By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2.5 cats
Director: Davis Guggenheim
Year: 2023
Running time: 95
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19853258/reference/
Michael says: “When I think of successful documentaries, they fall into two categories. Docs where the subject matter is of great interest to me, or so wild that they can’t help but be entertaining, and docs that are creative and well-filmed that can draw me in despite having no interest in the subject matter. Sadly, and I am aware I am probably alone in my estimation, STILL is neither of these films. My familiarity with Fox is encompassed by MARS ATTACKS!, BACK TO THE FUTURE II (not a fan), THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS (why? Because I am a Helen Slater completist), and The Good Wife. Yep, that’s it. No Family Ties, no Spin City, very little Michael J. Fox the movie star. Of course I was aware of Fox, you couldn’t grow up in the 80s and not be, but was never a fan. Unfortunately, the choices Guggenheim made in his documentary were not to my liking. Due to the fact that there was no archival footage to document much of Fox’s early life, Guggenheim and his editor, Michael Harte, made two main choices, neither of which worked very well for me. Key moments in Fox’s life had to be recreations, which can be notoriously difficult to pull off. In a more bold move, but one that grew tiresome rather quickly, was to substitute scenes form Fox’s lengthy film career to represent key moments in his life. I’m not sure how many scene of Fox dashing through the street we needed to hit home the metaphor that his life was one constantly on the move until he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. The other drawback (for me) was how the film felt to me like n audiobook with pictures. During the closing credits, when I found out that a STILL was based on Fox’s autobiographies, that Guggenheim listened to being read by Fox himself in audiobook version, it all made sense.
“In the end, Fox’s story is an interesting one, and a difficult one. How to walk that line between mawkish drama, and move-of-the-week cliche. The scenes that most interested me were those involving his wife, Tracy Pollan and their family, and the rehabilitation that Michael endures on a daily basis, but overall, despite Guggenheim’s Oscar for AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, STILL failed for me. 2 1/2 cats”
Tom M. responds: “RE Davis, I loved this (interviewed him earlier in the day). Really emotional and insightful and I learned a lot I did not know. Also really fantastic editing and sensory effects.”