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Risky Business

1983, Comedy, 1h 36m

What to know

Critics Consensus

Featuring one of Tom Cruise's best early performances, Risky Business is a sharp, funny examination of teen angst that doesn't stop short of exploring dark themes. Read critic reviews

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Risky business videos, risky business   photos.

Ecstatic when his parents leave on vacation for a few days, high school senior Joel Goodsen (Tom Cruise) cuts loose with his best friend Miles. After an attempt at securing the services of a prostitute goes slightly awry, Joel hires gorgeous Lana (Rebecca De Mornay) for a night of delight. Stunned by the amount of Lana's "bill" the next morning, Joel grows frantic after he crashes his father's Porsche. In an effort to raise lots of money fast, a desperate Joel turns the house into a brothel.

Genre: Comedy

Original Language: English

Director: Paul Brickman

Producer: Jon Avnet , Steve Tisch

Writer: Paul Brickman

Release Date (Theaters): Aug 5, 1983  original

Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2008

Runtime: 1h 36m

Distributor: Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros.

Production Co: Geffen Pictures

Sound Mix: Dolby, Surround

Cast & Crew

Joel Goodsen

Rebecca De Mornay

Bronson Pinchot

Joe Pantoliano

Richard Masur

Curtis Armstrong

Nicholas Pryor

Joel's Father

Janet Carroll

Joel's Mother

Shera Danese

Raphael Sbarge

Bruce A. Young

Kevin Anderson

Sarah Partridge

Nathan Davis

Business Teacher

Scott Harlan

Stan Licata

Sheila Keenan

Nurse Bolik

Lucy Harrington

Glenn's Girlfriend

Jerry Tullos

Derelict on Train

Jerome Landfield

Kessler's Father

Detective with Bullhorn

Paul Brickman

Steve Tisch

Christopher Franke

Original Music

Edgar Froese

Bruce Surtees

Cinematographer

Reynaldo Villalobos

Richard Chew

Film Editing

Nancy Klopper

William J. Cassidy

Production Design

Robert De Mora

Costume Design

News & Interviews for Risky Business

Rank Tom Cruise’s 10 Best Movies

Best-Reviewed Summer Blockbusters by Year Since 1975

Critic Reviews for Risky Business

Audience reviews for risky business.

This is the movie that is arguably ranked as Tom Cruise's best. It mixes coming of ae with the dark overtones of adulthood and responsibility, with a great soundtrack.

tom cruise risky business

Kind of overrated to be honest, since people basically hold this up as "the" 80s movie. But that being said, this is still a pretty enjoyable film.

"Risky Business" is a great drama film of 1983. "Risky Business" has great acting from "Tom Cruise" and "Rebecca De Mornay". "Risky Business" has a great plot to it. The plot is great but not the most exciting. The music in "Risky Business" is great as well it makes scenes more dramatic. I recommend you watch "Risky Business" as it is a great drama film of 1983. I give "Risky Business" an 8/10.

Potentially, this is Tom Cruise's second best film in his entire career, though not necessarily his best performance. Risky Business found, with surprising easiness, its pop-culture status among modern viewers. 75% of that popularity image has Tom Cruise dancing to the beat of "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band, a scene which barely represents the entire dark atmosphere of this teen drama. Risky Business is yet ANOTHER movie that puts us in the perspective of the rebellious young generation that came out from such an irresponsible previous generation: their parents. It was typical to see the parents playing passive antagonistic roles while these lost boys sought for liberty, either financial, carnal or intellectual, in several ways possible, from organizing massive parties to taking "days off" like a good Ferris Bueller would do. In this case, however, the perspective is less comedic. I wouldn't catalogue this as a comedy, but as an exercise in the irony of negative outcomes of irresponsible actions, maybe even with a touch of peer pressure. The execution of certain scenes was excellent, from the opening dream sequence, to the "Are you ready for me?" encounter, to the subway sequence. Remarkably, the film ends with a sarcastic tone. It may seem that Joel Goodson got away with it from every single angle, but what matters is also what will happen in the long run, and that perspective is scary. The conclusion seems as uncertain as driving in foggy highway. Good film, and somewhat underrated. 79/100

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The Cast of 'Risky Business': Where Are They Now?

As the film celebrates the 40th anniversary of its premiere on Aug. 5, see what the cast of 'Risky Business' has been up to since the movie hit screens in 1983

Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/Everett

"I think I’m safe in saying that  Risky Business  was the last time he was just 'Tom,' " Curtis Armstrong wrote in his 2017 memoir, Revenge of the Nerd, per The Hollywood Reporter . And that seems to be true. Tom Cruise 's performance in the Paul Brickman-directed film was so stellar it earned him his first Golden Globe nomination, and helped continue to catapult the actor to superstardom.

