Risky Business - 5

One of Cruise's and Rebecca De Mornay's early roles. This film is Ferris Bueller's Day Off tragic counterpart. While both about irresponsible high schoolers this film is more of a cultural critique of parenting than teenage rebellion. The main character, Joel, recognizes his inability to good moral choices and instead learns what it means to live in a capitalist society; that making it is all about taking risks. Like most American films he succeeds and the audience is left with the view that America is the place where anyone can succeed if they put their mind to it. I think it is interesting that this film could be made in 1983, since it deals with selling sex, literally and I'm not sure if that is suppose to be offensive to the audience or made more glamorous. It is also of interest to see the view that suburbia is boring and needs a little excitement. The director is telling the story of high school angst in suburbia without the internet and MTV. In that way this may be American Beauty's predecessor.