Director Davis Guggenheim wanted this film about the never still Michael J. Fox to be funny and fast-paced like one of Fox’s movies. Guggenheim (He Named Me Malala, An Inconvenient Truth) makes this a hybrid, both documentary and feature showing Michael J. Fox’s journey to stardom while living with Parkinson’s disease. Fox shows plenty of humor, wit, emotion, and fun along with the struggles he’s had becoming a “big as bubble gum” star with difficult physical challenges.
Books Fox wrote and recorded piqued Guggenheim’s interest during COVID when the director was admits being in a creative valley. He read and listened to Fox on the audio books and was inspired. He uses Fox’s voice talking about his life combined with scenes from the movies, but added visual re-creations with actors.
Watch our conversation at DOC10 Chicago with Director Davis Guggenheim and the Q & A with Guggenheim and Michael J. Fox when we saw the film at SXSW.
The film shows Fox always performing growing up in Canada. He was always the smallest kid with the biggest dreams. His Dad wanted him to get a real job, but Fox dropped out of high school telling his Dad he just wanted to be an actor. In the ultimate act of love against his better judgement, his Dad, drove him to Hollywood.
From there, you see his fits and starts, auditioning, living in squalor until he finally made the producers of “Family Ties” laugh which gave him his big break. That’s when he became a big star and met his wife, Tracy Pollan, who kept him grounded from the start. They have 4 kids and scenes of them having fun teasing each other provide some of the best laughs.
The director interviews Fox himself who is thoughtful and completely open and honest about his highs and lows. You see him with doctors and in physical therapy; even falling down. But you also see him being witty, self-deprecating and funny without it being forced or performing. Although his foundation has raised billions of dollars for research, neither the director, nor Fox wanted to dwell on the disease. Michael thought it would be boring.
Guggenheim is known for delving into some pretty dark subjects and tapped into an immense amount of material here, and he makes it entertaining. He told us the film could have been 5 hours long, but credits editor, Michael Harte, for making magic, cutting the film so effectively, this documentary plays more like a feature.
Highlights include Guggenheim’s brilliantly re-creates scenes showing Fox going between acting in “Family Ties” during the day, then working all night on Back to the Future on 2-3 hours of sleep, showing the mental and physical exhaustion of this guy who would was always moving.
Guggenheim gained enough trust to ask the important question about pain by the end of the film. You may be surprised by his answer. Michael J. Fox makes clear that he does not want anyone to throw him a pity party. Watching Guggenheim’s well-crafted film shows how this consummate entertainer continues to defy the odds, leading a full life, acting and STILL going strong.
Apple TV+ and in Select Theaters 1 Hour 35 Minutes R
Related posts:
Director Davis Guggenheim with Michael J. Fox SXSW Q & A talk making Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie. The journey to become a star, not just about having Parkinson’s.
Frank conversation with STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie Director, Davis Guggenheim about Fox’s amazing journey becoming a big star, and having Parkinson’s.
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