Risky Business – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Risky Business

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie1983

54%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Tom Cruise dances in his socks and learns that the line between high-stakes capitalism and high-stakes crime is thinner than his parents' Porsche.

93%

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Risky Business

movie

1983

54%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Tom Cruise dances in his socks and learns that the line between high-stakes capitalism and high-stakes crime is thinner than his parents' Porsche.

93%

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Screenwise Verdict

Risky Business is the smartest 'teen sex comedy' ever made, mostly because it’s actually a dark movie about how the American Dream can turn into a nightmare of spreadsheets and side-hustles. It’s stylish, funny, and features the most famous living-room dance in cinema history.

But let's be real: it's not a 'family movie.' It's a movie for parents and their almost-adult children to watch together and then talk about the ethics of success. If your kid is under 15, the plot is going to be a lot of 'why is he doing that?' followed by 'don't ask.'

Age Fit

This is strictly for the 16+ crowd. It's an R-rated movie about running a brothel, so unless you want to have some very awkward conversations with a middle-schooler, save this for the older teens who are already stressing about their SATs.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The entire plot revolves around a high schooler turning his family home into a temporary brothel. While it's a satire of 80s capitalism, it's about as far from 'wholesome' as a teen movie gets.

Imaginative

It's surprisingly stylish and moody for a teen comedy. The Tangerine Dream score and the dreamlike cinematography give it a unique atmosphere that separates it from its raunchy peers.

Safe

It’s an R-rated movie with nudity, explicit sex scenes (the train scene is iconic for a reason), and heavy themes regarding sex work and illegal activity.

Enriching

Beneath the sex comedy surface is a sharp critique of the crushing pressure of college admissions and the 'at any cost' mindset of American success. It’s a great conversation starter for older teens.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

The 80s aesthetic is peak here, from the synthesizers to the lighting, making it a time capsule that actually looks good.
Sharp social satire that feels weirdly relevant in 2026, especially the parts about the insane pressure to get into a 'prestige' university.
Tom Cruise's breakout performance shows why he became a star; he’s charismatic even when his character is making terrible decisions.
The soundtrack by Tangerine Dream is legendary and gives the movie a sophisticated, electronic pulse.

⚠

What to Watch For

The movie depicts prostitution as a savvy business move, which is a heavy concept to unpack with a kid who isn't ready for that nuance.
There is brief full-frontal female nudity and a very famous, very steamy sex scene on a train.
The 80s-era treatment of women is definitely dated; the female characters are mostly there to be objects of Joel's education or desire.

Conversation Starters

"Joel feels like he has to be 'perfect' to get into Princeton. Do you feel that kind of pressure from school or us?"
"The movie suggests that 'doing whatever it takes' to make money is just the American way. Do you think Joel is a hero or a villain by the end?"
"Why do you think Joel's parents are so obsessed with the Porsche and the house, but don't seem to know who their son actually is?"

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