The quintessential eighties time capsule

Rating: 9/10 (23 December 2004)

Back to the Future is the quintessential eighties movie. It's over the top, kitschy, silly and lots of fun; pretty much what eighties movie making was all about. However, despite being an eighties time capsule; this movie is still well received to this day and will continue to be fun for cinema audiences for generations to come. The reason? Because in spite of being a predominantly fun flick; Back to the Future is a complete piece of cinema. It has it's heart in the right place, it's very funny, it draws themes and parallels from how times have changed, it has interesting characters that you can feel for and it's a lot of fun. Back to the Future is a masterpiece in it's field for all these reasons. We follow Marty McFly; a young slacker who is good friends with a genius inventor, Doc Brown. The fun starts when Dr Brown invents a time machine from a Delorian automobile and after certain events transpire, Marty finds himself in 1955...with his parents as teenagers and without any means to get back to 1985.
The idea of going back in time and meeting your parents when they were young is an intriguing one for sure, and this film makes best use of that fascinating (not to mention hilarious) idea, as Marty finds himself the object of his mother's affections. This sort of premise writes itself, and it's so delicious that there's no way it can fail, and fail is anything but what it does. This situation that the movie creates proves itself to be constantly entertaining and the film draws most of it's jokes and parodies from it. The film also details how the things we do can have massive repercussions on our future; but again, it does it with a huge smile on it's face. I'm a big believer that movies don't have to be entirely serious to have a point, and this movie proves that. Also of note is the way that Back to the Future draws parallels between how things were, and how they have changed. It's just little things, like the way Doc Brown confusingly asks if there's a gravity problem in the future after Marty's continual references to events being 'heavy'.
Michael J. Fox stars as Marty McFly and does a great job with it. This actor was born to play this role; he completely looks and acts the part that you would expect this character to be, and for that reason; he is one of the finest casting choices of all time. Just like the Delorian motor company, Fox never got another good gig after this film, which is an ode to how well cast he was. Also like Fox, Christopher Lloyd's role in this film was the making - and the ending - of his career. He is so magnificent and so well fit to the role of the Doc that it's hard to imagine him doing any other type of role. It's a shame for him, but a treat for the audience. Further great castings include Crispin Glover as Marty's dad, George and Lea Thompson, who is all smiles and sweetness as his not bad looking at all, mother.
Back to the Future is, if you'll excuse the pun, a timeless classic. It is fit to be enjoyed by people of all ages and generations, and the fact that it's very much an eighties movie never gets in it's way.