STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie

2023 1h 35m EN

🙌

7.8

BANGER

🔥

99%

CERTIFIED FRESH

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

8.1

IMDB

★7.8TMDB · 258🍅99%Rotten Tomatoes●78Metacritic★8.1IMDB · 16,747

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A short kid from a Canadian army base becomes the international pop culture darling of the 1980s—only to find the course of his life altered by a stunning diagnosis. What happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease?

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Apple TVSubscription

Apple TV Amazon ChannelSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Michael J. Fox
Self
Tracy Pollan
Self
Sam Fox
Self
Aquinnah Fox
Self
Schuyler Fox
Self
Annabelle Fox
Self
Susan Bressman
Self
Ryan Orser
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Davis Guggenheim
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Davis Guggenheim, shot by C. Kim Miles. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by John Powell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Michael Harte shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

CAST

Did you know

Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan and Sam Fox carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt19853258 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Davis Guggenheim directs. C. Kim Miles behind the camera. John Powell scores. Michael Harte cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 3 years ago.
2Directed by Davis Guggenheim, shot by C. Kim Miles. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by John Powell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Michael Harte shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan and Sam Fox carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt19853258 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Classified under 12 themes, including "based on novel or book", "based on true story", "archive footage", "hollywood star".

The technical file

Cinematography: C. Kim Miles
Original score: John Powell
Editing: Michael Harte
Production design: Matthew Budgeon
Costume design: Beverley Huynh
Sound: Paul Urmson
Stunt coordinator: Chad Sayn
Runtime: 95 min · 1h 35m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 99% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 78/100
IMDB rating: 8.1/10 · 16,747 votes
MPAA: R

Awards

Won 4 Primetime Emmys. 47 wins & 41 nominations total

Also by

Davis Guggenheim

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Brent Marchant2023-05-15
★ 8/10
In the 1980s, actor Michael J. Fox burst onto the entertainment scene as one of the decade’s mega-stars with the success of his hit TV show Family Ties and a string of popular movies, most notably the iconic sci-fi comedy, “Back to the Future” (1985). Before long, he was seemingly everywhere all at once, a fitting development for someone who had lived his life like that from the time he was a child. This frenetic pace of living had followed him for so long, in fact, that he never learned how to be, as this film’s title suggests, still. In 1990, however, he received a medical diagnosis that nearly stopped him in his tracks – he was discovered to be suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, an illness that usually strikes in old age, not someone on his late 20s. It forced him to take stock of himself and his life, though he tried desperately (and surprisingly successfully) to conceal it for years thereafter. His unwillingness to confront the truth about his condition continued a practice that he had been carrying out in other areas of his life for years, his hectic, distracted way of living keeping him in denial and, sadly, giving him a reason to drown himself in alcohol. But he couldn’t continue living that way forever as the disease began to take its course, his illness serving as a much-needed wake-up call to get real. Based on the title character’s writings, director Davis Guggenheim’s latest documentary feature tells the protagonist’s story using an inventive combination of archive footage, interviews with Fox, actor-based re-creations of incidents from his life and footage from his treatment sessions that candidly depict how far his condition has progressed. There are also a number of sequences in which his story is told through fittingly poignant clips from his movie and TV projects, ironically reminding us that art can indeed imitate life. All of these elements combine to present a compelling and touching story, although the film admittedly has some initial difficulty finding traction to tell it. Otherwise, though, “Still” offers an honest, insightful look into the life of a very public figure who has been fighting a very private battle and the effects that effort has had on shaping and evolving his professional, personal and philanthropic pursuits. Most of all, however, it shows us how we can identify what’s been missing from our lives and take steps to implement it, no matter how unusual the means may be for showing us the way.
Ziggy2023-06-05
★ 10/10
An AMAZINGLY well done perspective of Parisians Disease as it impacts a person and changes their life forever. I related this film to a close personal friend diagnosed with the same disabling disease. Over the course of time he opted in for a special surgery that implants two devices in the body. This act, was worth the wait as his uncontrollable shaking attacks diminished enough he drives again, rode a 100 miles on his bicycle and ... well, lives as close to "normal" as people without the disease. I love Michael's approach allowing the crew to see exactly how this impacts his life. The inclusion of his growth on TV / Movies was a great addition. The amazing, most crazy part of all of this is his absolutely adoring family. His wife sticking through EVERY piece of his life as HE struggles with loosing all things he could do on his own. She's an amazing woman, a true Diamond of ladies that any person would want in their lives.
CinemaSerf2024-02-04
★ 7/10
Now this is how you do a documentary about illness! Clearly this is a man with considerable skill in front of a camera, but his general demeanour and willingness to reflect on the drawbacks and positives of his Parkinson's Disease is revelatory and engaging. Using his highly successful Hollywood career as a bedrock, he shares the roller-coaster ride that has been his life. From his burger-fuelled bedsit, through "Family Ties" then his struggle to get film roles, his astonishing success and then to his discovery and disclosure of his illness. It's all presented candidly, amusingly and by a fellow who has steadfastly refused to be beaten. Frequently looking a bit bruised and battered after a fall, and unafraid to illustrate the effects on his mobility and speech, he uses his celebrity status to fundraise for better research into this debilitating brain disease - but he does it without whining. He appreciates he's had a great life - he's a wealthy man with a wife of 30-odd years and four children whom he clearly adores. So many of the documentaries we see nowadays are presented by people who take a camera phone and just use it as an excuse for an highly personal rant. This man has taken the time to construct - from his own book - a narrative that structures how his own (pretty constant) physiotherapy, his dependence on medication and the love of his family give him continuing strength to combat his own demons, sure, but also to put things into a perspective and that I found sad, but actually quite heart-warming. My one complaint is the interviews he does with director Davis Guggenheim. Couldn't he have given himself a microphone? He does rather mumble. Anyone else think MJF now looks a bit like Mark Hamill?