STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
Starring: Michael J. Fox
Director: Davis Guggenheim
NICK
Michael J. Fox has long been my favourite actor, so Still was among my most anticipated films of the year. Thankfully, it does not disappoint, and the credit goes to director Davis Guggenheim and the editors as much as Fox himself. The way they’ve cut the film is impressive, as they use archival footage to compliment Fox's narration of events. As for Fox, he gives a raw look into his life with Parkinson’s in a way I hadn’t seen before. It’s emotional to witness, yet he still displays his patented optimism. So, let me provide some optimism of my own: this film is sensational, just like Mike.
QUENTIN
As with most documentaries, one’s enjoyment of Still likely will depend on the viewer’s already-present level of interest in the central subject - in this case, Michael J. Fox. For me, a mid-level Fox fan, I didn’t really learn anything new since most of this stuff has been covered before, so my interest started waning around the halfway point. I mean, it’s endearingly raw, but it’s not educational, which is the main thing I want from a documentary. On the plus side, director Davis Guggenheim’s approach of stitching together clips from Fox’s films to function as the dramatic re-enactments of Fox’s life is absolutely brilliant.
