
That sparkle in his eye is still there-the boyish charm and self-defacing humor that is quintessentially Canadian.
It’s superb comic timing that propelled Michael J. Fox to superstardom in the 1980s that is becoming more and more elusive to him as the effects of dealing with Parkinson’s disease and its side effects pervade his daily life and there is no escaping it, and he knows you know it as well. He has been at it for so many years, and he is always able to bring out the quintessential witty retort, but admittedly it’s usually a bit delayed when the need arises.
And he addresses the paralysis, as well as the evolution of his career with amazing candor in the documentary ‘Still: A Michael J. Fox Story’. Indeed it is his story. The Oscar-winning director Davis Guggenheim (‘An Inconvenient Truth’) intelligently permits Fox to sit in front of the camera, to look straight at us, and very honestly and, at times, whimsically recount the broad strokes of his extraordinary life. Instead, we hear none of the talking head comments we might expect from the doctors, the even including former co-stars, or Fox’s wife of many years and actress, Tracy Pollan. Particularly evocative of Errol Morris’ heretofore esthetic, Guggenheim provides the characteristical intimate experience that Fox is unburdening himself in front of us and needs, in some places, a soft push to open up even more.
His decision to incorporate some of Fox’s films improves efficiency significantly. With seamless editing performed by Michael Harte, Guggenheim deftly transitions the older actor’s narrative where he was previously turning from his breakout roles in the sitcom “Family Ties,” in addition to the blockbuster “Back to the Future”, to the later performances in the movies “Teen Wolf“, “Bright Lights, Big City”, “Casualties of War”, “Doc Hollywood“, etc.
Both reconstructions detail events in an entertaining fashion and his books always highlight his narration. While one of the narratives illustrates how Fox singlehandedly juggled shooting “Family Ties” during daytime and “Back to the Future” at night, stopping only to change wardrobes, he was also being dragged to and from locations by drivers who seemed to be on a timestamp! He was even “woken” up by the drivers, who made sure to brew coffee and hand over his scripts. (Later on, we understand how Eric Stoltz was first cast for the iconic McFly role, having already filmed parts of it before Fox was hired to replace him. It is hard to envision, but he even did most of the movie in that puffy vest and jeans that seem to be a character’s favorite outfit.)
It is almost shocking how much Fox has accomplished since Canada, and the energy portrayed in “Still” captures how on-the-go Fox still is. He was without a doubt an elf, considering how all the other kids in his hockey and drama club were so much larger than him. The beauty in his story is that when keeping in mind how young and rich he was whenever he decided to move to Hollywood, it explains how he was able to willingly change his arrogant ways.
In one brilliant example, Guggenheim remembers Fox coming from a stand in the San Fernando Valley at the peak of his celebrity, when his dimpled face appeared on every cover, from People and TV Guide to Teen Beat; he reconstructs the scene by placing it in 1998 when, after Gordon had publicly declared he had Parkinson’s, he was back on the covers again but this time, for a more sorrowful tale.
In between, he learned how to cover the tremors he had while on set, which lasted for seven years. No one could detect it during the time, but we are fortunate enough to see it through his TV and film work now. Fox himself takes us through the steps of disguise that aided him in accomplishing and surviving his role as a politician; including so many different components of movement so that it was worth the trouble. His need to take such drastic measures to remain sane both personally and professionally is chilling. And there’s also the matter of his drinking to blur the pain, which Fox has indeed been very open about for very long.
While the movie seems to tell an overblown, inspirational story about an individual overcoming hardships, the book portrays it somewhat differently, which is very rude to the author. The voice that is spoken throughout in a self-deprecating manner helps smoothen the feel of “Still.” Additionally, the soundtrack adds to the movie with tunes from Kenny Loggins, INXS, and Beastie Boys. The scene with him and his father listening to ‘This Is It’ while driving to California, however, is a little too on the nose. There’s no doubt there are important lessons to gather from this and even teach others. The step-by-step pacing of the storyline truly feels like the audience is watching a party in real-time, not a movie.
In contrast, the ailment that is preventing Fox from physically controlling his body has gifted him a future mentally free body to strive for. As for now, the quieter moments of reflection he indulges in enjoying soothe the frantic energy that has taken over him. There is no better laugh than what has been crafted on a sound stage.
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