Risky Business

Risky Business

In the 1983 smash hit Risky Business, director Paul Brickman takes his audience on a wild ride through Chicago. The film spans across the Chicago land area, and beyond. From a small high school, to a world famous hotel, it really shows what Chicago is made of. But it also holds a dark side to itself, when the dangerous and socially perverse world of prostitution comes into play.

Joel Goodman, played by Tom Cruise, is an average high school senior. He has regrets and doubts when it comes to his life and is constantly wondering how will his parents take the next disappointment that he bring to them. But following his parents little getaway, and following some of his friends advise Joel gets himself involved with a small time prostitute named Lana, played by Rebecca DeMornay. In class we touched upon the topic; does this movie glorify prostitution? There is no clean-cut answer to this question, because on one side Joel profited over eight thousand dollars from his little endeavor into essentially being a pimp for a night. And on the other hand you have the actual pimp of Lana being a mean and greedy man, the type of person that would sell your sole for quarter. So to state whether the message of the film was glorifying or to denounce prostitution is up the audience, it is their own opinion.

Risky Business has some more to offer its audience than a heated debate. It also has a great setting for such a fantastic plot. We see many of Chicago's finest and most revered landmarks. It takes us not only to Chicago but is neighboring suburbs. Niles East high school is where Joel Goodman had his hard times finding an open door. The airport where Joel drops his parents off and you hear that very familiar yet shallow: "Yea, I got itÐ'...don't worryÐ'...okayÐ'...alright." Is at O'Hare international airport located in the western suburbs of Chicago. More people pass through O'Hare airport in one day than in any other airport in the world. The two places most famous on the list, is the Drake hotel and the John Hancock building. At the Drake hotel, Joel and one of his good friends are having an eight-dollar cup of hot chocolate while they wait for Lana; Joel's soon to be business partner. On the 95th floor of the Hancock building is a place where usually the elite can only find a table. Joel has