Home
TV Shows
Movies
Watchlist
AI Recommendations

A Shock to the System (1990)

Climbing the corporate ladder can be murder.

CrimeComedy

When experienced advertising executive Graham Marshall loses out on a promotion to a young man, he goes down in a path of vengeance.

Release Date
March 23, 1990
Runtime
1h 31m
Rating
6.5/10 (143 votes)

Director: Jan Egleson

Cast: Michael Caine, Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Riegert, Swoosie Kurtz, Will Patton, Jenny Wright, John McMartin, Barbara Baxley

Production: Brigand Films
new york citybased on novel or booksailinglightermurderelectrocutionadvertising executiveadvertising agencymadison avenuecorporate ladder
IMDb
Full Cast (46 people)

Recommended Movies

Similar Movies

Reviews

John Chard - 9/10

Graham has had enough of getting the shaft… A Shock to the System is directed by Jan Egleson and adapted to screenplay by Andrew Klavan from the novel written by Simon Brett. It stars Michael Caine, Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Riegert, Will Patton and Swoosie Kurtz. Music is by Gary Chang and cinematography by Paul Goldsmith. Graham Marshall (Caine) is once again overlooked for promotion and o...

November 15, 2014

CinemaSerf - 7/10

I enjoyed this. "Graham" (Michael Caine) gets a bit narked when he is overlooked for promotion at work. When he heads home, he realises that that is just the beginning of his irritations - his wife "Leslie" (Swoosie Kurtz) nags him relentlessly! What to do? Well, his house has some dodgy electrics and whilst trying to restore the lights, he gets a mild electric shock. His "Eureka" moment is upon h...

August 26, 2023

kevin2019 - 8/10

"A Shock to the System" is one of those films where you eventually find yourself rooting for the character - in this case Graham Marshall - who would ordinarily be considered the bad guy, especially in light of the fact he proceeds to murder all the key figures in his life who have gradually become obstacles frustrating his efforts at every turn to achieve his full professional potential. This exc...

March 2, 2026

A Shock to the System

A Shock to the System

Climbing the corporate ladder can be murder.

Climbing the corporate ladder can be murder.

6.5
91 min

When experienced advertising executive Graham Marshall loses out on a promotion to a young man, he goes down in a path of vengeance.

Share:

Sign in to track your movie progress

Production Info
StatusReleased
Original LanguageEnglish
Release Date3/23/1990
Director & Writers

Directed by

Written by

Produced by

Production Companies

Spoken Languages

Production Countries

Rate & Review

Sign in to rate and review

Cast

Michael Caine

as Graham Marshall

Elizabeth McGovern

as Stella Anderson

Peter Riegert

as Robert Benham

Swoosie Kurtz

as Leslie Marshall

Will Patton

as Lt. Laker

Jenny Wright

as Melanie O'Conner

John McMartin

as George Brewster

Barbara Baxley

as Lillian

More from Jan Egleson

Images

A Shock to the System poster
Poster
A Shock to the System backdrop
Backdrop

Videos

A Shock To The System (1990) - Official Trailer

Trailer

Similar Movies

Get Shorty
Watch Now

Get Shorty

6.5
Gigli
Watch Now

Gigli

4.0
A Life Less Ordinary
Watch Now

A Life Less Ordinary

6.1
Let's Talk It Over
Watch Now

Let's Talk It Over

10.0
Untraceable
Watch Now

Untraceable

6.2
You Kill Me
Watch Now

You Kill Me

6.1
Sleep Sweet, My Darling
Watch Now

Sleep Sweet, My Darling

6.8
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Watch Now

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

7.5

More Like This

Phone Booth
Watch Now

Phone Booth

6.9
The Killer
Watch Now

The Killer

6.6
The Woman in the Window
Watch Now

The Woman in the Window

6.0
Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer
Watch Now

Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer

6.9
Q & A
Watch Now

Q & A

5.9
The Specialist
Watch Now

The Specialist

5.9
The Big Heat
Watch Now

The Big Heat

7.7
Killing Them Softly
Watch Now

Killing Them Softly

6.0
The Anderson Tapes
Watch Now

The Anderson Tapes

6.1
Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman
Watch Now

Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman

6.7
The Number 23
Watch Now

The Number 23

6.4
Reasonable Doubt
Watch Now

Reasonable Doubt

5.8

Similar but Different

AI-curated picks that share the same spirit as A Shock to the System but with an unexpected twist — different era, country, tone, or perspective.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is A Shock to the System about?

When experienced advertising executive Graham Marshall loses out on a promotion to a young man, he goes down in a path of vengeance.

How long is A Shock to the System?

1h 31m

When was A Shock to the System released?

March 23, 1990

Who directed A Shock to the System?

Jan Egleson

Who stars in A Shock to the System?

Michael Caine, Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Riegert

What genre is A Shock to the System?

Crime, Comedy

What is A Shock to the System rated?

R

Is A Shock to the System available to stream?

Yes, on Fandor and Philo