Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie

May 12, 202380/1005 min
Starring
Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan,
Directed by
Davis Guggenheim
Run Time
1h 35min
Release Date
May 12th, 2023
Overall Score
Rating Summary

     Growing up when I did, there were not many bigger movie stars than Michal J. Fox. While at first he just appeared every week in your living room playing Alex P. Keaton, he soon got up to 88 MPH in a moment that changed his career forever. For the next 16 years he was as big a star as there was, on both the silver screen and on TV, but after he develops a tremor in his pinkie finger, the diagnosis will end up changing his life forever.

                 Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, directed by Davis Guggenheim is a look back at the actor’s triumphs and challenges told by Fox himself. The film has Fox tell his life story, but cleverly interchanges sequences from Fox’s filmography to amplify what he is saying. In doing this it presents a unfiltered and raw look at Fox that only makes you love the actor even more. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when he was 29 years old, but for the longest time kept that a secret. As the disease progressed he would hide it by taking medicine and using smooth tactics on air to disguise it. But eventually he knew he couldn’t hide it anymore. For most of us it has seemed Fox was always a star, but that wasn’t always the case early in his career. Living in an apartment in Beverly Hills, Fox was running out of both options and furniture as he has to sell the latter in order to survive. He had one audition left in him before he would admit defeat, and that audition turned out to be for Family Ties. Originally the show was to focus on the parents, but thanks to some great test audience scores, Fox’s Alex Keaton became the show, and set him up for his next adventure. When things were not working out with Eric Stoltz on Back to the Future, Fox was brought in to replace him, and the rest, as they say is history. What followed was a rocket launch for Fox’s career, that until while filming Doc Holiday where he felt that twitch in his pinky that would bring him back to earth.

                With Still: A Michael J. Fox Story, Guggenheim had an unprecedented amount of access to Fox and his family. With Fox leading the way, you can see why so many people loved him and hold such affection for the movies he did, as he tells his story sincerely. And still show his ever present charm while adding a touch of humor. For me though what stood out the most was Fox’s optimism and his resolve, which remain steadfast, even in the face of the difficulties that come with the disease. All of this leads to a an often emotionally moving film, that engages you as the viewer and reminds you that the actor we have loved for years is still here and is as great as ever.

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