Back to the Future
1985 | 116 min | Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction
Why it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (92%), audiences adore it (8.3/10), it made about 21 times its budget and people are still talking about it. Make plans for this one.
Our take: Near-perfect blockbuster plotting: time travel, comedy and a story where every setup pays off. Endlessly rewatchable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Have you seen it?
Sign in to rate titles and get picks that fit your taste.
Eighties teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955, inadvertently disrupting his parents' first meeting and attracting his mother's romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by rekindling his parents' romance and - with the help of his eccentric inventor friend Doc Brown - return to 1985.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
92% on Rotten Tomatoes, 88 on Metacritic
- AudiencesVery strong
8.3/10 from 23K viewers
- AwardsStrong
12 wins, 2 other nominations — won Academy Award for Best Sound Editing; nominated for Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay
- Box office & staying powerVery strong
$392 million worldwide on a $19 million budget
- Buzz & cultural impactVery strong
1.5 million Wikipedia readers in the past year
Where to watch in US
Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Trailer
Cast & crew
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
- Michael J. FoxMarty McFly
- Christopher LloydEmmett Brown
- Crispin GloverGeorge McFly
- Lea ThompsonLorraine Baines
- Claudia WellsJennifer Parker
- Thomas F. WilsonBiff Tannen
- Marc McClureDave McFly
- Wendie Jo SperberLinda McFly
- George DiCenzoSam Baines
- Frances Lee McCainStella Baines