Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Career Opportunities Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 18, 2023

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

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 ethics isn’t a priority for him because he does not have any serious expenses. He might have 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 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 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Career Opportunities arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

In the United States, Career Opportunities made its high-definition debut with this release from Kino Lorber in 2021. It was sourced from an older but very solid master that was supplied by Universal Pictures. This Australian release is sourced from the same master. Needless to say, I like how the film looks quite a lot. Delineation, clarity, and depth are consistently very pleasing, so even on a very large screen the visuals look lovely. When the action moves to the Target store, several darker sequences reveal very light crushing, but I still think that darker nuances are quite nice. Also, the density levels are very solid. Color balance is very convincing. A few minor adjustments can be made to strengthen select nuances, but the primaries are great. Image stability is excellent. There are no age-related imperfections. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Career Opportunities Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.

There are no issues to report. Clarity, sharpness, and stability are excellent. The upper register is very healthy. There is plenty of great music throughout the film that sounds really good too, though you should not expect to hear impressive dynamic intensity.

Career Opportunities Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - two original trailers for Career Opportunities. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new 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, Mr. Gordon spends quite a bit of time discussing the main characters in the film and the dilemmas they face.

• "Interior, Night" - in this exclusive new 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. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

• "Crafting Criminals" - in this exclusive new 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. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• Booklet - 40-page illustrated booklet with essay and technical specs.

Career Opportunities 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 release of Career Opportunity is sourced from the same solid master that the folks at Kino Lorber worked with to produce their North American release in 2021. However, it has very nice, exclusive new programs with director Brian Gordon, cinematographer Donald McAlpine, and Kieran and Dermont Mulroney. It is included in Film Focus: Jennifer Connelly, a three-disc box set. RECOMMENDED.