The film Back to the Future (BTTF) is my favorite movie, so I write this as an unbiased and altruistic article. As we’ll see, there are plenty of reasons why the film holds up after 40 years, as well as some places it fails (and has been modernized accordingly). It also has plenty to teach us about adaptability. All that in one little article… Great Scott!
Modernized Myth: Trapped in Time Yet Timeless
If you haven’t watched BTTF recently (since there’s a high probability you’ve seen it at least once1), here’s a summary. Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox) is an average teenager, except that he’s friends with an eccentric scientist named Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd). Marty escapes Doc’s murder scene in a DeLorean time machine, goes back to 1955 where he must: make his parents fall in love, make Doc avoid his future murder, and retrofit the car to travel safely back to 1985.
Written and filmed in 1985, that shining age of hope, it’s no surprise that all of Marty’s dreams come true.
On the surface all of that sounds really heavy, but the actors balance the tension with humor, the stunning visual effects are fun and believable, and the storytelling is so exceptional it became the top-grossing film of 1985. In retrospect, the idea couldn’t lose: the setting aligned with Reagan’s ’50s nostalgia (I still cuff my jeans because of BTTF)—which transformed into cultural ’80s nostalgia (I love comparing an ’80s year to its 2020 counterpart), ultimately cementing this film into a classic—still popular 40 years later.
As I reached adulthood and still had an affinity for BTTF, I began telling people that it was my favorite film for mostly sentimental reasons. But when I watched Back in Time (free on YouTube), a 2015 documentary celebrating BTTF’s “immense cultural impact,” I learned there were industry professionals also enamored with the film. Dan Harmon, creator of Community and Rick and Morty (an overt homage to BTTF), opens the documentary.
He likens the movie to a modernized myth of Jack and the Beanstalk or Ulysses. As the documentary plays out, well-respected creators, fans, and even those involved with the project, continue to gush that BTTF is a masterpiece, a perfect film. So should we be concerned with what others think? That’s as loaded a question as “should Loraine have fallen in love with her son?”
On the one hand, we should shamelessly enjoy our fandom. In some ways, this leans into one of the film’s themes and a mythological trope of unabashedly pursuing what we want. On the other hand, it is incredibly validating to find respected Hollywood creators recognizing the same caliber of art as you do.
But for all of its “perfection,” the film has its detractors, which is fine; after all, we’re not Cafe ’80’s waiter simulacra. The plot, writing, and acting are simultaneously staunchly trapped in time and yet timeless, as most legends are. Written and filmed in 1985, that shining age of hope, it’s no surprise that all of Marty’s dreams come true. Maybe it’s my middle-aged cynicism, but now when I view the film’s denouement, I see the McFly family finding fulfillment in greed, consumerism… and indentured servitude.2
Marty is a storytelling contradiction. In not learning lessons, he’s like Narcissus or Icarus, or even Pluto, who is affiliated with greed (coincidentally Sid Sheinberg tried calling BTTF “Space Man From Pluto”). Conversely, he is like Nike, or Victoria, or Lord Murugan—gods known for victory, in that as a result of his adventure, Marty’s life is immediately improved. In ways no one can explain, the story still works, is somehow relatable, and just plain fun.
The Future is Now
BTTF II is famous for predicting the future, but what does 40 years later look like for the first film? Creators Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis own the franchise rights and have made it clear no sequels will be made (although I thoroughly enjoyed Gale’s BTTF graphic novel series).
But in some ways, the story has adapted with the times. Firstly, fan experiences have changed since the original’s release. In 1985 your limited options were: go to the theater, discuss with friends, and, if the film did well, officially licensed merchandise became available.3
This experience didn’t deviate from the original film: a story playing on nostalgia from the ’50s, now compounded with nostalgia for the ’80s.