Set in Chicago, Risky Business follows the adventures of a high-achieving, straight-laced and privileged high school student named Joel Goodsen (Cruise), whose friends convince him to have one big, pre-college romp during a weekend his parents are away. Throw in a prostitute and some unhinged teenagers and you have a risqué coming-of-age film that could only be made in the '80s.

From Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay to Curtis Armstrong, see what the cast of the classic film has been up to since Risky Business premiered in 1983.

Tom Cruise as Joel Goodsen

Warner Brothers/Everett; Bryan Bedder/Getty

At only 21 years old, Tom Cruise helmed this teen drama and delivered such an outstanding performance he received his first Golden Globe nomination for best actor. After playing Joel, Cruise, as we know, went on to have an illustrious career.

As one of the most bankable actors of our time, he starred in blockbuster films such as The Outsiders, Rain Man, Interview with the Vampire, Jerry Maguire and the Mission Impossible franchise.

The now 61-year-old Hollywood veteran continues to bring people to the movies. His latest works include 2022's Top Gun: Maverick and this year's Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, which premiered in July.

Off-screen, Cruise's colleagues hail him as the king of holiday desserts as stars such as Rosie O'Donnell, Emily Blunt, Tom Hanks and many others look forward to receiving his coveted Christmas coconut bundt cake .

Rebecca De Mornay as Lana

Warner Brothers/ Everett; JC Olivera/Getty

Playing the prostitute who sends Joel's world into a spiral was Rebecca De Mornay .

“I understood the part of Lana so well,” she recently told The Wrap . “I’ve lived by myself as a young, young, 19-year-old in London, fending for myself. [I’ve] gone through a lot in my life in terms of upheaval and family stuff, and suddenly there was a part that just fit me like a glove, that I knew.” 

Though Lana's profession wasn't exactly highbrow, it was important to De Mornay, now 63, that the character was depicted with some grace and humanity.

"I wanted to maintain her dignity, regardless if she’s having sex for money. She maintained some source of integrity and soul,” De Mornay told the outlet. “I wanted to present the underdog who was reduced to having to be a prostitute, exploited in our capitalist system, trying to get by as best she could without the cushion of having a family of money and connections.”

Following Risky Business , De Mornay went on to star in And God Created Woman, The Hand that Rocks the Cradle , The Three Musketeers and more.

Joe Pantoliano as Guido

Warner Brothers; Arturo Holmes/Getty

Playing Lana's pimp, Guido, was Joe Pantoliano.

The actor's career spans a whopping 50 years, dating back to the '70s. Pantoliano, 71, has been in blockbusters and cult favorites such as Memento, The Goonies, The Matrix and Bad Boys, among a slew of other credits. Fans may also recognize him from his recurring role as Ralph Cifaretto on HBO's The Sopranos.

Curtis Armstrong as Miles Dalby

Warner Brothers/Everett; Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty

Curtis Armstrong played Joel's best friend Miles Dalby, who encouraged him to throw a bash while his parents were away.

Since the 1983 film, Armstrong, 69, has continued to find steady work. He starred in the drama series Moonlight opposite Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis in the '80s, appeared in 2000's National Lampoon's Van Wilder and has been a fixture in the Revenge of the Nerds franchise since its debut in 1984.

Bronson Pinchot as Barry

Warner Brothers; Kevin Winter/Getty

Bronson Pinchot also portrayed another one of Cruise's friends in the film. After Risky Business, Pinchot, now 64, scored parts in the ABC series Perfect Strangers, plus Beverly Hills Cop and Beverly Hills Cop III opposite Eddie Murphy and True Romance with Patricia Arquette, Christian Slater and Gary Oldman.

He took a mini-break from acting in the early aughts and ventured into home restoration , even launching his own show, The Bronson Pinchot Project, between 2012 and 2013.

Richard Masur as Rutherford

Warner Brothers; Bobby Bank/Getty

Since playing Mr. Rutherford, the recruiter from Princeton in the 1983 film, 74-year-old Richard Masur has generally kept a low profile all while continuing to work steadily in the business. He can be seen in small roles on Orange Is the New Black, The Good Fight, Bull and The Equalizer .

Raphael Sbarge as Glenn

Warner Brothers; Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Many may not know, but Raphael Sbarge is a former child actor. Though his role as Glenn in Risky Business was his first in a major movie, he had been acting since he was a tot. Sbarge got his start on Sesame Street at the tender age of 4, and was on Broadway by 16, per IMDb .

The now 59-year-old actor has been in every procedural drama one can think of — Criminal Minds, NCIS, Grey's Anatomy, The Good Wife, CSI: Miami and then some. He also appeared in other blockbuster films such as Independence Day and Pearl Harbor.

