The kind of time travel fun film you can see again and again!!!

Rating: 8/10 (13 August 2006)

If any film endeared MICHAEL J. FOX to movie audiences, it was BACK TO THE FUTURE ('85). He was an inspired choice to play Marty McFly, who meets up with crazy wizard scientist Doc Brown (CHRISTOPHER LLOYD) and finds himself living in small-town USA circa 1955 where he discovers that he must arrange a match between his parents who haven't yet connected.
Lloyd plays Doc with wild-eyed enthusiasm, a stroke of genius for such an over-the-top kind of role. Completely in harmony with him is CRISPIN GLOVER as Marty's nerdy father, a joy to watch as he completely becomes this character. Then too, an added source of enjoyment is LEAH THOMPSON as Marty's mother/girlfriend who takes part in some of the most innocently funny "incest" routines ever--and somehow, none of it manages to offend. It's all played for laughs and all of it works.
Discovering that another actor originally started the Marty role and was then tossed aside (he was too intense and felt uncomfortable in the role), it's a wise decision that found MICHAEL J. FOX landing the role and keeping the whole story fresh, funny and innocent. He's an actor who tells you with his whole body what he is thinking--and his expressive face gets quite a workout when the plot thickens.
My favorite time travel movie has the wildest climax imaginable, all very clever and full of inventive surprises. Don't miss this one.
And last but not least: Thomas F. Wilson makes a great "Biff", the town bully whose mere physical presence threatens to dominate many a scene.
All of the action is directed at a frantic pace by Robert Zemeckis.