Career Opportunities

"Career Opportunities" is not only one of the finest films of the Last Great Golden Age Of American Cinema--the early 1990s, specifically, 1991 ("Another You", "For The Boys", "Highlander 2: The Quickening"--do I have to list more?), it might just one day revered as the "O Lucky Man" of the post-Reagan "grunge" era. A surrealist, even MAGICAL REALIST parable/satire on American Consumerism and our collective enslavement to petty bourgeois dreams of success, with a touch of "La Dolce Vita" tossed in for added subtext, with the lovely OSCAR-NOMINATED Connelly as Anita Ekberg, representing the impossible female ideal that will remain forever out of reach until our hero, Whalley's milquetoast Candide, renounces the evils of capitalism. Connelly's ride atop a coin-operated pony is Hughes' nod to Sylvia's romp through the fountain in Rome, and his oft-misunderstood casting of the Mulroneys are a post-modern riff on Fellini's Virgin Mary thread, although instead, the brothers embody a different Biblical allusion--to that of the parable of Cain and Abel. Sigh--I'll be defending this one until the end of my autumn years.

But oh, that white tank top...

One of John Hughes' underrated gems! I rented this movie already possessing knowledge of what it was about, who was in it, and what other people thought about it from their comments. "Career Opportunities," had plenty of laughs along with some deeper, emotional setback drawn out between Whaley and Connelly, who of course both played their parts VERY well. And every other guy who hasn't seen a young Jennifer Connelly... should. The story unfolds smoothly as we find out more about the lives of two small town people.

It's a movie where the characters are trying to understand where the rich, abused, dreaming, "tease" and dweebish, hopeful, incompetent "town liar" come from. There is also a sweet connection they develop from just talking about their lives and how they've changed since they last met. The more we hear and develop feelings for these two confused people, the more we can illustrate their current dilemma of being trapped within the lives that their families want them to live.

The soundtrack was pretty great! One of the best soundtracks I have heard in a comedy.

Dermot and Kieran Mulroney did a nice job playing some goofy small town crooks. However I thought the whole burglar part of the movie could have been achieved in better ways-- but it is what it is.

If you do watch this film look out for a cameo appearance from John Candy as the Target Team manager who gives Whaley his janitor position. Very funny... and casual.

Altogether, very well done and VERY underrated. I still don't understand why Whaley didn't become a bigger star after this movie such as Broderick did with Ferris Bueller. And OK, so maybe not perfect, but there are MUCH worse movies out there. "Career Opportunities" is a fun film that should be watched if you're a fan of John Hughes' work.

I get such a kick out of all the comments that mention how beautiful Jennifer Connelly is. Basically because in this movie that's all Josie's ever heard... how she's such a great piece of a$$ ("the town tease"), and the redundancy of these comments she's encountered up to now has her almost proud of that fact. "... I never tease..." But the truth is, nobody cares who she is as a person (including you the viewer), and that kills her. Those that have criticized and commented on the movie are actually characters IN the movie. As we comment on how beautiful Connelly is, we in turn become a part of Josie's past, and we are responsible for who she is now. Add the issues of her father, who only threatens her (and the cop) with abuse and attempts of control. Josie is physically beautiful, but that is her main problem. She's a really f'ed up chick. She is a temporary trophy, until something better comes along. And being that negative attention is better than no attention at all, you can understand what brought her to the store in the first place. When Jim tells Josie of his dream of her, she instantly thinks "sex"... cause up until this point in her life, that all she has to offer anyone. She is instantly caught off guard when Jim suggests a simple dance, one that he's been dreaming of since the 7th grade. And of all the people Josie has ever been with, Jim is the first gentleman she's ever met. And for the first time in both of their lives, a true connection is made. Yes, the Home Alone skits are below average, but for me, the problem is that they take away from the connection that the two leads are making. The best part of this whole movie is the unspoken dialogue between Connelly and Whaley, as they tried desperately to comfort each other in this time of chaos. Whaley has most of the creative dialogue, but Connelly's character is the one of interest (and issues). This is a much more psychological romance than most give it credit for.

A very well done, humorous teenage love story that every "not so popular" guy who was passed over in high school can appreciate. Funny, awkward, and lighthearted, this movie has something for everyone. This was the first movie I saw Jennifer Connelly in and just like the main character, immediately fell in love with her. What an outstanding actress, although this is perhaps not her best performance. All together this is a great "Order in on Saturday night and have a few laughs with the wife/girlfriend" kind of feel good romantic romp.

I sat down to watch "Career Opportunities" for the second time now in 2021, after not having seen the movie since shortly after it was released.

Needless to say that actress Jennifer Connelly (playing Josie McClellan) is the main attraction in this movie, no doubt about it. And she really is a talented actress, which "Career Opportunities" definitely also proves.

This is a young adult comedy of sorts, but it does have elements of other genres to it as well. Throw in a little pinch of crime as well, and you have a great cocktail of a movie.

The storyline told in "Career Opportunities" is a pretty straight forward one, and it is one that definitely is entertaining enough. However, I do think that the storyline told in "Career Opportunities" is actually not one that will find an appeal with just anyone in the audience, given the main character of Jim Dodge (played by Frank Whaley).

Despite being released back in 1991 then "Career Opportunities" is a movie that very much still is watchable even now in 2021, now 30 years after it was released. And the movie does have that timeless feel to it, so that was quite some accomplishment on behalf of writer John Hughes and director Bryan Gordon.

My rating of "Career Opportunities" lands on a six out of ten stars. If you haven't already seen this movie, you should do so, if you have the opportunity to do so. It is quite well worth the time and effort.