Davis Guggenheim’s portrait of actor Michael J Fox should be a downer. The effervescent Canadian star, who broke out in 80s sitcom Family Ties then went stratospheric in the Back To The Future movie trilogy, saw his career cut short after his 1991 Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, at the tender age of 29. Three decades on, Fox is still out there, a husband and father coping with this debilitating neurological condition, a smile often on his face.  

Guggenheim, who previously made Al Gore-fronted climate crisis doc An Inconvenient Truth, blends candid interview footage with Fox and others, alongside a career recap (sometimes using not-entirely-successful recreations to illustrate key moments). There are gaps in the Fox narrative too, largely stopping at his Emmy-winning show Spin City. But Still’s secret weapon remains its subject, who has never lost his sense of humour about life. 

Moments will make you wince, as Fox doggedly works with a physiotherapist to improve his mobility. But overall, you’re left feeling uplifted and full of admiration for this vivacious star. Fox’s sheer honesty about Parkinson’s (yes, he’s in pain all the time, but what’s the point in lamenting his lot?) will break your heart, but his sheer lack of self-pity is inspirational. 

In cinemas and on Apple TV+ from Friday 12 May.