A Shock to the System Movie Review

There are actors who reach the stage in their careers when they telephone in their performances. Then there is Michael Caine, who tackles each new role with the hunger of a beginner whose career depended on every movie he makes. Jan Egleson's A Shock to the System is vintage Caine. Surrounded by an excellent supporting cast, he outacts everyone on screen with fine character shadings and total attention to detail. He's the only actor I know who even seems to act with the nerve endings of his teeth! Andrew Klavan's clever screenplay is based on a novel by Simon Brett, the only flaw being its logical, but rather flat conclusion. This may be partly due to the competent but not especially sizzling performance of Will Patton as Caine's nemesis. The rest of the well-chosen cast includes Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Riegert, Swoosie Kurtz, Jenny Wright, John McMartin, and the late, great Barbara Baxley. WITHOUT Michael Caine, this wicked tale of a frustrated businessman's cool plan to eliminate all the obstacles to his success might seem like a padded mystery of the week for television. But Michael Caine's hypnotic performance gives A Shock to the System its claustrophobic atmosphere and charges the narrative with its driving force.

1990 (R) 88m/C Michael Caine, Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Riegert, Swoosie Kurtz, Will Patton, Jenny Wright, John McMartin, Barbara Baxley; D: Jan Egleson; W: Andrew Klavan; C: Paul Goldsmith; M: Gary Chang. VHS, LV, Closed Caption