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Monday February 17th 2025

Risky Business | 1983

Risky Business location: Linden Avenue, Highjland Park, Illinois
Risky Business location: Joel Goodsen sets up in business: Linden Avenue, Highland Park, Illinois

It’s the go-getting Eighties, greed is good, and when home-alone teen Joel Goodsen (Tom Cruise) gets ripped off while his parents are away, he bounces back by running a lucrative prostitution business.

The film is made around Chicago, where Joel’s neighbourhood is Highland Park, north of the city on the Metra rail line. His school is Highland Park High School, 433 Vine Avenue.

The local diner, in which the teens plan their futures, was Shelton’s Ravinia Grill, 481 Roger Williams Avenue – currently closed – opposite Ravinia Station, Ravinia, one stop south of Highland Park.

Risky Business location: Shelton's, Roger Williams Avenue, Ravinia, Illinois
Risky Business location: the diner: Shelton’s, Roger Williams Avenue, Ravinia, Illinois

The Goodsen family home, where Tom Cruise first shot to megastardom dancing in his underwear to Bob Seger’s Old Time Rock’n’Roll, is 1258 Linden Avenue, Highland Park (please remember this is a private home and respect the owners’ privacy).

Risky Business location: Drake Hotel, Chicago
Risky Business location: Joel meets up with Lana: Drake Hotel, Chicago

Joel has a meeting with hooker Lana (Rebecca De Mornay) in the Palm Court of the Magnificent Mile’s luxurious hotel, the Drake Hotel, 140 East Walton Place, is also featured in My Best Friend’s Wedding and is where faker Andy Garcia lives it up in Accidental Hero (aka Hero).

As things go from bad to worse for Joel, his father’s beloved Porsche slips into the waters of Lake Michigan at the marina of Belmont Harbor.