A Shock to the System

R

1990

1h 31m

Mystery & Thriller

Comedy

List

70%

33 Reviews

Tomatometer

62%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

When experienced advertising executive Graham Marshall (Michael Caine) loses out on a promotion to a younger man, the situation inadvertently leads him to cause a subway accident in which a homeless man is killed. Discovering that there are no consequences to this incident, Marshall begins plotting revenge on anyone who has wronged him, and even his longtime wife, Leslie (Swoosie Kurtz), isn't safe. How far will Marshall travel down this path of vengeance?

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Critics Consensus

Aided by Michael Caine's finely layered performance, A Shock to the System finds dark comedy in the cutthroat modern business world.

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Audience Member

another one of the great Michael Caine's earliest works based on the book by Simon Brett he plays a businessman Graham Marshall with a rocky existence; his home is in disrepair, his marriage is falling apart, his job is going nowhere, and he's ted up with it all so what's someone like him to do when all is against this man? take revenge of course among all those whom have wronged Graham To be frank Caine is the best thing in this. He's terrific but I thought the movie was too much of a slow burner. Still nerve wracking seeing a businessman crack and making all those whom have wronged him pay. He actually does narrate the entire thing from his voice but as if this character was completely made on his own. Almost anyone will do what they can to get away from scrapping at the bottom and come out on top. Most of us if not all of us get a shock to our system of learning, living, and understanding. Our minds may be re-worked entirely because of how much resentment is built up over time we'd kill to have it change. Nothing too groundbreaking here but Caine really plays that unstable blue collar official with such class and mysterious mindset.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/24/24

Full Review

Audience Member

another one of the great Michael Caine's earliest works based on the book by Simon Brett he plays a businessman Graham Marshall with a rocky existence; his home is in disrepair, his marriage is falling apart, his job is going nowhere, and he's fed up with it all so what's someone like him to do when all is against this man? take revenge of course among all those whom have wronged Graham To be frank Caine is the best thing in this. He's terrific but I thought the movie was too much of a slow burner. Still nerve wracking seeing a businessman crack and making all those whom have wronged him pay. He actually does narrate the entire thing from his voice but as if this character was completely made on his own. Almost anyone will do what they can to get away from scrapping at the bottom and come out on top. Most of us if not all of us get a shock to our system of learning, living, and understanding. Our minds may be re-worked entirely because of how much resentment is built up over time we’d kill to have it change. Nothing too groundbreaking here but Caine really plays that unstable blue collar official with such class and mysterious mindset.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/24/23

Full Review

jelisije j

Talk about a man going to the dark side when things don't go his way.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

another one of the great Michael Caine's earliest works based on the book by Simon Brett he plays a businessman Graham Marshall with a rocky existence; his home is in disrepair, his marriage is falling apart, his job is going nowhere, and he's fed up with it all so what's someone like him to do when all is against this man? take revenge of course among all those whom have wronged Graham To be frank Caine is the best thing in this. He's terrific but I thought the movie was too much of a slow burner. Still nerve wracking seeing a businessman crack and making all those whom have wronged him pay. He actually does narrate the entire thing from his voice but as if this character was completely made on his own. Almost anyone will do what they can to get away from scrapping at the bottom and come out on top. Most of us if not all of us get a shock to our system of learning, living, and understanding. Our minds may be re-worked entirely because of how much resentment is built up over time we'd kill to have it change. Nothing too groundbreaking here but Caine really plays that unstable blue collar official with such class and mysterious mindset.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is a great whodunit without a twist. Still holds up well decades later.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

AIt is like breaze after midnight under full moon. I want repeat this film again and again.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

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Jan Egleson

Director

Michael Caine

Graham Marshall

Elizabeth McGovern

Stella Anderson

Peter Riegert

Robert Benham

Swoosie Kurtz

Leslie Marshall

Will Patton

Lt. Laker

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Peter Rainer

Los Angeles Times

What's remarkable is that you come away from the movie laughing at Graham's murderous indiscretions and yet you're frightened by them too. Caine makes you taste the ashes in this black comedy.

Apr 9, 2021

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Tribune

What might have seemed bafflingly inconsistent behavior in the hands of a lesser performer is here synthesized by Caine's relaxed and subtle work into a more complex characterization.

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 9, 2021

Full Review

Ryan Murphy

Miami Herald

Sleek and brimming with giddy cruelty, A Shock to the System has more unexpected turns and twists than the hedge labyrinth in The Shining.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 9, 2021

Full Review

Christopher Tookey

Sunday Telegraph (UK)

Elizabeth McGovern is so charming as Caine's lover that the ending becomes unintentionally disconcerting, if not downright disappointing. But there are many worse ways of spending 90 minutes.

Oct 17, 2023

Full Review

Madeleine Harmsworth

Sunday Mirror (UK)

A thoroughly amoral, wickedly funny and very black comedy-thriller, with some sharp scenes on cut-throat office politics.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 17, 2023

Full Review

Terry Francis

Southern Voice (Atlanta)

A deceptively small, wickedly funny black comedy.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 9, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

When experienced advertising executive Graham Marshall (Michael Caine) loses out on a promotion to a younger man, the situation inadvertently leads him to cause a subway accident in which a homeless man is killed. Discovering that there are no consequences to this incident, Marshall begins plotting revenge on anyone who has wronged him, and even his longtime wife, Leslie (Swoosie Kurtz), isn't safe. How far will Marshall travel down this path of vengeance?

Director: Jan Egleson
Producer: Leslie Morgan
Screenwriter: Andrew Klavan
Production Co: Brigand Films
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 3, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.0M
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Surround

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