I don’t think there has ever been an 80’s movie that has left quite a mark in cinema more than the 1985 classic Back to the Future. After facing many production hurdles, including almost having a different actor play Marty McFly and finding a studio that would greenlight the project, Back to the Future was released to nearly unanimous praise and would go on to be not only one of the most iconic movies of the 80’s but also become a timeless classic that can live on for multiple generations. It also put a very unknown director and writer at the time, Robert Zemeckis, on the path to creating other classics such as Forrest Gump and Who Framed Rodger Rabbit. Every time I watch this movie, I appreciate something new. It is tightly scripted and has such wonderful and iconic characters and setpieces.
In 1985, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is a teenager who loves to rock and roll. When he gets caught up in a time-traveling experiment with his friend, Scientist Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), Marty accidentally ends up in the year 1955 where; through unexpected events, he ends up bumping into his parents and alters the timeline, making Marty’s Mother Lorraine (Lea Thompson) fall in love with him instead of his father George (Crispin Glover). After Marty finds the 1955 Doc, he tells him what happened, and Doc identifies a way to send Marty back to the future. However, Marty’s existence is fading, and he needs to get both of his parents to fall in love with each other, or Marty will be erased from existence.
The Story has some of the best setups and payoffs in any movie. Usually, when you make a movie about time travel, many plot holes tend to arise. At the same time, I can’t say for sure that this movie has no plotholes whatsoever. However, this movie is so tightly written, well-paced, and expertly crafted that even some of the film’s inconsistencies barely matter in the slightest. Every plot element is the best example of setup and payoff. Many things in the first act when Marty is in 1985 are all setups, whether small visual nods or well-handled plot devices that come back one way or another, especially once Marty enters the year 1955. Nothing is forgotten about, and many time travel rules that this film establishes follow throughout the movie. The idea of time traveling back to the time when Marty's parents were in high school leaves many opportunities for small character moments, and even something as strange as Marty’s Mother Lorraine from 1955 having the hots for Marty is made more charming and less creepy seeing as its a weird situation. Director Robert Zemeckis and Writer Bob Gale have found themselves in a rut after directing and writing several box office failures. After pitching this movie to several studios (Including Disney, believe it or not), Universal gave the green light for the director-writer duo. The result is a story made out of passion with everything any moviegoer could ever want from a film.
The Characters are easy to identify with and give such memorable performances that it's hard not to remember any of these great personas. Marty Mcfly, played by Micheal J. Fox, represents every rad teenage boy from the 80s who loves nothing more than Rock and Roll. Despite Fox’s dilemma of working between his show Family Ties and this movie, Fox pulled no punches and delivered a character who feels out of his time period and goes through many different character dilemmas without seeming to break a sweat. Christopher Llyod does an extraordinary job playing Doc Emmet Brown from both 1985 and 1955. His over-the-top and cartoony energy leaves such an impression. The way Marty and Doc work off each other is excellent chemistry at its finest, as their performances together really drive the heart of the whole movie. Lea Thompson and Crispin Glover had the difficult task of playing their 1985 and 1955 selves. Thompson who plays Lorraine goes from being Marty’s alcoholic mother to a lovesick teenager who has the hots for Marty in 1955. Glover plays the nerdy and awkward father, Geroge, who hasn’t really changed from the past until Marty comes into play to help change him into more of a man. Biff Tannen, played by Thomas F. Wilson, is the bully character who is not only good at being bad but also stands as a genuine threat to Marty’s mission to rewrite history, even if Biff does not know that himself. Other notable mentions include Claudia Wells as Marty’s Girlfriend, Jennifer, who has a few cute moments, especially when she tries to reassure Marty’s self-doubt. All characters are used to their fullest. All of them have a chance to shine and make the most of their roles.
The Cinematography still holds up to this very day. Using a mix of practical and visual effects and expertly crafted action setpieces make this movie feel like it could have been made in any decade. The film takes place in two different decades, most of the time spent on a set for the fictional town of Hill Vally. What impresses me is how different hill valley looks from 1985 to 1955. In 1985, Hill Valley is rundown, dirty, and feels like a gangster magnet. In 1955, Hill Valley was much cleaner and more inviting, capturing a calming small-town vibe full of life and color. The set design makes it feel like the audience has traveled back in time, thanks to the homework the filmmakers did to get the decade settings right. Another impressive aspect of the movie is the clothing and makeup department. We all remember the iconic looks of Marty McFly and Doc Brown. Still, Lorraine and George's makeup for their 80s counterparts really takes the cake, seeing as their makeup and clothing make them look older compared to their young 50s counterparts. Of course, we can’t forget the main star of the visual department, which is none other than the iconic Time-Traveling DeLorean. The car's futuristic look fits perfectly for a time machine, and it looks so cool when it is in action, opening its doors, or getting ready to travel in time. From a visual standpoint, everything in this movie is just as impressive today as when it first premiered.
The Music is composed by Alan Silvestri, who became a common composer in many of Robert Zemeckis' films. The theme is so iconic, very loud, and bombastic. It makes the idea of time travel seem much more exciting. It's so good that no matter how often I rewatch the movie, I’m always on the edge of my seat. The rest of the soundtrack includes songs such as Power of Love and Back in Time both played by the rock band “Hewy Lewis and the News” there is even a version of the Chuck Berry song Johnny B Goode sung by Marty that I personally believe to be even better than the original song. Silvestri and other contributors did what the story accomplished for the music, as it took me back to the 80s and then to the 50s in one heck of a fun rollercoaster.
Back to the Future deserves all the praise it has gotten over the decades. To this day, I still believe that no other movie that features time travel has ever been as satisfying or as well written as this movie is (Sorry Avengers Endgame.) The storytelling is brilliant, and every moment in the narrative has a purpose that makes the whole experience well-rounded. The visual effects are timeless, the characters are iconic, and the epic music from Alan Silvestri has never sounded better. This is a movie that should not be retold or remastered. I don’t believe there is such a thing as a perfect movie, but this is one of the few movies that comes pretty darn close to it.
(Final Grade: A)