Overview
A teenager's wild weekend turns into a lesson in responsibility and the unexpected consequences of freedom.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- playful
- sardonic
- nostalgic movie night
- 1980s film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a stylish, sharp, and unusually perceptive teen comedy, especially Tom Cruise's performance and Paul Brickman's dialogue, while recognizing its darker themes.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Joel begins as a suburban teenager protected by his parents and turns their absence, house, and resources into a risky business venture.
Joel's fear of disappointing his parents and failing to enter an elite future drives his increasingly entrepreneurial behavior.
The film treats Joel's unsupervised freedom and comic improvisation alongside prostitution, exploitation, and guilt.
Joel's solitary lip-syncing and stylized displays of confidence dramatize his transformation from straight-arrow teenager to entrepreneurial risk taker.
Films like Risky Business, and why
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
shares a suburban teen comedy framework, youthful rebellion, and escalating consequences from unsupervised freedom
The Graduate
shares coming of age themes, sexual awakening, suburban satire, and a sharply observed adolescent protagonist
The Last American Virgin
shares provocative teen comedy, sexual themes, social satire, and a rebellious outsider perspective
Movie Details
- Director
- Paul Brickman
- Release Date
- 1983-08-05
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (1531)
Cast
- Tom Cruise
- Rebecca De Mornay
- Joe Pantoliano
- Richard Masur
- Bronson Pinchot
- Curtis Armstrong
- Nicholas Pryor
- Janet Carroll
- Shera Danese
- Raphael Sbarge
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Risky Business about?
- A privileged Chicago teenager transforms a reckless joyride and an empty family home into an illicit crash course in sex, money, and adulthood.
- What is Risky Business like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Risky Business as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Risky Business violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Risky Business.
- What did critics think of Risky Business?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a stylish, sharp, and unusually perceptive teen comedy, especially Tom Cruise's performance and Paul Brickman's dialogue, while recognizing its darker themes.
- Which films are like Risky Business?
- Films with a similar feel include Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Graduate, and The Last American Virgin.
- How long is Risky Business?
- Risky Business runs 98 minutes.
- Where can I watch Risky Business?
- In United States, Risky Business streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel.
