Career Opportunities 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Career Opportunities 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 25, 2025

Bryan Gordon's "Career Opportunities" (1991) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include audio commentary with Bryan Gordon; recent program with cinematographer Donald McAlpine; recent program with Kieran and Dermont Mulroney; vintage trailer; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Dinner for two

Jim Dodge (Frank Whaley) and his father, Bud (John M. Jackson), have very different philosophies of life. Jim is convinced that it is in his best interest to continue living in the family house because he gets free food and cable there, plus his mother, Dotty (Jenny O’Hara), regularly cleans his room, but his father wants him out. Jim has also been told to get a decent job and learn how to keep it, but work ethic isn’t a priority for him because he does not have any serious expenses. He might have some if he had a car, but he does not need one. Why would he? He gets free rides from his father all the time.

Unwilling to ditch his philosophy of life but determined to calm the nerves of his overworked father, Jim eventually applies for the next ‘new’ job in town -- a night janitor at the one and only Target store. After the polite manager (John Candy) mixes up his identity with that of another incoming manager and offers him a generous contract, which he then promptly retracts, Jim reluctantly agrees to join the Target team. On the following day, he arrives for work in a limo, walks into the store, and after the cranky custodian (William Forsythe) informs him what is expected of him, gets locked inside with a nice big broom.

Also locked inside the store is Josie McClellan (Jennifer Connelly), who has had enough of her very wealthy and very old-fashioned father and left her house for good. Josie has fifty thousand dollars in her purse and plenty of ideas on how to spend the money while regaining her freedom. Hiding in the thick dark shadows of the loading zone and planning to break into the store are robbers Nestor Pyle (Dermot Mulroney) and Gil Kinney (Kieran Mulroney).

Career Opportunities was directed by Bryan Gordon, who worked with a screenplay written by John Hughes. Obviously, the latter’s involvement immediately suggests quality material that should have produced a very familiar type of quality entertainment. (Remember, at the time when Gordon stepped up behind the camera, Hughes had already shot all of his big hits). Sadly, while not a flop, the film simply does not live up to its potential.

There are a couple of reasons for this. The first has to do with its story. It has a decent buildup where Whaley’s character is effectively profiled, but lacks engaging conflicts of the type that Hughes’ best work is known for. Indeed, once it is made clear that he is just a regular loser drifting through life and is content with his existence, which happens very quickly, it becomes awfully difficult to like being in his company. The second has to do with the nature of the lines he is given to recite. Excluding a few hilarious one-liners, they usually confirm very obvious developments in front of Gordon’s camera. The third and arguably most significant one is his inability to properly connect with Connelly’s rebel. Simply put, the chemistry between the two isn’t happening, which is a huge blow considering how much of the film relies on it after the action moves to the closed store. What is needed is authentic intimacy to infuse the film with lightness and romance, and what materializes is essentially a string of occasionally cute but always entirely predictable situations where the loser appears uncomfortable and sporadically even intimidated by the rebel. It is all very unfortunate because Connelly looks lovely and seems to be trying her best to behave in a way that Hughes’ greatest characters do. But as the old saying goes, it takes two to tango, and for some very strange reason, Whaley does not just have trouble figuring out the proper steps, he can't even hear the music.

The short sequences with Candy and Forsythe are actually two of the highlights in the film. However, in the grand scheme of things, both are entirely meaningless.

Career Opportunities 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Kino Lorber's release of Career Opportunities is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".

Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray disc and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

Screencaptures #1-33 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #36-40 are from the 4K Blu-ray.

Career Opportunities made its high-definition debut just a few years ago with this Blu-ray release, also produced by Kino Lorber. I thought that Career Opportunities looked wonderful on it, and I have not changed my mind.

This combo pack introduces a new 4K makeover of Career Opportunities struck from the original camera negative. In native 4K, the 4K makeover can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I chose to view it with Dolby Vision and later spent time with its 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray. I also did various comparisons with the previous Blu-ray release.

