STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE (2023)
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Still: A Childhood Hero Who Remains One for Matt
Matt's response to Still is personal before the documentary begins. Michael J. Fox was a childhood hero through Back to the Future, and that admiration has continued into adulthood. Matt also recalls meeting him, a memory that makes clear why this is more than another celebrity documentary on his watchlist.
What impresses him in the film is how it tells the story. Clips from Fox's screen work become part of the illustration of his life, making the familiar performances do fresh narrative work. Matt likes the inventiveness of that approach and the feeling of watching Fox remain present inside the memories being described.
He responds just as strongly to the humor. The difficulties are visible, but the documentary does not strike him as an exercise in asking the audience for pity. Fox's wit and resilience keep it alive to the person rather than only to what he is facing.
Matt gives the film four stars. He had wondered whether it might become his first perfect-score movie of that year, but the emotional response stops just short of what would take it there. That qualification does not diminish his recommendation to longtime fans or to viewers who know Fox mainly as Marty McFly.
Did the use of Fox's films and television work make the documentary feel more intimate to you? How did its humor shape the way you experienced the harder moments?
Based on auto-generated captions. This companion summarizes Matt's personal response to the documentary and does not speculate about Fox's medical treatment.
