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Trailer

A Shock to the System

1990Movie1 h 31 minR

ComedyCrime
66
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb6.6Metacritic696.6Rotten Tomatoes70%61%
66
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb6.6Metacritic696.6Rotten Tomatoes70%61%

Summary

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

Good for

  • Friends night
  • Drop-in friendly
  • Thought-provoking

Skip it if

  • You need an uplifting mood

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Cast

24 of 31

Crew

Directed by
Jan Egleson
Written by
Andrew Klavan, Simon Brett
Produced by
Patrick McCormick
Music by
Gary Chang

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

March 23, 1990 · 1 h 31 min · R

Released
March 23, 1990
Runtime
1 h 31 min
Age rating
R
Content
Violence, Strong Language
Genres
Crime, Comedy
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Available in
23 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

Dies Differently in the Adaptation, The Bad Guy Wins, Murder Is the Best Solution +9

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream A Shock to the System?"

Questions about A Shock to the System

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream A Shock to the System?

PhiloThe RokuKanopyFandorPluto TVShout! Factory TVFawesomeCineverse

In the United States, A Shock to the System streams on Philo, Fandor, Midnight Pulp, Shout! Factory, and Cineverse, and it is free with ads on The Roku, Kanopy, Pluto TV, Shout! Factory TV, Fawesome, and Tubi TV. It also streams in 7 other countries.

Is A Shock to the System worth watching?

66
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 66 (IMDb 6.6, Rotten Tomatoes 70%, and Metacritic 69).

Will A Shock to the System make me laugh?

Light

Now and then: the humor is mostly dark humor (7 of 10) and satire (6 of 10).

Will I feel good after watching A Shock to the System?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 6 for melancholy, against 3 for hopefulness.

What tropes does A Shock to the System use?

Dies Differently in the AdaptationThe Bad Guy WinsMurder Is the Best SolutionThe SociopathDriven to SuicideRight Through the WallDeath by AdaptationSecret-KeeperInterplay of Sex and ViolenceMirror CharacterAdaptational Alternate EndingFrom Nobody to Nightmareand 17 more

TV Tropes lists 29 tropes for it, including Dies Differently in the Adaptation, The Bad Guy Wins, and Murder Is the Best Solution.