Back in Time

Dir: Jason Aron

2015

**

Jason Aron's documentary Back in Time has had a lot of coverage in the media, mainly thanks to it's timely release that coincided with the 30th anniversary of the first Back to the Future film but also because absolutely everybody loves the franchise. A definitive documentary regarding one of the most loved films of all time was surely always going to be a success, with interviews with writers, director and the leading stars, it's what the fans wanted and they said as much, Aron's kickstarter campaign reaching it's funding target with ease and well before time. I put my money on the table and was one of those kickstarters. The unnecessary customs charge I accrued when I did indeed receive my copy of the film, which was completely avoidable, was not a good start. I was already a little disgruntled that it had arrived long after the 30th anniversary day, had already been aired on TV and was ready to buy online for a third of the price that I originally pledged. However, I will put all that aside and will review the film on its own merits. Back in Time is hugely disappointing. The first chapter sees Dan Harmon tell us how much he loves the first film (and declares that everyone knows the second and third parts suck) and Adam F. Goldberg explain to us how iconic the franchise is. Who are these men and more importantly, who cares? Steven Spielberg (producer) explains how clever Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis are, Bob Gale explains how clever Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis are and Robert Zemeckis explains how clever he is. Claudia Wells and Donald Fullilove, regulars on the fan circuit (and rather lovely they both are too), play mini golf. Claudia Wells and Donald Fullilove say how great the film is. Huey Lewis tells us how great the music was. Then, for pretty much 65% of the film, we follow people who own DeLoreans. Complete stranger tell us how much they love the film and how much they love DeLoreans. Around 5% of the film is made up of talking head interviews with Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Christopher Lloyd answers the same questions he's been asked a million times in the last 30 years in exactly the same way he usually does. Michael J. Fox however, is quite funny. The best bit of the film by far is when they ask Fox, during the final credits, where in time he would travel to if he had a time machine. His answer, which he got when he once asked Woody Allen the same question was 'No time before the invention of penicillin'. It's the highlight of the film. It lasts five seconds. Right at the end of the film. Now, I like Back to the Future too. It's the reason why I pledged, bought, got excited about and eventually watched the film. I like DeLoreans too. The problem is, I learned absolutely nothing I didn't already know. I'm no Back to the Future expert, I know about the same as everyone else who likes the film. So much was left out of the documentary it's shocking. Watching 90 minutes of people repeatedly telling me how much they love the film actually made me like it less. A documentary about a film I love should have made me want to watch said film right after it had finished but it had quite the opposite effect. This is barely a documentary. Aron should buy a dictionary with his profits. If it was an extra as part of a complete box set it would still be rather disappointing. They had these people agree to sit for them and they asked them the most inane questions they could think of. The constant twang of the rather twee acoustic version of the theme tune made my left eye bulge. A waste of opportunity, a waste of time and a waste of my, and every other kickstarter's money. If I had a time machine I'd go back to early 2015 and advice myself not to bother.