[Quick Summary: After his parents leave for the weekend, chaos ensues in a high schooler's house.]
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. This is one of those movies where a few words or a single line says everything that needs to be said, implies everything that needs to be implied, and gets a laugh. When the hooker tells the kid, "Oh, Joel, go to school. Learn something," the precise inflection of those words defines their relationship for the next three scenes.
So what is their relationship for the next three scenes? I think it's about how Joel sees it (adolescent sex) vs. how Lana sees it (business):*
SCENE 1 - Because Lana still has his mother's glass egg, Joel has no choice but to leave her at his house while he is at school. He is desperately unprepared for a pop quiz.
SCENE 2- Meanwhile, Lana checks out all the silverware, art, etc. She takes his dad's Porsche for a drive.
SCENE 3 - Joel returns home to find Lana has invited her hooker friends to use the house for customers. Here is the scene when he returns home and finds out:
EXT. JOEL'S HOUSE - AFTER SCHOOL - DAY
Joel stops his station wagon midway up the driveway. Miles is hanging out in the front yard. Joel goes to him.
MILES: Hi Joel.
JOEL: What's going on?
MILES: I'm waiting for Glenn?
JOEL: Where is he?
MILES: Inside.
JOEL: In the house?
MILES: He wanted to meet her.
JOEL (not pleased): What is this?
Joel goes toward the house. Glenn exits. He sports a wide grin.
JOEL: What're you doing?
GLENN: I was inside.
JOEL: I can see that.
GLENN (vamping awkwardly): So... you're home now...
Something is definitely up.
JOEL: Yeah, I live here, remember?
Joel turns to look at Miles. Conveniently, Miles is facing the street, his back turned to them.
JOEL: Is Lana still here?
GLENN: She's inside.
JOEL: Tell me you didn't do anything with her --
GLENN: Who? Lana?
JOEL: Yeah.
GLENN: No. Nothing. I just met her. She's nice.
JOEL: You're sure. You didn't do anything with her.
GLENN: Yeah. I swear.
Joel looks back at Miles. He's holding back a chuckle.
JOEL: You fucked her, didn't you?
GLENN: No. I told you.
JOEL: Yes. You did.
GLENN (indignantly): I did not fuck her, Joel.
JOEL (after a beat): Okay.
GLENN: Ask me about Vicki.
JOEL: Who's Vicki?
A VOICE from the front door. It comes from a tall blonde on a rather large frame. VICKI'S about eight hard years older than Lana.
VICKI: Are you Joel?
Glenn punches Joel's arm gratefully.
GLENN: Owe you one.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I was impressed how the dialogue ("go to school, learn something") nailed the theme, which was then played out in the next three scenes.
Risky Business (1983)(3rd draft, 11/30/81)
by Paul Brickman
*Ebert is not often "astounded," so I thought I'd include his thoughts:
"The next best thing about the movie is the casting. Rebecca De Mornay somehow manages to take that thankless role, the hooker with a heart of gold, and turn it into a very specific character. She isn't all good and she isn't all cliches: She's a very complicated young woman with quirks and insecurities and a wayward ability to love I became quietly astounded when I realized that this movie was going to create an original, interesting relationship involving a teenager and a hooker. The teenage kid, in what will be called the Dustin Hoffman role, is played by Tom Cruise, who also knows how to imply a whole world by what he won't say, can't fell, and doesn't understand."
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