Excellent but underrated film

The acting in this movie is really good.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

I grew up in the 80's and in 1990 left for the Navy. So I guess somehow I missed this film because up until the other day, I've never heard of it. But because Jennifer Connelly is in it, I decided to watch. Wow, what a disappointment. The plot is terrible & the acting is crappy. Parts of the movie are edited so oddly I'm sitting there saying to myself "Huh? What was that cut away for and why did you cutaway to that?" The film makes no sense in someways. Very, very poor attempt in my opinion. I guess it's no surprise that I never heard of this film because it's awful. The ending is extremely odd & lame. I gave it 3 stars mostly because Jennifer C.. is in it. If she wasn't in it - I'd give it a 1.

***SPOILERS*** The very sight of the drop dead gorgeous and ultra sexy 20 year old Jennefer Connelly, as spoiled little rich girl Josie McClellan, riding and rolling on a electronic pony was more then worth the price of admission then the duration of the entire movie. Josie gets herself locked up in the Target's ladies dressing room trying to shoplift a $20.00 pair of ladies underpants even though she had as much as $52,000.00 of cash on her to pay for it and ends up having the run of the place. That's until two crooks Nester & Gil, Demont & Kieran Mulroney who are obviously brothers, show up-after hiding and smoking pot in the store men's room- to rip the place off.The good for nothing $4.40 cent an hour night clean-up boy Jim Dodge, Frank Whaley, on his first day or night on the job ends up getting stuck-lucky guy-with Josie for the entire night that's a lot more then he ever bargained for. And in the end goes off with her to sunny California to start a new life as well as career opportunity in the up and coming multi-billion dollar industry of Silicon Valley. The fact that Josie comes from the richest family in the state of Georgia is nothing compared in what she got from hooking up with the cute clean-up boy Frank who showed her just what a good time, in running for her life and safety from the two Mulroney brothers as well as the local police, rally is.Jenniffer Connelly who just was seen in the movie "The Racketeer" who soon rocketed to the top as the hottest actress in Hollywood in this so-so movie about America's youth. As for actor Frank Whaley with the exception of playing accused but not proved JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald in movies like "JFK" & "Fatal Deception Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald" he never had a part in a film as good or satisfying with a co-star as Connelly as the lowly Target night time clean-up boy Jim Dodge in "Career Opportunities".

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

Finally! We get a film, taking place mostly inside a store. One of my favorite settings in a film. This one takes place in "Target", which, believe it or not was around in 1991. I know some people might know that, but thats news to me.The film is about Jim Dodge (Frank Whaley) a typical slacker who applies for a well-paying job, but instead gets to work as the night clean-up boy in Target. On his first shift, his trainer leaves him in a locked store with all the lights off. He says he will come back to unlock the door at 7 AM. Jim, unwillingly, turns all the lights back on and finishes his duties early then plans to slack around till dawn.He meets Josie McClellan (Jennifer Connelly) a run away girl and typical "spoiled rich girl", who purposely stayed in the store after closing. They then get to know each other, and have some fun while being locked in the store. Till they discover a criminal duo (Dermot Mulroney and Kieran Mulroney) have broken into the store holding the teens hostages. But the tables have really turned.The dialogue in this movie, like most John Hughes Comedies, are funny memorable and quotable lines not used often in current films. Not to mention 80s and 90s morals rarely seen in movies that meet the needs of today's standards."Career Opportunities" was a very overlooked movie when released in theaters. It had minimal commercials, plus with known blockbuster competitors like "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II", "Silence of the Lambs", and "Dances With Wolves" we can see why it did poorly. It's rarely spoken about, and only seen in the five dollar bin. Thats the last place it needs to be.Starring: Frank Whaley, Jennifer Connelly, Dermot Mulroney, and, Kieran Mulroney. Directed by: Bryan Gordon.