The Secret of My Success
Seen it?1987 | 111 min | Comedy
Weeknight WatchWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
It made about 9 times its budget, but middling reviews (51% on Rotten Tomatoes) held it back. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
- The mood
- Light and funny.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 51 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.
Brantley Foster, a well-educated kid from Kansas, has always dreamed of making it big in New York City, but once there, he learns that jobs - and girls - are hard to get. When he visits his uncle, Howard Prescott, who runs a multi-million-dollar company, he is given a job in the mail room.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsBelow par
51% on Rotten Tomatoes, 36 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.5 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$111 million worldwide on a $12 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 161K people sought it out in the past year, and interest is climbing
Trailer
More like this
Bullets Over Broadway
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed comedy.
Tower Heist Weeknight WatchAnother comedy, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Oscar Weeknight WatchAnother comedy, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
The Distinguished Gentleman
Monday Morning MaybeAnother comedy. Fair warning: it's a Monday Morning Maybe.
Thunderstruck Monday Morning MaybeAnother comedy. Fair warning: it's a Monday Morning Maybe.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Herbert Ross
- Michael J. FoxBrantley Foster aka Carlton Whitfield
- Helen SlaterChristy Wills
- Richard JordanHoward Prescott
- Margaret WhittonVera Prescott
- John PankowFred Melrose
- Christopher MurneyBarney Rattigan
- Gerry BammanArt Thomas
- Fred GwynneDonald Davenport
- Carol Ann SusiJean
- Elizabeth FranzGrace Foster