Une place à prendre

"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...

A stupid film written by John Hughes that rehashes many ideas from his best teen comedies from the 1980s. One thing I don't like about this film the Home Aloneish element of the film that doesn't belong here. Career Opportunities(1991) is about a constant liar who is one day stuck during work at night with the most beautiful girl in town. The best scenes are when the two people let out their emotions. Frank Whaley is barely passable as Jim Dodge.

Jennifer Connelly gives a performance as the unhappy rich young woman named Josie McClellan in a film that is unworthy of such a brilliant performance. I really enjoyed the scenes that included John Candy and wish there were more scenes with him. One thing I know is that if I was stuck in a closed place with a woman as gorgeous as Jennifer Connelly I would be ecstatic. For anyone who wants to see Career Opportunities just to see Jennifer Connelly glide and walk around in a tank top than go for it. For anyone else who wants to see the movie itself then don't bother.

Yea, I know this movie was not that good and the formula was well-worn but it was fun to watch for 2 reasons. Jennifer Connelly and the clothes and music. Jennifer was a heart-stopper as usual! I really couldn't see her attraction to Frank Whaley's character because he just seemed to dweebish!(80's term) I could see her more with the dark-haired thieve. But it did give the fantasy of the nerd getting the pretty girl some hope! All in all, it was a movie that was caught between eras! The years 1990-91 were sort of lost years where no one seemed to know what was next. Music was changing from the rock of the big hair style of Poison and GNR to the alternative sound of REM and none of the music in the movie sounded like neither. It was an experimental sound. The clothes seemed like the 80's but were trying to be something different. Of course we know what was on the horizon..Grunge! But this movie was the end of an era. It was released in 1991 but was probably made a year before that. It's one of those movies you will watch if you were a 20 something in the 80's and feel a nostalgic pang. I get it watching movies like Back to the Future and Breakfast Club, St; Elmos Fire..etc. So don't judge this flick to harshly. It's just filler but it does taste good! Especially Jennifer Connelly!

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.