
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, March 30, 1991                   TAG: 9103300337
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CHRIS GLADDEN/ STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

`OPPORTUNITIES' KNOCKS, BUT WRITER FAILS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE

An irresponsible young guy left all alone without supervision who takes advantage of the situation by stuffing himself with candy, playing with all the gadgetry at hand and then imaginatively fending off a couple of bumbling burglars.

"Home Alone," right?

Try "Career Opportunities," a movie written by "Home Alone's" John Hughes. This time, Hughes has added some years to the hero and embellished the story with another one of his plot standbys. There's an across-the-tracks love story as well.

Frank Whaley plays Jim Dodge, a pathological liar who can't keep a job much to the distress of his father. Frank lives at home with his parents - and it.

After being fired from every job in town, he finally is hired by a department store as its night janitor.

On his first night on the job, Frank has a whopping good time with the merchandise - and finds out that there's someone else in the store.

Josie McClellan, played by Jennifer Connelly, came to the store to get arrested for shoplifting thus embarrassing her rich and abusive father. But she looses her nerve and falls asleep in the women's dressing room. Jennifer has long been the object of Frank's fantasies.

Meanwhile, two murdering robbers descend on the store. They're played by brothers Dermot and Kiernan Mulroney.

Directed by Bryan Gordon, "Career Opportunities" has flashes of humor as do most of the movies that involve Hughes. But it's a lesser effort, one that sticks to formula. It almost seems an afterthought to the mega-hit "Home Alone."

Whaley handles his part as the fast-talking, tale-spinning failure well and there's something fresh and touching about his reluctance to leave the nest. Connelly has a screen-dominating bruised beauty but it's hard to tell how good of an actress she is here.

Unfortunately, the Mulroneys fare even worse. Their characters are pond scum to be sure but neither brother shows the comic talents of Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, the hapless burglars of "Home Alone."

The movie is intermittently interesting until they invade the store and it's all downhill from there.

"Career Opportunities": A Paramount picture at Salem Valley 8 (389-0444) and Valley View Mall 6 (362-8219). Rated PG-13 for language and violence; 90 minutes.

by CNB