Career Opportunities

John Hughes, the undisputed king of teenage cinema (Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off), wrote the script for this tale of two misfits who find love in a Target shopping center. Frank Whaley stars as Jim Dodge, a tall tale telling 21-year-old still living at home son (he says the food is excellent and the accommodations are "five star"), whose father gives him an ultimatum--get a job or get out. After landing a prestige position as the "night clean-up boy" at Target, Jim begins sweeping the aisles only to discover a late shopper--rich kid Josie McClellan (Jennifer Connelly). Just as the "kids" from opposite sides of the tracks begin to get to know one another, the film spirals off into cliché--first loading up one musical (let's play with everything in Target) number after another, and then bottoming out with a trite lovers-surprised-by-burglars ending. Whaley, who takes a page out of the Jack Lemmon school of comedy, and Connelly, who was memorable in the quirky Some Girls, both have screen presence. Unfortunately, for either of their careers, this film was not exactly a sterling opportunity. Not recommended. (R. Pitman)