The Secret Of My Success (1987) DVD Reviews

Starring	Michael J. Fox, Helen Slater, Margaret Whitton, Richard Jordan
Director	Herbert Ross
Genres	Comedy

Critics' reviews (3) of The Secret Of My Success
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Yet another in the seemingly endless parade of lacklustre British comedies, this features James Booth as a naive, garrulous mother's boy who starts the film as a PC and ends up unwittingly helping to overthrow a foreign dictator, becoming a hero in the process. The film owes much to Voltaire's Candide but it's just not very funny, though James Booth is generally worth watching, and Lionel Jeffries gets to play four roles in what was the Kind Hearts and Coronets style then.
- Radio Times
- Posted 29 Jan 2006
An amiable melange of familiar situations with just a touch of Midnight Cowboy and a sharp edge to some of the writing; but not enough to keep its star at the top.
- Halliwell's Film Guide
- Posted 02 Mar 2006
In this, the ultimate yuppie wish-fulfilment movie, Fox plays an enterprising post-room boy who, simply by reading the... read more on Time Out
- Time Out
- Posted 04 Nov 2008
Most helpful members' reviews (3) of The Secret Of My Success
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

80s magic with Teenwolf himself

Come on!!!!! What a feel good, New york, 80s, capitalist, reminds you of when you were a kid and everything was happy type film!!! Michael J. Fox does what he does best in his cheeky, opportunist way. This is Ferris Bueller's Day Off vs. Wall Street. This film was made in a time when New York was the centre of the world. No-one cared about Al-Qaeda and Iraq, people just wanted to watch Teenwolf and the A-Team and Knight Rider. Things made sense back then.

The soundtrack is just unbelievable. More 80s Karate-Kidesque American feel good rock songs than a Kiss world tour. Seriously, if you ever feel miserable, or it's hammering it down with rain on a cold winter's night, then stick this little gem in your dvd player and you'll be smiling in no time.

BRING BACK THE 80s !!!!!!
- - Tom Pope from Brighton
  - Posted 13 Apr 2007 10:56
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

Entertaining nonsense...

...staring Michael J Fox as a country boy who moves to NYC after graduating college only to find that he can't get a job. Throwing himself on the (almost non-existant) mercy of his distant 'uncle' Howard, the head of the Pemrose corporation, he gets a job in the mail room only to appropriate an empty office and pass himself off as a new executive who (of course), has all the answers on how to save the ailing company if only everyone else would listen to him, and trying to keep his boss (or anyone else) from catching him. As if this isn't enough, he is also falling in love with Helen Slater and trying to convince her that his ideas are correct both for the company and for the two of them. I won't explain the complex relationships as watching them unravel is half the fun, leading to a truly farcical conclusion at a house party. This film is supremely light-minded fluff but it is also an amusing way to waste a couple of hours.
- - A customer from North Shields, England
  - Posted 12 Jan 2005 23:53
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

Great 80s movie!!!

Micheal J. Fox's best years. See him in his full glory in this film.

Real good story, nice shots of New York.

Terrible hair cuts, terrible 80s music.

Go 4 it, go rent it!

:)
- - Patrick from UK
  - Posted 21 Jul 2004 21:58
Most recent members' reviews (2) of The Secret Of My Success
View all
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

Entertaining nonsense...

...staring Michael J Fox as a country boy who moves to NYC after graduating college only to find that he can't get a job. Throwing himself on the (almost non-existant) mercy of his distant 'uncle' Howard, the head of the Pemrose corporation, he gets a job in the mail room only to appropriate an empty office and pass himself off as a new executive who (of course), has all the answers on how to save the ailing company if only everyone else would listen to him, and trying to keep his boss (or anyone else) from catching him. As if this isn't enough, he is also falling in love with Helen Slater and trying to convince her that his ideas are correct both for the company and for the two of them. I won't explain the complex relationships as watching them unravel is half the fun, leading to a truly farcical conclusion at a house party. This film is supremely light-minded fluff but it is also an amusing way to waste a couple of hours.
- - A customer from North Shields, England
  - Posted 12 Jan 2005 23:53
SHOULDER PADS Galore

This is one of my all time fave films I love this Michael J Fox is at his best.
- - A customer from UK
  - Posted 29 Nov 2005 10:28

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

80s magic with Teenwolf himself

Come on!!!!! What a feel good, New york, 80s, capitalist, reminds you of when you were a kid and everything was happy type film!!! Michael J. Fox does what he does best in his cheeky, opportunist way. This is Ferris Bueller's Day Off vs. Wall Street. This film was made in a time when New York was the centre of the world. No-one cared about Al-Qaeda and Iraq, people just wanted to watch Teenwolf and the A-Team and Knight Rider. Things made sense back then.

