Back to the Future
A quick-witted teenager races through 1955 to repair his parents’ romance and reclaim his own future with help from an eccentric inventor.
Overview
A wild ride through time where one teenager's mistake could change everything.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- exuberant
- warm
- family movie night
- nostalgic movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as exceptionally entertaining, charming, inventive, and emotionally accessible, with especially strong performances from Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Marty's presence in 1955 endangers his parents' meeting and therefore his own existence in 1985.
The film juxtaposes Marty's 1980s teenage life with the social world he encounters in 1955.
Doc Brown's plutonium-powered DeLorean is the time machine, recurring visual centerpiece, and source of the film's distinctive technological fantasy.
Marty must bring George McFly and Lorraine Baines together before he can return to his own future.
Films like Back to the Future, and why
It's a Wonderful Life
shared time travel premise, warm humor, family stakes, and accessible adventure storytelling
The Princess Bride
shared fish out of water comedy, inventive science fiction, and optimistic emotional core
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
shared teen-centered adventure, comic suspense, and playful genre invention
The Time Machine
shared high-concept time travel, romantic complications, and energetic mainstream entertainment
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Zemeckis
- Release Date
- 1985-07-03
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 8.3 / 10 (22469)
Cast
- Michael J. Fox
- Christopher Lloyd
- Crispin Glover
- Lea Thompson
- Claudia Wells
- Thomas F. Wilson
- Marc McClure
- Wendie Jo Sperber
- George DiCenzo
- Frances Lee McCain
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Back to the Future about?
- A quick-witted teenager races through 1955 to repair his parents’ romance and reclaim his own future with help from an eccentric inventor.
- What is Back to the Future like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Back to the Future as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Back to the Future violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Back to the Future as mild.
- What did critics think of Back to the Future?
- Critics broadly regard the film as exceptionally entertaining, charming, inventive, and emotionally accessible, with especially strong performances from Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd.
- Which films are like Back to the Future?
- Films with a similar feel include It's a Wonderful Life, The Princess Bride, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, and The Time Machine.
- How long is Back to the Future?
- Back to the Future runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch Back to the Future?
- In United States, Back to the Future is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
