Writer: Paul Brickman
Cast: Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay, Joe Pantoliano
A Chicago teenager is looking for fun at home while his parents are away, but the situation quickly gets out of hand.
Film is a satire on rich suburban teens who are meant to join Ivy league colleges and faces the pressure to be 'Perfect'. Normally people would describe this film as belonging to the coming-of-age genre, but I don't think there is not much of that for Joel (Tom Cruise). He is still kind of naive at the end of it as he is in the beginning and does't go full 'What the fuck!'. When he gets his dad's Porsche back from the workshop, you can see kids on bi-cycles overtaking him. I don't know whether this kind of genre-bending is intended or it is a case of director not wanting to be criticized for giving a 'bad' message. I will lean on it being intentional and the film works well as something which sits between a film like 'The Outsiders' which is almost melodramatic and 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' which is an all out comedy.
Film launched Tom Cruise to stardom and the Ray-Ban Wayferer model's annual sales shot up by 2000% after its release. It was very well received critically as well as commercially with considerable praise for its intelligence and stylishness. But I don't think it has aged that well especially considering the quality of the films that came in the genre subsequently. The soundtrack is done by 'Tangerine Dreams' giving it a characteristic 80s feel along with the opening credits.
Rating: 3/5
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