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The cast of ‘risky business,’ then and now.

Just 21 when 'Risky Business' hit theaters, Tom Cruise became a star after the movie's Aug. 5, 1983, release. The iconic scene of him dancing in his pink button-down shirt and underwear to Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" still stands as one of his most memorable, in a career filled with numerous iconic scenes. See what the cast has been up to since the movie was first released.

By Ani Mosinyan , Kimberly Nordyke August 3, 2018 8:30am

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Just 21 when Risky Business hit theaters, Tom Cruise became a star after the movie's Aug. 5, 1983, release. The iconic scene of him dancing in his pink button-down shirt and underwear to Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" still stands as one of his most memorable, in a career filled with numerous iconic scenes.

Cruise — now 56 — stars as Joel Goodson, a high school senior from a wealthy family who plans for a good time when his parents leave on vacation, but things go awry after he crashes his father's Porsche and turns the family home into a brothel. Oh, and he hooks up with a prostitute (Rebecca De Mornay).

The movie, widely praised by critics, went on to earn $184.8 million at the domestic box office when adjusted for inflation.

Risky Business celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. In honor of that milestone, grab your Ray-Bans, crank up some "Old Time Rock and Roll" and see what the actors have been to up since the movie first hit theaters.

Related Stories

Hollywood's 100 favorite films, tom cruise as joel goodson.

tom cruise risky business

Now one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood, Cruise made his film debut in 1981, at age 19, with Endless Love and then was part of the ensemble of young actors who starred in The Outsiders two years later, just a few months before Risky Business was released. Three years after Risky Business, Cruise kicked off a string of box office hits with T op Gun, Rain Man, Born on the Fourth of July, Days of Thunder, The Firm, Interview With the Vampire, Jerry Maguire, Magnolia and more. He also stars in the Mission: Impossible film series, with the latest — Mission Impossible — Fallout hitting theaters July 27, 2018. During his career, he has been nominated for three Academy Awards and has won three Golden Globes.

Rebecca de Mornay as Lana

tom cruise risky business

Risky Business marked de Mornay's breakthrough role. She went on to star in Runaway Train, The Trip to Bountiful, Backdraft and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. More recently, her credits include roles on Netflix's Jessica Jones and HBO's John From Cincinnati.

Bronson Pinchot as Barry

tom cruise risky business

Pinchot played Joel's friend Barry, who encourages him to take his father's Porsche out for a spin. He went on to star in Beverly Hills Cop, First Wives Club and True Romance but might be best known for his role as Balki Bartokomous on ABC's Perfect Strangers from 1986-93.

Joe Pantoliano as Guido

tom cruise risky business

Known for playing corrupt criminals and shady characters, Pantoliano portrays Guido, Lana's pimp, in Risky Business. went on to appear in films like The Goonies, Midnight Run and The Matrix and Memento and recently appeared in the series Sense8. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award for his role in The Sopranos. 

Richard Masur as Rutherford

tom cruise risky business

Masur, who played the man in charge of Princeton admissions in Risky Business , went on to serve two terms as the president of the Screen Actors Guild. He has appeared in more than 80 films and shows and most recently appeared in Orange Is the New Black and Transparent. 

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IMAGES

  1. Risky Business (1983)

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  2. Risky Business 1983, Celebrity Workout, Celebrity Style, Celebrity Guys

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  3. Tom Cruise in Risky Business (1983)

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  4. Tom Cruise (Risky Business, 1983)

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  5. BluRay Screen Captures

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  6. Risky Business from Tom Cruise's Best Roles

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COMMENTS

  1. Risky Business

    Featuring one of Tom Cruise's best early performances, Risky Business is a sharp, funny examination of teen angst that doesn't stop short of exploring dark themes. Read critic reviews You...

  2. Risky Business

    Like-new products. you can trust. When his parents leave town for a few days, high school senior Joel Goodsen cuts loose with his best friend. After their attempt to secure the services of a prostitute goes awry, Joel hires gorgeous Lana for a night of delight. Stunned by Lana's.

  3. Cast of 'Risky Business': Where Are They Now?

    Tom Cruise in 'Risky Business'. Photo: Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/Everett. "I think I’m safe in saying that Risky Business was the last time he was just 'Tom,' " Curtis Armstrong wrote...

  4. The Cast of ‘Risky Business,’ Then and Now

    August 3, 2018 8:30am. Just 21 when Risky Business hit theaters, Tom Cruise became a star after the movie's Aug. 5, 1983, release. The iconic scene of him dancing in his pink button-down...

  5. Risky Business (1983) Official Trailer

    Risky Business (1983) Official Trailer - Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay Movie HD - YouTube. 0:00 / 1:22. Risky Business (1983) Official Trailer - Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay...