Film Review – Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (2023)

I remember the day quite well, actually: a typical Sunday in the late 80s heading to visit to my Grandparents with my Mum and little baby brother on the bus that came once an hour and always seemed to take an age. However, the wait was worth it as I knew that some lovely sandwiches, Kit-Kats, and playing with a German Shepherd were just around the corner but despite those treats, it wasn’t my favourite thing about visiting. It was my Grandad’s VHS collection that I always had my eye on: my Uncle’s catalogue – he lived there at the time – contained Hellraiser, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and more, so they would have to wait. My Grandad had the Video Library Cases that Peter Kay always makes fun of and utilised the numbers to keep it organised with an ever-changing paper catalogue of what was what. Here, there were treasures a-plenty but it was Back to the Future that always had a big impact on me.

The adventure, the excitement, the story, the characters, the soundtrack, we all know how perfect the film is but it was Michael J. Fox that perhaps stood out the most as Marty McFly and I was transfixed by him and his performance. His comedic timing was exquisite, his aura was electric, he burst from the screen and, coupled with the film’s magnificence, repeat viewings were a must, even more so with Part II which I ended up renting almost every week for a good two or three months. Fox was one of the first movie stars that left an indelible impact on me and so, like many others, the news in 1998 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease seven years prior shook me in a similar way to Christopher Reeve’s tragic accident in 1995.

Here, in his own words, Fox takes us on the journey of being him: from his early starts in the industry as a “jobbing actor” with Ronald McDonald as his personal caterer as he struggled to make a success of his first three years, to his big breakthrough in 1982 with NBC’s Family Ties as loveable rogue Alex P. Keaton. It earnt him Emmy and Golden Globe recognition, and onwards into the past and future with Christopher Lloyd in the little time-travel movie that could. “The trembling was a message from the future…” recounts Fox in the opening moments of the film after a long night of partying with Woody Harrelson – who worked with him on 1991 Doc Hollywood, the film they were shooting when he got his diagnosis from doctors. His pinky finger sent a signal that would, at just 29, change his life but in those moments of darkness, anxiety, and depression, Fox’s natural persona to bring humour helped him through it all and, as he talks about extensively in the film, he was going to find a way, and his personal triumphs since have made him a trailblazer for many.

And in Guggenheim’s hands, who blends real footage and reconstructions, it’s able to go further than any standard true story documentary ever could, creating an uplifting tale of courage and strength that’s as funny and warm as anything Fox has done. As the title suggests, it really does feel like a Michael J. Fox film, and for that, and all the joy he has given us, we are eternally grateful.

★★★★

2023 | Documentary | Apple | Streaming from May 12th | Dir: Davis Guggenheim | Michael J. Fox

About the Author

Scott J. Davis

Administrator

Editor of The People's Movies for a year and a half, Scott has over 13 years of experience as a film writer and critic, writing for such sites as Digital Spy, Sci-Fi Now, Yahoo Movies UK, Flickering Myth, and more. He is also a retired interviewer and red carpet reporter for HeyUGuys since 2016, where he has attended hundreds of junkets and premieres, interviewing a range of talent from Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington, Jennifer Lawrence, Samuel L. Jackson, Guillermo del Toro, Martin Scorsese, Jim Carrey, Emily Blunt and many more.

Visit Website View All Posts