The soundtrack is just unbelievable. More 80s Karate-Kidesque American feel good rock songs than a Kiss world tour. Seriously, if you ever feel miserable, or it's hammering it down with rain on a cold winter's night, then stick this little gem in your dvd player and you'll be smiling in no time.

BRING BACK THE 80s !!!!!!
- - Tom Pope from Brighton
  - Posted 13 Apr 2007 10:56
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

Entertaining nonsense...

...staring Michael J Fox as a country boy who moves to NYC after graduating college only to find that he can't get a job. Throwing himself on the (almost non-existant) mercy of his distant 'uncle' Howard, the head of the Pemrose corporation, he gets a job in the mail room only to appropriate an empty office and pass himself off as a new executive who (of course), has all the answers on how to save the ailing company if only everyone else would listen to him, and trying to keep his boss (or anyone else) from catching him. As if this isn't enough, he is also falling in love with Helen Slater and trying to convince her that his ideas are correct both for the company and for the two of them. I won't explain the complex relationships as watching them unravel is half the fun, leading to a truly farcical conclusion at a house party. This film is supremely light-minded fluff but it is also an amusing way to waste a couple of hours.
- - A customer from North Shields, England
  - Posted 12 Jan 2005 23:53
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

Great 80s movie!!!

Micheal J. Fox's best years. See him in his full glory in this film.

Real good story, nice shots of New York.

Terrible hair cuts, terrible 80s music.

Go 4 it, go rent it!

:)
- - Patrick from UK
  - Posted 21 Jul 2004 21:58
They don't make them like they used to.

This film proves that movies just aren't the same anymore, with this very original script, complete with it's eighties hairdo's and groovy soundtrack this makes for compelling watching; although it may seem a little outdated. Fox is on his usual top form and he is supported by a good cast and a witty script. family viewing
- - Minty from Midlands
  - Posted 17 Jan 2004 10:49
Just Excellent...

Gr8 Film even 18 Years on...nuff said!
- - Mark Barton from kent
  - Posted 11 Jun 2005 18:43
SHOULDER PADS Galore

This is one of my all time fave films I love this Michael J Fox is at his best.
- - A customer from UK
  - Posted 29 Nov 2005 10:28
Classic 80's

This is just one of those great feel good movies that the 80's were full of. There’s no Oscar winning performance and no mind compelling story line, just a nice, comical, heart warming film were the under dog takes on New York finishes on top and gets the good looking girl with the huge shoulder pads on the way.

Michael j. fox is our hero and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in a bad film so you know you’re on to a winner. A good film for all!!!!
- - pitpat from west yorkshire
  - Posted 22 Jan 2004 19:51

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Critics' reviews (3)
Yet another in the seemingly endless parade of lacklustre British comedies, this features James Booth as a naive, garrulous mother's boy who starts the film as a PC and ends up unwittingly helping to overthrow a foreign dictator, becoming a hero in the process. The film owes much to Voltaire's Candide but it's just not very funny, though James Booth is generally worth watching, and Lionel Jeffries gets to play four roles in what was the Kind Hearts and Coronets style then.
- Radio Times
- Posted 29 Jan 2006
An amiable melange of familiar situations with just a touch of Midnight Cowboy and a sharp edge to some of the writing; but not enough to keep its star at the top.
- Halliwell's Film Guide
- Posted 02 Mar 2006
In this, the ultimate yuppie wish-fulfilment movie, Fox plays an enterprising post-room boy who, simply by reading the... read more on Time Out
- Time Out
- Posted 04 Nov 2008