Michael J. Fox retired at the height of his success and career. His short stature was the opposite extreme of his size in Hollywood when it happened. A TV and movie star, he was making the transition from comedy and adventure to more serious, dramatic films. However, being adored in the four corners of the planet and shining like never before, he was living a nightmare. For almost 10 years, even in front of the cameras, he was hiding that he was dealing with Parkinson’s Disease until it got to the point where it was physically impossible to follow and he stopped.
For fans of the Back to the Future franchise, who discovered the movies through their parents, the actor’s story is exciting, but it doesn’t have the same impact as those who adored him. It was a cut that we felt was abrupt in our lives, even though he rehearsed a few turns, with appearances in series like The Good Wife and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Now, he stars in the docu biography Still, available on Apple TV Plus, where he recalls his trajectory and defines how he prefers to be remembered, never as a victim, but as a man of courage.
The archival material, with current and staged images, is edited in such a clever way that it doesn’t even seem real. There’s the humor Michael J. Fox fans remember him for, there’s the lesser-known side of how he dealt with fame and adulation, and there’s the pain of how his life was turned upside down when he discovered the onset of Parkinson’s at a young age.
Fearless, the actor takes us into his intimacy, presents himself without filters in the treatment process, and does not allow emotion to be caused by the “loss”, but by the inspiration of his determination to be transparent and present. It’s a beautiful narrative, honest and important. For the fans, a love letter. One we will never forget.
MiscelAna 