Nowadays, Comic cons have exploded for fans, cosplayers, and creators making art. Theaters hold special screenings. The internet and cheap filmmaking equipment allow people to remake or reimagine their favorite films. Theme parks cater special property-themed foods. And every once in a while, all these instances are rolled into one event, like Universal Studios’ recent, inaugural Fan Fest Nights. I had the pleasure of attending and, although covering multiple fandoms, BTTF’s 40th anniversary was a major focus.
The promoters encouraged cosplay (I saw numerous Martys, Docs, and a band of Hill Valley Cowboys), sold specialty food (I had an “asphalt” brownie with “flame” frosting and a time traveler milkshake), and provided a unique interactive experience. The experience was on the Universal Hollywood backlot where key moments in the movie were filmed, re-decorated as 1955 (the same square was used in The Twilight Zone’s pilot—lending credence to the ’50s vibe).
Picture opportunities abounded: on the clock tower steps, next to a screen-used DeLorean with a live Einstein inside, and the street where the DeLorean returns (which had perpetual flames burning). All this while Universal actors performed the final fifteen minutes of the film. It was something I’ll never forget.
This experience didn’t deviate from the original film: a story playing on nostalgia from the ’50s, now compounded with nostalgia for the ’80s. Yet the early 2020’s birthed a multinational musical which rightly keeps the central storyline intact, while adapting with the times. All the changes were justified, whether out of technical necessity or simply in communicating with this cultural moment (read my review of Back to the Future: The Musical here). A few of the stage play’s plot spoilers follow:
Doc is threatened by plutonium poisoning instead of Libyan terrorists, which was wise considering our post-9/11 world and the current Israel-Hamas war. I felt this fit better not just because North African terrorist stereotypes are racist and wearying (although indicative of the ’80s), but also because it was better and tighter storytelling.
Persons of Color (POC) representation also increased: Mayor Goldie Wilson has a larger role and, in the showing I saw, Jennifer was played by a Black woman. Not only did this improvement reflect more of the audience, but it continued the film’s acknowledgment of racial progress made from the ’50s to the ’80s (albeit tinged with the ’80s “colorblind“ fallacy), while thoughtfully recognizing the gap that still exists. (Visit BackToTheFutureMusical.com for venues.) This longevity and universatality (universal + versatility) is a testimony to the fans, the filmmakers, and Universal Studios, but the original story’s adaptability is also a significant factor.
A Real Adaptation Problem, McFly: Changing Circumstances vs. Changing Ourselves
Storytellers agree, BTTF breaks the mold: the protagonist doesn’t learn any lessons, and he has no moral revelations. In fact, the ending bugs me a little—you know, wrapping that whole greed, consumerism, and indentured servitude in a perfect bow. Nevertheless, as enjoyable as the overall film is, there is something deeper I think a lot of people miss. As stealthy as Biff stealing the almanac, the original film quietly reminds us to adapt.
Much of Marty’s behavior is based on his lack of control—a realization of our real-world limitations. As Christians, how much should we let go as we adapt?
Marty must maneuver a distracted, eccentric scientist into focusing and prioritizing on getting him back home. And he doesn’t manipulate Doc: without understanding the technical concepts, Marty lovingly manages his friend. I think of biblical young people like Joseph, Esther, and Daniel, who in taking on the stressful burden of management for a superior, became a witness for God and shaped the future (policies, culture, etc.). Marty takes similar action in the past, navigating unfamiliar language, technology, and problem-solving.
BTTF’s adaptation also teaches creativity. I think of Marty’s humorous but successful “Darth Vader” visit and repurposing a scooter as a skateboard. Doc’s creative frustration is evidenced by his shock that the flux capacitor actually works, yet he’s able to quickly innovate by converting the DeLorean’s energy source to… lightning-powered!
For the Christian, adaptability can be walking a line of allowing God’s creativity to work all things for good, while simultaneously using the creativity He has bestowed on us as sub-creators. I’ve long defined creativity as problem-solving and Marty has a list of problems as long as George’s laundry line. Most of the time Marty is out of his depth, but Michael J. Fox plays him perfectly, with a balance of anxiety, wonder, and determination.
