You probably remember the kid with the puffy vest. Or the teen werewolf. Or the high-stakes lawyer with the twitchy sarcasm. But when you sit down to watch Still, the Michael J. Fox documentary directed by Davis Guggenheim, those images start to blur into something much more raw. It isn’t just a nostalgia trip. Honestly, it’s kinda a gut punch. It’s a film that refuses to let you look away from the reality of a body in constant, chaotic motion.
He was the biggest star in the world for a minute there.
Then he wasn't.
The documentary, which hit Apple TV+ and made a massive splash at Sundance, doesn't follow the typical "overcoming adversity" script you've seen a thousand times. There’s no soaring orchestral swell that tells you everything is okay now. Everything isn't okay. That’s the point. Fox is living with Parkinson’s disease, a condition he hid from the public for seven years while filming hits like Spin City. The film uses a mix of archival footage, scripted recreations, and unflinching sit-down interviews to show what happens when the "boy next door" grows up and starts to break.
What the Michael J. Fox Documentary Gets Right About Fame
Most celebrity docs feel like vanity projects. They're polished. They're basically long-form commercials for the person’s brand. But Guggenheim—the guy who did An Inconvenient Truth—doesn't let Fox off the hook. We see the actor falling on the sidewalk. We see him struggling to brush his teeth. It’s uncomfortable. It’s supposed to be.
The film captures that weird, frenetic energy of the 1980s. Fox was working 18-hour days, filming Family Ties by day and Back to the Future by night. He was fueled by coffee, adrenaline, and a sort of manic ambition that he admits was its own kind of sickness. He was a "short guy" who wanted to be big. And he got it. He got everything. Then, in 1991, while on location in Florida for Doc Hollywood, he noticed a tremor in his pinky finger.
He thought it was a hangover. It wasn't.
✨ Don't miss: Priyanka Chopra Latest Movies: Why Her 2026 Slate Is Riskier Than You Think
One of the most striking things about this Michael J. Fox documentary is how it handles his diagnosis. A neurologist told a 29-year-old man at the height of his powers that his career was effectively over. Fox’s response? He drank. He hid. He took pills to mask the tremors so he could keep acting. The documentary is incredibly honest about the "ducking and diving" he did to keep the world from seeing the truth. He used props. He kept his hands in his pockets. He turned his disability into a series of acting choices, which is both brilliant and heartbreaking.
The Stunt Double Approach to Documentary
Instead of just showing old clips, Guggenheim uses a "re-enactor" who looks just like a young Fox from behind. This allows the film to "follow" Fox through the hallways of his memory. You're not just watching a talking head; you're running through the 80s with him. It gives the movie a propulsive, cinematic feel that mirrors Fox’s own restless energy.
The Reality of Parkinson’s Beyond the Screen
People often think Parkinson's is just "shaking." The Michael J. Fox documentary shatters that misconception pretty quickly. It shows the "off" times. It shows the rigidity, the falls, and the speech difficulties. Fox is remarkably candid about the pain. He jokes about it—because that’s his defense mechanism—but the camera catches the moments where the mask slips.
There's a scene where he's walking down a New York City street and he trips. A fan recognizes him and says hi. Fox, ever the pro, masks the fall as a casual stumble, says hi back, and keeps moving. It’s a masterclass in the performance of "being okay." But he isn't always okay. He talks about the broken bones—the hand, the arm, the cheek—all results of his balance failing him.
He doesn't want your pity. He says that explicitly. He finds the "sad sack" narrative boring.
Why the Title "Still" Matters
The word "still" has a double meaning here. It refers to Fox’s inability to be physically still due to the dyskinesia (the involuntary movements caused by his medication). But it also refers to the fact that he is still here. He is still Michael J. Fox. He hasn't been erased by his diagnosis, even if his silhouette has changed.
🔗 Read more: Why This Is How We Roll FGL Is Still The Song That Defines Modern Country
A Different Kind of Love Story
Tracy Pollan, Fox's wife, is the secret weapon of this story. They met on the set of Family Ties when she played Ellen, Alex P. Keaton's girlfriend. In a world of Hollywood divorces, their marriage is an anomaly. But the doc doesn't paint it as a fairy tale.
It shows the grit.
When he told her about the diagnosis, she didn't cry or scream. She just whispered, "In sickness and in health." And she meant it. The documentary highlights how she keeps him grounded. She doesn't treat him like a "patient." She treats him like her husband, which sometimes means calling him out on his crap. Their chemistry in the modern-day interviews is palpable. It’s a quiet, sturdy kind of love that provides the foundation for his entire life.
The Foundation and the Legacy
While the film focuses on his personal journey, it’s impossible to ignore the work of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Since its inception in 2000, the foundation has raised over $1.75 billion. They’ve funded breakthroughs in biomarkers and genetic research that were unthinkable two decades ago. The documentary touches on this, but it focuses more on the man than the institution. It wants you to understand the why behind the work.
What Most People Get Wrong About Michael J. Fox
There’s a common belief that Fox retired because he couldn't act anymore. That’s not quite right. He retired because he couldn't act the way he wanted to. He couldn't control the instrument—his body—with the precision he once had. But as the Michael J. Fox documentary shows, his voice is actually stronger now. He’s more direct. He’s less concerned with being liked and more concerned with being heard.
He’s also incredibly funny.
💡 You might also like: The Real Story Behind I Can Do Bad All by Myself: From Stage to Screen
Some people expect the film to be a "downer." It isn't. It’s fast-paced, filled with 80s pop hits, and punctuated by Fox’s dry, self-deprecating wit. He views his life as an incredible adventure that just happened to have a massive plot twist in the second act. He doesn't dwell on the "what ifs." He’s too busy trying to stay upright.
The Complexity of Dyskinesia
A lot of the movement you see in the film isn't actually the Parkinson's itself—it's the side effect of the Sinemet (Levodopa) he takes to manage the tremors. This is the "Parkinson’s Paradox." To be able to move and speak, you have to take medication that makes you move too much. It’s a constant balancing act. The film does a great job of explaining this without getting bogged down in medical jargon. You see the cost of the "on" time.
Actionable Insights from the Michael J. Fox Story
Watching Still isn't just about consuming entertainment; it's about perspective. Fox’s life offers some pretty heavy lessons if you’re willing to look for them. Honestly, they’re things we all sort of know but choose to ignore until things go sideways.
- Adaptation is the only way out. Fox didn't stop being an actor; he changed how he acted. He moved into voice work and took roles that incorporated his condition, like his brilliant run on The Good Wife. If your "Plan A" breaks, you don't stop; you pivot.
- Vulnerability is a superpower. For years, Fox thought hiding his illness was a sign of strength. He eventually realized that telling the truth was the only thing that could actually help others.
- Humor is a survival tool. In the doc, Fox uses comedy to disarm the people around him and himself. It's not about being "happy-go-lucky"; it's about refusing to let a disease have the last laugh.
- Focus on the "Now." Parkinson's makes the future uncertain. Fox talks extensively about living in the present moment because, frankly, that’s the only place where he has any control.
If you haven't seen it, watch the Michael J. Fox documentary on Apple TV+. It’s roughly 90 minutes long, but it feels like a lifetime of experience packed into a very short window. It will make you rethink what it means to be successful. It will definitely make you rethink what it means to be "still."
To truly support the cause or learn more about the science mentioned in the film, visit the Michael J. Fox Foundation website. You can look into the "PPMI" study, which is a massive landmark study aiming to find better ways to track and treat the disease. If you have a family member struggling with mobility issues, the film also serves as a great conversation starter about the reality of caregiving and the importance of maintaining a sense of self-identity despite physical changes.