Back to the Future was released on July 3, 1985, directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. The film centers around Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox), who travels back to the year 1955 thanks to a time-traveling Delorean created by his close friend Doc Brown (played by Christopher Lloyd). Marty soon endangers his own existence when he inadvertently interferes with his parent’s first meeting (Crispin Glover and Lea Thompson respectively), and must get them to share a kiss at the upcoming school dance, while also finding a way back to the future (circa 1985).
Back to the Future is a film I’m very familiar with, I’ve seen it numerous times over the past couple of years and will probably continue to watch it again-and-again. But even though I wholeheartedly adored this movie, I’ve never given a whole lot of thought as to why. And upon re-watching it for this review, I realized that’s because everything about this movie just works.
Zemeckis and Gale wrote a script that accomplishes everything a screenwriter sets out to do when they sit down to write a screenplay. One of the best things I realized on this re-watch was just how good it is at establishing information for the audience. And it does this mainly by showing us things about the characters and their situation, there is very little expository dialogue in this movie. The film doesn’t tell us the Biff is a giant jerk to Marty’s dad, the movie doesn’t tell us that Marty’s home life isn’t as happy as he’d like it to be, the film shows us in scenes that get the audience up to speed.
The script also excellently sets a lot of things up in the first act that payoff in satisfying (and sometimes hilarious) ways. The film’s most famous set-piece is the climax as Marty and Doc are trying to capture the energy from lighting that’s going to strike the town’s clock tower. This was set up from the very beginning in the film in a scene where Marty at that moment in time couldn’t have cared less about it. There’s other, probably better examples but it would ruin some great moments for some people if I spoiled them here.
But the script is only half of the equation, the other half is the really great performances and screen-chemistry between Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. These two just work on screen together, Fox is great as Marty and gives him the likeability audiences want from a protagonist, and Lloyd sells the eccentricities of the character of Doc Brown. The way these two actors play-off of each other in a way that makes you buy that these two characters are friends. Why is a musically-inclined teenager friends with a less than popular scientist? I don’t know, and more than likely you don’t either because the quality of these actor’s performances and and writing.
And the music! Alan Silvestri composed the movie’s score, and it just sounds great. I seriously wish I could see this movie in theaters somehow, so that I can hear this film’s score in glorious surround sound. The music compliments all of the film’s moments spectacularly, and makes some awesome listening material by itself. Don’t believe me? Just listen to the main theme. You’re welcome.
Guys, I don’t know what else to say about this movie. It’s great, it’s just a really great movie that I implore you to see at least once in your life. It’s available on Netflix right now, so if you have a subscription you kind of don’t have a reason to not check it out. Thanks for reading this post, this is my first time writing a review on the web, and I really appreciate you taking the time to read this. And if you want to learn anything else about this movie, feel free to check out it’s page on IMDB.
And until next time…see you guys later.
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