A lot of the charm in "The Secret of My Success" is on its cheesiness; not just the logical stretches in the story, but also in tits unashamedly '80s-ness (the songs, the fashions, the sitcom synth). All of this is just fine by me, but you do have to be willing to just go with it.Everything here rests on the shoulders of Michael J. Fox, trying to make it big from the bottom rung. His charade (wearing 100 hats at once) is where the movie pushes it, but it's also where he shines. His physical comedy is tip-top and he has the boyish charm to pull it off. The first boardroom scene (for me) is the movie's funniest; Fox is run ragged, the abuse that Davis takes is hilarious, everything's working in harmony.It's not until Mercedes Ruehl shows up later in a bit part that the movie is really funny . . . but it's still an enjoyable movie regardless.And just try to imagine this with someone else in the lead. Can't be done, I say.6/10

"The Secret of My Success" is an 1987 film directed by Herb Ross and starring Michael J. Fox, Helen Slater, Margaret Whitton, Richard Jordan, and John Pankow.Fox plays Brantley Foster, a Kansas boy who moves to New York City to make it big, only to find out it's harder than he imagined. He has a few false starts he's the victim of budget cuts on the first day of his new job; in one interview, he's told he has no experience; after beefing up his resume, on his next interview, he's told he's not a minority.Finally he calls a shirttail relative, Uncle Howard (Jordan), whose name he got from his mother, and gets a job in the mail room. He starts reading reports and memos to learn the business. Noticing an office just emptied by a fired employee, he takes it over and calls himself Carlton Whitfield, and does this Superman changing thing in the elevator from his mail room clothes to his suit, and back again. Soon enough, his crush on an executive (Slater), the hankering Howard's wife (Whitton) has for him, and his double identity collide.Amusing film, with Fox's charm driving this somewhat typical '80s look at big business. One of the people reviewing it on this site suggested it's not so crazy to believe someone from the mail room could pose as an executive. As someone who has worked in big business, I have to agree. There is so little real communication and so much departmentalizing that at least for a time, it would be possible. And could this person be smarter than the actual executives? No doubt.Enjoyable if not hilarious, with some good performances, particularly by Fox, Pankow, Whitton, and Carol Ann Susi as Jean, "Carlton's" secretary.

Brantley Foster (Michael J,Fox) is from Kansas, wanting to better himself in the big wide world he hits New York hoping to make it big. However, landing a job in the big apple isn't as easy as he had thought. So turning to a tycoon uncle he literally doesn't know, he lands a job the mail room!. From where Brantley leads a double life as he creates Carlton Whitfield and sets about bluffing his way to the top and into the heart of sexy executive Christy Wills (Helen Slater).Michael J. Fox is on cracking comedy form as the young hero of this 1980s light comedy. It's the sort of 80s film that has managed to break out of that decade and still be enjoyable in this latest, power driven, age. The formula is safe and plays out as expected, and the soundtrack, including notable movie riffs, adds to the high sense of energetic fun on offer. Wafer thin plot be damned, Fox delivers on the star vehicle promise and he in turn is backed up by a smashing turn from Margaret Whitton. Silly, unadulterated fun it be. 7/10

The Secret Of My Success shows what someone with a backbone could accomplish under the most difficult of circumstances. What the Mathew J. Fox character tries to prevent in the film actually happened in real life to my father's multi-billion dollar corporation back in the 1980's! As a result, he, and tens of thousands of other people lost their jobs! Too bad they didn't have someone like the Michael J. Fox character attending their boardroom meetings! It might of saved a lot of people much grief!Beside the interesting story, the chemistry between the actors was fantastic! The soundtrack was one of the very few that's memorable. The sexual situations were plentiful and quite humorous! Parts of Connecticut look exactly like they were portrayed in the film! (Yes, there is a lot of mind-boggling wealth hidden down secluded country roads!) The Secret Of My Success is definitely a home run, and one of my all-time favorite comedies!