Film

The Secret of My Success

Name: The Secret of My Success
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1987
Cast: Michael J. Fox, Helen Slater, Richard Jordan, Margaret Whitton, John Pankow

Comedy
Light-hearted

A scrappy Kansas kid fakes his way up the corporate ladder at his uncle's company, armed with charm, a borrowed suit, and absolutely no qualifications. It's a breezy 80s fantasy about reinvention where the real joke is watching Michael J. Fox talk his way through situations he has no business being in. Pure fun for anyone who enjoys ambition played for laughs.

TMDb rating

3.3

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy screwball farce built on a likable underdog who gets by on nerve in a corporate world, with bright 1980s gloss and a fast, buoyant rhythm.

Skip it if you want sharp, grown-up satire, since this is a light, sugary comedy where the ambition plays as fantasy and the romance is pure sweetness.

What it asks of you: At under two hours, it moves briskly and stays light throughout, asking you to sit back and go along with a cheerful daydream rather than dig into anything heavy.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Working Girl1988

A shrewd, stylish take on the same climb-the-ladder fantasy, but with real stakes. Melanie Griffith plays a secretary with actual intelligence outmaneuvering her superiors—it's sharp where Secret is goofy, and utterly satisfying.

But It's considerably more grounded, which means less of the frothy escapism. If you want pure fantasy, this has more cynicism.

Coming to America1988

Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall navigate New York with fish-out-of-water charm and genuine warmth. Like Secret, it's about disguise and identity, but with far more wit and chemistry between leads. The comedy actually lands.

But Significantly longer, and the tone shifts around the midpoint. Some dated sexual politics that read differently now.

Bachelor Party1984

Tom Hanks before he got serious, in pure 80s comedy excess. It shares Secret's energy and shamelessness—nobody's pretending this is important, just that it's fun. Hanks has real charm under the chaos.

But The humor is extremely broad and juvenile. If you don't laugh within the first five minutes, you probably won't by the end.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Secret of My Success

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Glengarry Glen Ross1992

Both are about talking your way to success, but this asks: at what cost? Where Secret says reinvention is liberating, Glengarry says it's survival.

The dark inverse of Secret's fantasy. Instead of a kid charming his way to the top, watch men destroy themselves trying. David Mamet's ruthless script shows you exactly why the ladder-climbing fantasy exists—and why it's poison.

But It's a brutal, profane one-room play. There's no warmth, no likability, and the only joke is watching predators eat each other.

Ruthless People1986

A heist comedy with real structure and genuine surprises. Danny DeVito and Bette Midler have actual comic timing. It's clever without being smug—the plot actually matters, unlike in Secret.

But Darker and more cynical. The sweetness you get from Fox isn't here; this is comedy from schadenfreude.

Splash1984

Tom Hanks again, this time with genuine romantic chemistry and a story that tracks emotionally. It's got Secret's New York setting and fish-out-of-water setup, but with a genuine heart underneath.

But It's a romantic fantasy, not a comedy-first film. The fantasy elements might feel saccharine if you're in a cynical mood.

3 Men and a Baby1987

Released the same year, it has that exact tone: lightweight, charming, genuinely funny in places without ever pretending to be smart. Leonard Nimoy in a comedic role is worth the price alone.

But The plot contrivances are exhausting once you notice them. Baby movies haven't aged particularly well.

Ghostbusters II1989

A sequel that keeps the original's spirit without the genius, which makes it a direct tonal match for Secret. Everyone's having a good time; it's not trying to be more than it is.

But It's genuinely lazy compared to the first film. You're aware the whole time you're watching something on fumes.

Big1988

The spiritual peak of this kind of identity-swap fantasy. Tom Hanks carries a film by being himself in an absurd situation. It's warm, genuinely clever, and knows exactly what it's doing.

But Everyone knows it and loves it, which might make it feel inevitable. The third act gets sentimental in ways Secret never attempts.

The Man with One Red Shoe1985

Tom Hanks in another mistaken-identity romp. It's slight and amiable, with the same low stakes as Secret and an actual spy plot underneath.

But It's genuinely forgettable. You'll enjoy it while watching and forget it existed by the next day.

Beetlejuice1988

Both hinge on a protagonist using costume and performance to move through worlds they don't belong in. Secret is the straight version; this is what happens when you let your freak flag fly.

Tim Burton's unhinged fantasy about identity and New York. Michael Keaton reinvents himself as a sleazy ghost; the whole film runs on pure performance and costume. It's 1987's Secret of My Success shot through a fever dream.

But It's actively weird and grotesque. The humor is much darker, and if you hate Michael Keaton's voice, you're in for a rough time.

The Apartment1960

Both feature a young man using his apartment and personality to navigate corporate power, but Wilder understands the cost. Secret shows you the fantasy; this shows you the person inside it.

Billy Wilder's masterpiece about a low-level employee weaponizing his position and apartment to climb the ladder. It invented this story—but it's about loneliness, not triumph. Wilder's sympathy is vast, and the ending will surprise you.

But It's 1960. The gender dynamics are what they are. And it's genuinely melancholy under the comedy—don't expect Secret's lightness.