Climbing the corporate ladder can be murder.
When experienced advertising executive Graham Marshall loses out on a promotion to a young man, he goes down in a path of vengeance.
A Shock to the System (1990) is a crime and comedy film directed by Jan Egleson, released on March 23, 1990 with a runtime of 1h 31m. It stars Michael Caine, Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Riegert and Swoosie Kurtz. Viewers rate it 6.5 out of 10 across 152 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for A Shock to the System before you stream it.
Michael Caine
as Graham Marshall
Elizabeth McGovern
as Stella Anderson
Peter Riegert
as Robert Benham
Swoosie Kurtz
as Leslie Marshall
Will Patton
as Lieutenant Laker
Jenny Wright
as Melanie O'Conner
John McMartin
as George Brewster
Barbara Baxley
as Lillian
Haviland Morris
as Tara Liston
Philip Moon
as Henry Park
Kent Broadhurst
as Executive #1
Zach Grenier
as Executive #2
Directed by Jan Egleson, written by Simon Brett and Andrew Klavan, produced by Patrick McCormick.
Average viewer score of 6.5/10 from 152 ratings.
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 once again his harpy wife…
Reviewed on November 15, 2014
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 him - he can just…
Reviewed on August 26, 2023
"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 excellent film has…
Reviewed on March 2, 2026
2003
2021
2023
1990
2025
2012
1953
2014
1971
2025
2025
2015
2021
2011
2007
2015
2013
2026
2026
1995
2024
1984
1995
2002
1992
2004
1966
1990
2007
1973
1983
1985
1993
2006
2002
1961
2019
Movie
2021
2019
A Shock to the System (1990) is available to stream on Philo, Fandor, Fandor Amazon Channel, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel and Cineverse Amazon Channel, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of A Shock to the System (1990) includes Michael Caine, Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Riegert, Swoosie Kurtz and Will Patton. The film was directed by Jan Egleson. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
A Shock to the System was released on March 23, 1990 and runs for 1h 31m.
A Shock to the System (1990) holds an average rating of 6.5 out of 10 from 152 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy crime and comedy films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official A Shock to the System trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