And much of Marty’s behavior is based on his lack of control—a realization of our real-world limitations. As Christians, how much should we let go as we adapt? We can be tempted by two extremes: Not relying on God (“God helps those who help themselves”) or lazily waiting on God (never entering the doors He opens). As always, moderation (while leaning heavily on God) is key.
But even if we’ve learned to rely on God, C.J. Greene explains a tough reality: “Adapting is hard for Christians because we’re used to praying for God to change our situations, and not for God to change us while we are in a chaotic situation.” The sentiment is revelatory—even as Christians who are supposed to be transformed and living sacrifices, we seek to adapt our circumstances and not ourselves. And when we consider the societal changes in the last 40 years, the need for interior adaptability has grown.
Germinating the Flexibility to Experiment
The pace of the ’80s was slower than it is today. At the time it felt like things were moving at 88 miles an hour, but most relational methods hadn’t changed in decades. The necessity of face-to-face conversations and landline calls provided deeper connections and often forced intentionality. Granted, twenty-four-hour news networks debuted in the early ’80s, however, most media—newspapers, radio, mailed letters—was virtually unaltered.
Interior adaptability is a marathon, not a sprint. Therefore, BTTF may be one of the most honest reflections on the interior life that cinema has produced.
But with the advent of faster information sharing, the speed of life increased. Smartphones, the Internet, and social media have brought constant connection and real-time news coverage, but paradoxically created emotional distance and superficial communication. External issues have internal implications, and yet problems are often relative.
Marty came off back-to-back disappointments—like the Pinheads getting cut from band auditions (cameo by Huey Lewis) and the family car being wrecked—but that paled in comparison to the problems driven by his trip to the past. Fighting to save your family and its future puts those momentary problems in perspective. Sure, we may never run out of plutonium or orchestrate our parents’ first meeting, but these issues speak to natural fears and fundamental problems we do face.
The Biblical Apostolate for England and Wales explains: “Spiritual adaptability is very subtle, the fruits appear much later than the seeds we planted. Adaptability is as much about risk as it is about courage.” Interior adaptability is a marathon, not a sprint. Therefore, BTTF may be one of the most honest reflections on the interior life that cinema has produced—I know, a ludicrous thought for a silly Sci Fi movie.
Character development is an essential payoff in fiction, but people don’t change overnight. Of course Marty doesn’t learn anything in a week: his penchant for adaptability has been a long journey through childhood and adolescence.
However, seeds eventually grow, and the brief trip to 1955 prepared Marty for his trip to 2015, subsequent return to Hell Valley 1985, and the Wild West. On the surface, Marty’s “new man,” the mythological character who doesn’t learn a lesson but emerges victorious, is indicative of an ’80s Western worldview. And we’ve been so formed by the ’80s that vanguards like BTTF resonate deeply and increasingly reflect society’s worldview.
Yet I wonder if the film’s deeper connection, that undefinable perfection, what the French call a certain… I don’t know what, is Back to the Future’s “seeded adaptability.” This germinating flexibility, adapting ourselves not circumstances, and recognizing that growth takes time, could be life changing, because, as Marty says: “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything!”
- A 2018 poll found that (if my math is correct) 81% of people surveyed have seen some or all of the BTTF series. Additionally, According to CBS News, BTTF is the most desired remake among Americans and a staggering 92% of people had at least heard of the film, per a survey early this year (that number seems to be 95% in the 2018 survey) ↩︎
- Biff isn’t rehabilitated into a productive, humble yet confident member of society He becomes instead a whiny, sniveling suck-up who only cares what George thinks. Couldn’t there be something in between bully and bondsman? ↩︎
- In the 2024 documentary Brats, Malcolm Gladwell postulates that modernity is incapable of having a cultural moment as we did in 1985 and uses films as the example. ↩︎