The 4K makeover gives Career Opportunities a slightly healthier, more vibrant, richer appearance. In native 4K, the dynamic range of the visuals is improved as well. However, when comparing the 4K makeover, in native 4K or 1080p, and the previous presentation of Career Opportunities, you should not expect to see a dramatic gap in quality like the one that exists between the new 4K makeover of Sneakers and its previous presentation on Blu-ray. It is because the previous presentation of Career Opportunities is very, very solid. For example, there is a lot of darker material with nuanced details that looks very similar in native 4K, and density levels are practically identical. Delineation, clarity, and depth, while improved, are also very similar. There are two areas where the new 4K makeover excels. First, the expanded color gamut produces better ranges of primaries and supporting nuances. I did not notice any significant discrepancies -- all color values are replicated. This is hardly surprising because on the previous presentation color reproduction and balance are wonderful. However, there are small yet meaningful adjustments in the saturation levels. Second, all of these tweaks and improvements result in visuals with a better dynamic range. These improvements are not substantial and all across the film, but they ensure a more convincing presentation of the film. I did not notice any traces of problematic digital corrections. Also, the surface of the visuals is very healthy.

Career Opportunities 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The previous Blu-ray release of Career Opportunities had only a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, which I thought was excellent. So, I decided to view the 4K makeover of Career Opportunities with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. I switched back to the 2.0 track in various areas to see if there are any compelling reasons to recommend the 5.1 track. I do not think there are. Some of the footage from the Target store in the final third of the film possibly has moments that sound a bit richer because the 5.1 track opens them a bit better, but the original soundtrack does not have any material that can impress with outstanding surround movement. The dialog is equally clear and easy to follow. So, you can experiment with the 5.1 track, but the 2.0 track is still an excellent choice to view the film with.

Career Opportunities 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - this recent audio commentary was recorded by director Bryan Gordon. It features plenty of recollections about the production of Career Opportunities (there are a few short but very interesting comments about Pablo Ferro, who created the titles for the film), the casting choices and interactions with the actors, and some changes that were made as requested by the studio. Also, Gordon reveals how John Hughes was able to bring John Candy on board and what it was like to work with both. The commentary was commissioned for Australian label Imprint Films' release of Career Opportunities in 2025.

• Commentary Two - this audio commentary was recorded by Chicago Critics Film Festival Producer Erik Childress. The bulk of the information that is shared here addresses the qualities of various characters in Career Opportunities, the evolution of the relationship between Jim and Josie, what makes the two similar and very different, the environment in which they are placed, etc.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - this recent audio commentary was recorded by director Bryan Gordon. It features plenty of recollections about the production of Career Opportunities (there are a few short but very interesting comments about Pablo Ferro, who created the titles for the film), the casting choices and interactions with the actors, and some changes that were made as requested by the studio. Also, Gordon reveals how John Hughes was able to bring John Candy on board and what it was like to work with both. The commentary was commissioned for Australian label Imprint Films' release of Career Opportunities in 2025.

• Commentary Two - this audio commentary was recorded by Chicago Critics Film Festival Producer Erik Childress. The bulk of the information that is shared here addresses the qualities of various characters in Career Opportunities, the evolution of the relationship between Jim and Josie, what makes the two similar and very different, the environment in which they are placed, etc.

• Crafting Criminals - in this program, Kieran and Dermont Mulroney discuss a silly bet that inspired them to pursue success, their decision to relocate to Los Angeles, and involvement with Career Opportunities. The brothers also explain how Bryan Gordon allowed them to bring 'more BS' to their characters and make them a lot more colorful and exciting. The program was produced for Imprint Films in 2025. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• Interior, Night - in this program, director of photography Donald McAlpine explains how he entered the film business, and discusses Paul Mazursky's (Moscow on the Hudson) impact on the evolution of his career, collaboration with Bryan Gordon on Career Opportunities, and some specific technical choices that were made while shooting on location. The program was produced for Imprint Films in 2025. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for Career Opportunities. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

Career Opportunities 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It is so easy to tell that Career Opportunities does not live up to its potential. Once Frank Whaley and Jennifer Connelly's characters meet in the empty Target store, it begins to look like they are acting in two completely different films, which is why the crucial chemistry that needs to materialize between them never does. I don't think Whaley was the right guy to play the nighttime janitor. Connelly repeatedly dispatches romantic signals in his direction, and they never pop up on his radar, which is the reason why so many of their scenes look so awkward. So, more than likely, you will still have a good time with Career Opportunities, but it will be because of just a few charming moments, not because John Hughes introduced you to yet another motley crew of terrific cinematic characters. This combo pack presents another outstanding new 4K makeover, again prepared at Universal, with a selection of excellent bonus features that Australian label Imprint Films commissioned for its Blu-ray release of Career Opportunities. RECOMMENDED.