It's all about being a man

Rating: Null/10 (20 April 2004)

SPOILERS!! "Back to the Future" underwent a lot of changes. In earlier drafts of the script, the time machine was not a car but more of a chamber or fridge, Marty's mom Lorraine was called Eileen, Doc's pet was a monkey named Shep isntead of a dog named Einstein, George became a boxer instead of a writer and Marty himself had to confront a few federal figures in order to get back to 1985 (originally 1982). But one idea always stayed the same - a son teaching his father how to be a man and get him to hook up with his mother even though the mother is infatuated with her own son or else he and his family won't exist! The film also presents the idea that happiness and manhood are linked.
Because George McFly (Crispin Glover) is unable to stand up for himself, his life is an unhappy one: his house is full of bad furniture, his wife Lorraine (Leah Thompson) is a depressed beer guzzling chain smoker, his son Dave (Marc McClure, Jimmy Olsen of the Superman films) works at a McDonalds, his
daughter Linda has problems with her love life and his younger son Marty (Michael J. Fox), a typical teenager who wants to be a rock star but has doubts about himself, is probably the best of the lot. Meanwhile, George's life long tormentor Biff Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson: "Say hi to your mom for me kid.") is his boss and still pawns off all his work on George, just like when they were in high school. George himself is a middle aged mess of a nerd, and because of this his family, particularly Marty and Lorraine, are unhappy with him.

The only good things Marty has going for him is his girlfriend Jennifer Parker (Claudia Wells) and his eccentric mad scientist pal "Doc" Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd). While video taping Doc's plutonium powered time machine car, things go horribly awry and Marty is transported back to 1955, where he must get help from the 1955 Doc in order to get back to 1985. Unfortunately, Marty screws up his mother and father's first meeting as teenagers, which puts his own existence in danger because if they don't fall in love at the high school dance that was supposed to be their first big date, then he and his siblings won't exist!
This gives Marty the unique chance to be his own dad's mentor and engages in a series of embarrassing attempts to get the beautiful Lorraine and hapless George together. Problem is George is too shy and clumsy to properly talk to people, least of a a beautiful girl like Lorraine, Biff Tannen is also after Lorraine and Lorraine herself is infatuated with her future son Marty! George manages to win Lorraine's sympathy but not her interest, and it doesn't help that Marty has a knack for upstaging his own father, if only to protect both of his parents from Biff. This makes Marty the film's definition of a man: a guy who can stand up for himself.
Fortunately, Lorraine's infatuation with Marty eventually fizzles and George
comes through. When Biff tries to rape Lorraine in a car at the dance, George (as part of a failed plan concocted by Marty) comes to the rescue. The sight of Biff roughing up Lorraine finally angers George enough to fight back and he strikes Biff down with a mighty left hook, which also scores him big points with Lorraine. Striking down Biff is the first step George takes in achieving his manhood and he later cements it when a guy tries to steal Lorraine from him at the dance but he pushes the guy away.
Because of this, George's life in the future is much happier: his house has better furniture, his wife Lorraine is healthier and happier, his son Dave has a better job, daughter Linda has control of her love life and Marty is basically the same except he now has a big truck and Biff no longer has any control over George. This is because George became a writer like he wanted to and is able to provide better for his family. This would imply that manhood and happiness are linked.
Thomas Wilson is an imposing Biff, Fox is an endearing teen hero, and Leah Thompson is both repugnant and adorable as his mom Lorraine. The real standouts though are Christopher Lloyd as Doc and Crispin Glover as George.
Though his intense gaze may be out of place at times, Glover brought something unique to George McFly that made him more than just another underdog. Who would have guessed he'd go on to play so many weird characters? Lloyd is just plain funny.
The ending of the film, where Marty and Jennifer are whisked away to the future by Doc, was NOT a set up for a sequel, it was just another gag.