dukeakasmudge Career Opportunities was the 1st movie I've seen with Frank Whaley & I've been a longtime fan of his ever since.I will watch any movie with him in it because of Career Opportunities.Career Opportunities is a great movie & 1 of my all time favorites.I saw it shortly after it 1st came out on cable TV & I instantly enjoyed it.Who wouldn't love to be locked in a store all night long by yourself or (Maybe) with somebody else & be able to do whatever you wanted.Eating off the shelves, playing with toys, riding bikes around the store, setting up your own in-store living room & playing video games or watching movies, etc, etc, etc. I have it on DVD, VHS & anytime it comes on 1 of the movie channels, I watch it if nothing else is on.It was a GREAT movie when Jim & Josie were by themselves but loses steam after the burglars show up.It's a bit disappointing but no matter what, I'd tell ANYBODY & EVERYBODY if they're thinking of watching Career Opportunities to check it out.In my opinion, this movie is a classic

Uriah43 "Jim Dodge" (Frank Whaley) is an unambitious but very creative young man who can't seem to hold a job because he prefers to live in a fantasy world. Even though he is 21 years-old he still lives with his parents and doesn't really care to move out. One day his father, "Bud Dodge" (John M. Jackson) forces him to get a job at a nearby Target store as the "night cleanup boy". When he reports for his first shift the head custodian locks him in the store and Jim finds himself all alone with a huge area to clean. At least he thinks he's all alone. Meanwhile, a beautiful young woman by the name of "Josie McClellan" (Jennifer Connelly) is having problems with her rich and physically abusive father, "Roger Roy McClellan" (Noble Willingham) so she decides to venture to Target with the intent to embarrass him by getting arrested for shop-lifting. As luck would have it, she falls asleep in the clothing department and wakes up to find Jim skating through the aisles in his underwear. But that's just the beginning of the adventure for both of them. Anyway, rather than disclose what happens next and possibly spoil the picture for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was a nice little comedy with a definite 80's flavor. While Frank Whaley was amusing, the main attraction was clearly Jennifer Connelly as she was simply gorgeous. On the other hand, the conversation between the two of them sometimes seemed awkward and forced. Likewise, because this film is so light and breezy there isn't much depth to it at all. All things considered then, I rate this movie as average.

Michael Frank Whaley and a few other overlooked ones the Hughes-package (aka Brat Pack) land roles here with emerging stars the Mulroney Bros. The film has the classic Hughes devices of the solitary character posed before a background of merchandise or amusing themselves with objects that are actually merchandise of functional objects. Whatever happened to Leggs and dancing in the CD aisles? The music is reflective of the transitioning period of the late 1980's and early 1990's where hard rock, "synth pop" and alternative rock were duking it out on the charts. If you're lost on the placement of the story--in typical Hughes (R.I.P.) Midwest territories, or the aesthetics, the subtle and smooth-flowing moral lessons are easily missed (am I the only one who sees similar casting among the many leading young women in the Hughes films--Moore, Connelly, Sara?). Generally, Hughes films are about revealing the common ties among individuals who live in distinctly different social and economic strata where conflict resolves into a solidarity.I find it interesting that I watched this AFTER watching a modern "living as a boy, who is old enough to live like a man" film titled, "Failure To Launch," an attempt to close the chapter on the pandemic of young "adults" returning to the nest, while this film seemed to signal the start of the pandemic. A few unique cases here or there, then by the mid-1990's, we saw the 30-year old "men" trailing behind their mothers to grocery stores or other chores. My other perspective on the content of this film.

Jakemcclake Spoilers The phrase "Jennifer Connelly Wow" can be found all over the internet. Hollywood had never seen the likes of Jennifer Connelly before. She is an incredible beauty. I write this 18 years after this movie came out and she still is the hottest woman in Hollywood. There are favorite scenes of Jennifer - The roller skating scene and the rocking horse scenes are near the top for most guys and they are all over Youtube. Jennifer can really distract a guy from seeing what takes place in this movie. The first 20 times I saw this, I had the following questions: 1) Does Josey McClelland (Jennifer Connelly) really like Jim Dodge (Frank Whaley)?2) Since Jim Dodge is considered the town liar and can not seem to hold a job, what does Josey McClelland see in Jim Dodge? What kind of future could she possibly see with Jim Dodge? 3) If Josey likes Jim so much, why does she leave him in the store and drive off, when she steals the crooks' stolen car? Consider, Josey left Jim locked in a store with two angry criminals that subsequently began to look for him with loaded guns.Answers - Well the answers are demonstrated and shown by where the movie winds up. 1) Yes - Definitely!2) She sees that he is honest with her, except for not admitting to himself as well as her, that he does not want to live at home, and he is misunderstood by everyone in this little town including his parents, and everyone sees that Jim is doing something but they call it lying. But Josey has a similar talent and therefore, understands what Jim is good at, and where they need to go to take advantage of their talents. 3) She knows that those two stupid crooks have easily fallen for Jim's lies and acting previously - They are in no way a match for the talents of Jim Dodge. Consider the fantasy (from the leading male or Jim Dodge prospective) that those answers prove out: The sexiest woman comes into your store and is locked in with you for the night. The incredible beauty falls for you, big time, and she sees something about you that no one in this town ever saw. She knows that you are better than any problems that might come along, much better. Because she shares this talent with you The talent she sees in you has been on display for everyone to look at and you even have a nickname pointing to it, and somehow no one ever looked at the positives related to it, except her. Then you give her a point blank demonstration your talent, showing how you can convince two killers by talking into a radio that you picked off the Target shelf and then talking into some little red book, that they are surrounded by men with guns trained on them. This makes her jump for joy, literally. She knows the answer that you don't. The answer she forces you to see, move! You are lying to yourself in thinking you like living at home. Get out of your parents house and get away from this little town and find a place that people appreciate the fact that you are the world's greatest "liar". someone who can easily and naturally make people believe something you are pretending to be. You are therefore, a super talented ACTOR! You go through the town in one last view of it with her than without even saying goodbye, you move out of your parents house and together with her you go to (you guessed it, the place where actors go) Hollywood, California, where the story ends up.