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Risky Business

EMAILPRINTWarner Bros. Pictures

Risky Business reviews
75
6.5 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 8 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 4 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Action  |  Comedy  |  Crime  |  Drama

Written by: Paul Brickman

Directed by: Paul Brickman

Release Date:
Theatrical: August 5, 1983
DVD: August 20, 1987

Running Time: 98 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: R

Starring Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay, Joe Pantoliano, Richard Masur, and Bronson Pinchot

A high school senior is tired of being Mr. All-American and facing such traumatic decisions as which Ivy League college to attend. His life gets turned around when he meets a sexy call girl who transforms his house into a brothel while his parents are away. (Warner Bros.)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

The very best thing about the movie is its dialogue. Paul Brickman, who wrote and directed, has an ear so good that he knows what to leave out.

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90

Chicago Reader Dave Kehr

Taking off from the format of a typical teenage sex comedy, Brickman deepens the characters and tightens the situations, filming them in a dark, dreamlike style full of sinuous camera movements and surrealistic insinuations. Brickman found a tone I hadn't encountered previously - one of haunting, lyrical satire.

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88

TV Guide Staff (Not Credited)

Smart, stylish, and cynical about the values of its time, this movie aspires to be The Graduate for its generation and it comes pretty close.

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75

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jay Scott

An adolescent-oriented farce so finely tuned it projects beyond its narrow intended audience - it's not only for adolescents, it's for anyone who remembers what adolescence was like. [05 Aug 1983]

70

Variety Staff (Not Credited)

Risky Business is like a promising first novel, with all the pros and cons that come with that territory.

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63

Boston Globe Jay Carr

Risky Business is the sleeper of the summer. It's a refreshing change from the usual dumb teenage ripoffs, the slickest American film since "Trading Places" and "War Games," and a strong directorial debut for Paul Brickman, who knows his way around teen fantasies. [05 Aug 1983]

60

The New York Times Janet Maslin

Risky Business improves as it goes along.

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60

Empire Ian Nathan

It’s "Ferris Bueller" with an existential crisis. Very funny and very weird.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 6.5 (out of 10) based on 4 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jay H. gave it a7:
Clever plot, and in spite of Tom Cruise being in it, it's a good movie. Nice performances. Funny, well written and directed with style. Good flick.

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