Parkinson's disease has most likely robbed Michael J. Fox of more acting roles. But he's not done telling powerful stories.
In "Still," streaming on Apple TV Plus, the 61-year-old star talks openly about how he spent the past three decades dealing with a disorder that disrupted both his personal and professional life.
He's shared this journey before, most notably in four memoirs. But this is the first time we've seen Fox this vulnerable. Even simple tasks like taking a morning walk or brushing his teeth seem like herculean tasks.
It's tough watching him suffer, especially when those moments are presented in juxtaposition with scenes from his more vibrant days, skateboarding through sunny streets in "Back to the Future," tearing across the forest as only a Teen Wolf can or scurrying around the Keaton household in "Family Ties" like he just downed a six-pack of Red Bull.
He's candid about death being right around the corner.
"My world has gotten a lot smaller," he tells director Davis Guggenheim in a series of frank interviews.
But Fox's good spirits can't be extinguished.
Early in the film, we watch as Fox stumbles on the sidewalk. A passerby offers to help him up.
"You knocked me off my feet," Fox quips as he gathers himself.
Fox's humor shines throughout. So does his belief that he's actually a very lucky man. He takes us back to his early years in Los Angeles, when he could barely afford to eat at McDonald's and had to sell off his couch section by section. He knew his audition for "Ordinary People" wasn't going anywhere when director Robert Redford started flossing his teeth.
He seems more grateful than ever for his big break — being cast in "Family Ties" — and meeting his future wife, Tracy Pollan.
One of the documentary's most touching moments is a scene where the couple and their kids are cracking one another up during family game night. Their gentle ribbing is funnier than just about any episode of "Spin City."
Guggenheim's super-personal approach means there is little time to evaluate that ABC sitcom or much of Fox's other works. But you can do that on your own. Start with these five gems:
"Family Ties" (1982-89): Meredith Baxter was supposed to be the star of this sitcom about liberal parents juggling jobs and kids. But Fox's character, a hyper-active genius who would rather listen to Ronald Reagan than the Ramones, quickly became the show's strongest draw. Paramount Plus, Pluto
"Back to the Future" (1985): Fox shot this blockbuster while still filming "Ties," double duty that should have spelled disaster. It didn't. The time-travel comedy is Gen X's version of "It's a Wonderful Life." Tubi
"Casualties of War" (1989): Fox does the most ambitious work of his career in Brian De Palma's take on the Vietnam War. He plays a private who dares to go against a gung-ho sergeant (Sean Penn) after the rape and murder of a civilian. The film never got the attention it deserved, in part because it premiered in the shadow of "Platoon." HBO Max
"Doc Hollywood" (1991): In this fish-out-of-water comedy, Fox is a doctor stuck in a rural town until he's cured of having a big head. It's the actor doing what he does best: playing snobs who are secretly softies. HBO Max
"The Good Wife" (2010-16): Fox made 26 appearances on this legal drama as Louis Canning, a defense attorney with shaky ethics. He's nasty — and irresistible. Paramount Plus
