could have been another sex-fueled comedy. Even the sex is filmed stylishly, with visual flourishes that add emotional depth. Add in a banging score from Tangerine Dream and a few perfectly used needle drops and you have the makings of a classic.
L-R: Joe Pantoliano as Guido and Tom Cruise as Joel in RISKY BUSINESS. Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection.
Criterion always hits these 4K transfers out of the park and this is no exception with a crisp and clean image and the stellar 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, particularly that great synth sound.
Risky Business Special Features:
- *New* 4K digital restorations of the director’s cut and the original theatrical release, supervised and approved by director Paul Brickman and producer Jon Avnet, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks
- One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
- Audio commentary for the original theatrical release featuring Brickman, Avnet, and actor Tom Cruise
- *New* interviews with Avnet and casting director Nancy Klopper
- *New* conversation between editor Richard Chew and film historian Bobbie O’Steen
- The Dream Is Always the Same: The Story of “Risky Business,” a program featuring interviews with Brickman, Avnet, cast members, and others
- Screen tests with Cruise and actor Rebecca De Mornay
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by film curator and critic Dave Kehr
Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray Combo and Blu-ray July 23rd, 2024.
For more information, head to the official The Criterion Collection Risky Business webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Recommendation
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