Crime

Comedy

A Shock to the System

Brigand Films

United States of America

English

Michael Caine

Elizabeth McGovern

Peter Riegert

Swoosie Kurtz

Will Patton

Jenny Wright

John McMartin

Barbara Baxley

Haviland Morris

Philip Moon

Kent Broadhurst

Zach Grenier

David Schramm

Sam Schacht

Christopher Durang

Mia Dillon

Alice Haining

Patience Moore

Darrell Wilks

Scotty Bloch

Kim Staunton

Alicia Hoge

Mike Cicchetti

Rick Petrucelli

Victor Truro

Rik Colitti

Mike Starr

Miguel Pérez

John Finn

Tyrone Jackson

Marie Sylvia

Samuel L. Jackson

Jonathan Freeman

Elizabeth Moran

Joe Zaloom

Socorro Santiago

Welker White

Frank Ferrara Sr.

Sheila Stainback

Jim Dratfield

Fred Ephraim

Garry Goodrow

David H. Kramer

Angela Pietropinto

Craig Sechler

Louise Williams

Jan Egleson

Patrick McCormick

David V. Picker

Ady Cohen

Paul Goldsmith

Simon Brett

Andrew Klavan

Alice Arlen

Howard Cummings

John Dunn

William M. Anderson

Mary Colquhoun

Bob Shaw

Robert J. Franco

Gary Chang

Peter C. Frank

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 (Kurtz) belittles him.Then a heated exchange at the train station results in the accidental death of a beggar, and he gets away with it, something which gives Graham some devilish thoughts, one of Satan's light bulbs ignited above his head.

By his own admission Michael Caine has readily done films just to pay the bills or build a new house. His success ratio as per great films and performances to bad films and tired performances probably stacks up as 1 in 10, consider this, in this same year he made Bullseye! What we do know though, is that when he gets it right he knocks it out the park and thus makes all his bad films easy to forgive.

A Shock to the System is an under valued film on his CV, a brilliantly constructed black comedy that finds Caine effortlessly shifting through the emotional gears. From beat down Milquetoast to ruthless killer with a glint in his eye, Caine plays it to perfection. There's stabs of humour along the way, Caine a natural at this of course, and he even gets a young love interest in the form of the unbelievably cute Lizzie McGovern. Interesting to note that Graham's sex life improves greatly once the killing begins!

Driven by an antagonist who toys with the audiences sympathies and moral repulsions, this is a film that's deserving of greater exposure and is ripe for re-evaluation. Great film, great Caine. 9/10

CinemaSerf

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 eliminate those who stand in his way, or annoy the hell out of him... What now ensues is a short series of cleverly thought out, well, "accidents" that enable him to rid himself of his wife and to occupy that all important corner office at work. Can he get away with it? The thing about Caine's performance here is that it engenders sympathy. You feel for the man - and I was certainly egging him on as his shenanigans start to attract the attentions of others - not least the insurance company inspector who is looking at their domestic wiring. Not even 90 minutes long, this flies by - good efforts from Caine, the usually rather bland Elizabeth McGovern, Kurtz and Peter Riegert as the smarmy, corporate man who stole his chair in the first place. Not laugh a minute, no - but it does raise a smile and make you wonder just how far you might go, if opportunity presented itself.

A Shock To The System (1990) - Official Trailer

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A Shock to the System

Cast & Crew

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Cast

Michael Caine

Elizabeth McGovern

Peter Riegert

Swoosie Kurtz

Will Patton

Jenny Wright

John McMartin

Barbara Baxley

Haviland Morris

Philip Moon

Box office

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