Career Opportunities
He took the job that no one wanted... and got the girl that everyone did.
1991 | 83m | English
Popularity: 3 (history)
| Director: | Bryan Gordon |
|---|---|
| Writer: | John Hughes |
| Staring: |
| Josie, the daughter of the town's wealthiest businessman, faces problems at home and wishes to leave town but is disoriented. Her decision is finalized after she falls asleep in a Target dressing room. She awakens to find herself locked in the store overnight with the janitor, Jim, the town "no hoper" and liar. | |
| Release Date: | Mar 29, 1991 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Bryan Gordon |
| Writer: | John Hughes |
| Genres: | Comedy, Romance |
| Keywords | department store, night shift, roller-skating, liar, janitor, dream girl, blunt, absurd |
| Production Companies | Hughes Entertainment |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $11,336,986
Budget: $6,000,000 |
| Updates |
Updated: Feb 03, 2026 Entered: Apr 13, 2024 |
![Career Opportunities (1991) Original Trailer [FHD]](/extra_thumbs/WW9BFI1ii40.jpg)
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Frank Whaley | Jim Dodge |
| Jennifer Connelly | Josie McClellan |
| Dermot Mulroney | Nestor Pyle |
| Kieran Mulroney | Gil Kinney |
| John M. Jackson | Bud Dodge |
| Jenny O'Hara | Dotty Dodge |
| Noble Willingham | Roger Roy McClellan |
| Nada Despotovich | Penny Dodge |
| Reid Binion | Cal Dodge |
| Barry Corbin | Officer Don |
| Denise Galik | Lorraine |
| Wilbur Fitzgerald | Bob Bosenbeck |
| Dan Albright | Dave Hockner |
| Marc Clement | Otis |
| Andrew Winton | Boy #1 |
| John Candy | C.D. Marsh (uncredited) |
| William Forsythe | Custodian |
| Andy Greenway | Boy #2 |
| RonReaco Lee | Boy #3 |
| Danny Nelson | Gas Station Owner |
| Lou Walker | Farmer in Cafe |
| Benji Wilhoite | Stock Boy |
| Heidi Meyer Gilbert | Girl in Car |
| Troy Gilbert | Boy in Car |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Glenn Farr | Editor |
| Peck Prior | Editor |
| Pat Romano | Stunts |
| Pam Dixon | Casting Director |
| Betsy Cox | Costume Design |
| Karen Koch | Unit Production Manager |
| G. Marq Roswell | Music Supervisor |
| James R. Alexander | Sound Mixer |
| E. Thomas Case | Key Makeup Artist |
| Kaye Pownall | Key Hair Stylist |
| Guy Barnes | Art Direction |
| Kathe Klopp | Set Decoration |
| Ron Payne | Post Production Supervisor |
| Francine Fleishman | Post Production Supervisor |
| Steve Mccroskey | Supervising Music Editor |
| Bruce Stambler | Supervising Sound Editor |
| John Stacy | Supervising Sound Editor |
| Patrick Bietz | Sound Editor |
| Doug Jackson | Sound Editor |
| Glenn Hoskinson | Sound Editor |
| Kim Secrist | Sound Editor |
| Bernard Weiser | Sound Editor |
| Carl Johnson | Electrician |
| Bryan Gordon | Director |
| John Hughes | Writer |
| Thomas Newman | Original Music Composer |
| Donald McAlpine | Director of Photography |
| John Frazier | Special Effects Coordinator |
| Richard Epper | Stunts |
| David Sosna | First Assistant Director |
| Tracy Rosenthal-Newsom | Second Assistant Director |
| Scott Dale | Stunt Coordinator |
| Steven R. Mathis | Gaffer |
| Paul Sylbert | Production Design |
| Carol Neilson Smrz | Stunts |
| Sunny Johnson | Grip |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Hunt Lowry | Producer |
| Lora Lee | Executive Producer |
| Andi Capoziello | Associate Producer |
| Cliff T.E. Roseman | Associate Producer |
| John Hughes | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 35 | 53 | 22 |
| 2024 | 5 | 36 | 56 | 23 |
| 2024 | 6 | 32 | 53 | 21 |
| 2024 | 7 | 34 | 54 | 24 |
| 2024 | 8 | 30 | 41 | 22 |
| 2024 | 9 | 33 | 62 | 25 |
| 2024 | 10 | 29 | 49 | 23 |
| 2024 | 11 | 27 | 47 | 20 |
| 2024 | 12 | 26 | 46 | 18 |
| 2025 | 1 | 25 | 42 | 17 |
| 2025 | 2 | 18 | 30 | 4 |
| 2025 | 3 | 8 | 26 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 2025 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 2025 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 2025 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 2025 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| 2025 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 4 |
| 2025 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 4 |
| 2025 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2026 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
Trending Position
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | 826 | 826 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | 551 | 762 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 937 | 958 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 872 | 916 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 108 | 646 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 240 | 680 |
Career Opportunities falls short in several key areas. First, the film never explores Jim and Josie’s school days, leaving their relationship superficial and motivations unclear. Second, it fails to reveal how Jim connected Nestor and Gil to the Salzburg murder, creating a narrative gap. Third, the ... story relies on implausible coincidences: Jim’s overnight shift stretches endlessly as he cleans shelves, watches TV, roller skates, and tries on clothes; the robbers enter and exit freely through an unlocked back door despite Jim being locked inside; and Jim conveniently discovers the safe key in an unremarkable desk drawer with no prior hint. These conveniences strain credibility and weaken the overall impact.
I've heard about this movie thanks to that one meme. But decided to finally watch this John Hughes written rom-com-crime and thought none of it really worked. I didn't buy either Frank Whaley or Jennifer Connelly in their roles nor their time together. I did manage to laugh a couple of times but oth ... erwise this is a pretty bland and forgettable film other than Connelly riding that mechanical horse. If not for Home Alone 3, this might be John Hughes worst written film. **2.5/5**