He has entertained us as the lovable Alex P. Keaton on the long-running television series Family Ties and the unforgettable Marty McFly on Back to the Future, a cult classic that continues to gain fans worldwide. Even after five decades of captivating viewers on the silver and small screens, Michael J. Fox is not slowing down.
In a new Apple TV+ documentary about the award-winning actor, Fox tells his phenomenal rise to fame from an unknown pint-sized talent to a massive force in the entertainment industry circa the 1980s.
The transparent recounting of his whirlwind journey delves into him being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 29, and how he’s managed to foster a successful career and optimistic attitude in spite of his condition.
Oscar-winning director Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) directs Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, incorporating archival footage, scripted re-enactments, and an exclusive sit-down interview with Fox to make a cohesive and compelling story.
It’s very rare that a documentary can present a perceivable heavy subject in such a lighthearted way, but Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie succeeds in this area for several reasons. The biggest contributor to the overall theme of persevering with optimism is Fox, who chooses to see his journey in a different way, describing himself as a “tough son of a b——.”
It helps that John Powell (Don’t Worry Darling) composes the music of the 95-minute documentary, matching the high-octane energy of Fox’s narrative and adding to the elements of optimism and retrospect in the extraordinary film. Creatively pieced together, prepare to laugh, cry, and consider. Still is easily one of the best documentaries of 2023.
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie can be viewed on Apple TV+.
