A Sci-Fi Classic
Main Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Marty McFly (Fox) is a musician who has failed to win the honor of playing at the school dance. Apparently the McFlys are notorious for their ineptitude. Visiting his friend, the eccentric mad scientist Emmett Brown (Lloyd), he is presented a genuine time machine, worked into the body of a classic DeLorean car. Unfortunately, it seems that Brown had to deal with Libyan terrorists in order to obtain plutonium to run the thing, and they show up to collect what they think is a bomb (and not a time machine).
In the ensuing chaos, Marty takes off in the sports car and returns to 1955. While still confused and without a plan, he runs into his father and accidentally stops him from meeting his mother. That might be a problem. He then quickly finds Professor Brown, the earlier version, and they huddle together to try to find out how to re-power the car, which used up the plutonium.
First, however, he must find a way to get his father and mother together. Of course there must be a few amusing scenes where Marty brings in some anachronisms from the 1980s, and in a neat touch he gets to actually play at a school dance, although the music he chooses may not be appropriate.
Back to the Future is a light sci-fi classic, this amusing and witty tale mixes comedy and drama together to form a perfect union. While the setup might be cliché (go back in time, stop your parents from meeting: do you still exist?), the plot works because of Michael J. Fox’s energy and drive as the protagonist.
All in all Back to the Future is a witty tale, brought to life by the energy of Fox and the absentminded genius of Lloyd. The plot moves along smoothly, the acting is superb, and the resolution is delightfully surprising.
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