Netflix movie of the day: Back To The Future is still a brilliant blast from the past
Time travel, rock’n’roll and a silver DeLorean deliver thrills and spills in this classic Sci-Fi comedy
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Here’s a terrifying thing: the time between today and the release ofBack To The Futurein 1985 is longer than the amount of time Marty McFly (Michael J Fox) had to reverse in order to return to the small town America of the 1950s.
Back to the Futureis arguably the ultimate American blockbuster, a mix of comedy and adventure with a strong dose of nostalgia – although not everybody liked that latter part; legendary criticPauline Kaelslammed its “willing complicity in the continuing glorification of the ’50s”. She had a point, but the movie remains beloved for its central storyline and a winning performance by Fox, one of America’s favorite actors. Although it spawned sequels the original is by far the best in the series, which is why we rate among thebest Netflix movies.
Why it’s worth going back to Back to the Future
The movie is probably darker than you remember: I know that when I watched it with my kids fairly recently I was surprised by the disappointment of the older characters and the contrast with their younger, more optimistic selves. As theWashington Postput it: “For all its comedy,Back to the Futureis about a kid coming to terms with his parents' inadequacies, a moment familiar to everyone, and the fulcrum in growing up.”
But you don’t need to be a fan of existential despair or parental disillusionment to enjoy rewatching this movie. As theAustin American-Statesmansaid at the time, it was “the first unadulterated pleasure of the summer.Back to the Futureis a kick-off-your-shoes, settle-back-in-the-seat movie of abundant humor, boundless energy, and a relentlessly good heart”.
“Back to the Futurehas an irresistible playfulness,“The Agesaid. And theVillage Voicefound echoes of two other American classics. “This sci-fi blending ofAmerican GraffitiandIt’s a Wonderful Lifeis the kind of movie that, try as you might to avoid it, you’ll end up ingesting by osmosis anyway.”
It’s “superbly put together, an absolute classic…. an imaginative story filled with heart and humour,” says theBBC, whileTime Outsaid in a retrospective that it was “every bit as classy, clever and cockle-warming as it was 30 years ago”. “Just sign on for the trip,” recommendsPeople Magazine. “Back to the Futureoffers the summer’s most dazzling joyride.”
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Writer, broadcaster, musician and kitchen gadget obsessive Carrie Marshall has been writing about tech since 1998, contributing sage advice and odd opinions to all kinds of magazines and websites as well as writing more than a dozen books. Her memoir,Carrie Kills A Man, is on sale now and her next book, about pop music, is out in 2025. She is the singer in Glaswegian rock bandUnquiet Mind.
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