The Back to the Future trilogy holds a special place in many people's hearts, with the franchise seeming almost timeless - which is strange due to the number of scenes that have aged poorly. Back to the Future's time-traveling hijinks focus more on comedy than having an incredibly serious story, and like many other comedies from the 1980s, some scenes and jokes have fallen short of modern standards and values. Despite this, Back to the Future remains a beloved series, with many viewers being willing to overlook the poorly aged moments due to several aspects that have made the trilogy as a whole age incredibly well.
Back to the Future tells the story of Marty McFly, friend of scientist Doc Brown, who accidentally uses Doc's DeLorean time machine to travel 30 years into the past to 1955. Once there, Marty becomes stranded and is required to enlist the help of younger versions of his friends and family from the past, including a young Doc Brown as well as his very own parents. The subsequent two films deal with the consequences of Marty's actions in the past, as the young skateboarder accidentally made a mess of the space-time continuum in order to get back to the future.
Not Everything In Back To The Future Would Work Today
Even though the Back to the Future trilogy is still considered a classic, there are some things that don't really work today. The entire conflict of the film revolves around Marty's mom Lorraine falling in love with him, not knowing that Marty is her son from the future. Although Back to the Future's sci-fi incest story has been repeated in some modern movies and TV shows, a story like this probably wouldn't make it into a major movie series marketed to general audiences today. On top of that, some of the themes revolving around George and Marty masculine pride now read as dated.
On top of the themes, there are some scenes that are executed in insensitive ways. The climax of the first Back to the Future features a scene in which Biff sexually assaults Lorraine - and it's played for laughs. The Back to the Future trilogy also features offensive portrayals of groups, including the Back to the Future Part III. Additionally, the films feature some homophobic jokes typical of the 1980s. Taking all of this into , Back to the Future has a lot of parts that don't hold up to a modern viewing.
Back To The Future's Themes Remain Relatable
Even though they're not executed perfectly, Back to the Future's themes are still incredibly relatable, which helps the trilogy to feel timeless. At the beginning of the first movie, George and Lorraine McFly have some serious flaws, with Marty considering his entire family to be "lame." However, Marty gets an all-new perspective when he travels to 1955. Once he spends time with younger versions of his parents, Marty comes to a better understanding of George and Lorraine, realizing that they're not so different. Everyone has butted heads with their parents, but just as many have wondered what their parents used to be like - something Marty learns about.
According to Back to the Future writer Bob Gale, the idea for the movie came about when he was rummaging through the basement of his childhood home. There, Gale found one of his dad's old high school yearbooks and saw younger versions of his dad and his dad's friends while flipping through the pages. This led Bob Gale to wonder if he would've been friends with his dad in high school. Out of that question, Back to the Future was born. The trilogy's themes of parenthood are so timeless and relatable that anyone of any age is able to grasp and enjoy the beloved story.
Back To The Future's Best Strength Is Its Performances
Another part of Back to the Future that makes it so timeless is its performance. Marty McFly and Doc Brown are masterfully portrayed by Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, with both characters becoming pop culture icons. Both characters have so many quotable lines and funny moments, with Fox and Lloyd having a comedic chemistry that rivals many comedy legends. On top of that, the friendship between the two characters is incredibly believable, something that is hard to pull off considering it's a high school kid and a mad scientist. Fox and Lloyd give their all throughout all three films, with their performances being one of the trilogy's biggest strengths.
Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd aren't the only powerhouse performances in Back to the Future though. Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson, and Thomas F. Wilson are all hilarious as George, Lorraine, and Biff Tannen respectively. However, these performances are even more impressive due to the fact that each actor plays several different versions of their characters across the trilogy. All three of these characters have their original 1985 iterations, their past selves in 1955, and their improved versions once Marty returns to 1985. The actors' performances (as well as the makeup) perfectly sell these characters, with Back to the Future's characters being beloved across generations.
Back To The Future's Time Travel Story Stops It Feeling Old
Time travel stories can often feel dated soon after they're released, but Back to the Future's time travel stops it from feeling old. The first Back to the Future portrays 1955 as idealized, with many aspects of the time period being highlighted and painted through a nostalgic lens. This was a risk that could have hurt the film, but it's made better due to Back to the Future's 1985 being just as idealized as the trilogy's 1955. The music, fashion, and style of Back to the Future's "modern-day" seems more like a caricature of the 1980s, allowing the trilogy's time travel story to remain charming rather than becoming dated.
Back to the Future Part II sees Marty travel 30 years into the future, to the far-off year of 2015. The trilogy's portrayal of the future keeps in line with its portrayal of the past, with 2015 satirizing many elements of the 1980s. The film's villainous Biff Tannen is a clear parody of yuppie culture and Donald Trump, whereas the technology reminds audiences of the 1980s in its aesthetic. The Back to the Future trilogy is a quintessentially 1980s series, making the movies feel like a time capsule, featuring both the good and the bad of the era.
