Back to the Future is a film that simply put is about time and how powerful the choices are that we make in our lives. They ripple through time and create who we are and what our lives will become. Marty McFly is the protagonist of the film which reveals the importance of youth in our culture learning about where they have come from, and that they have a great deal of input on their lives and their ability to help create the future for themselves and their family.
Zemeckis' film also contrasts the reality that innovation is a thing, no matter what sphere it belongs to, that most people aren't ready for. It takes courage to create something new as it may not be accepted by the wider audience it is intended to reach. We see this when Marty plays a wild guitar solo to finish Johnny B. Goode at the school dance in 1955. The crowd is stunned, and literally doesn't know how to react. But what's most interesting is the innovation of self that George displays when he takes out Biff and stops him from forcing himself on Lorraine. In this moment he becomes someone new, but necessary in order to meet the demands of the moment and by doing so he solidifies the course of his life. And once Marty is back in 1985 we see how important this moment of truth was for George as he and Lorraine are vibrant in their marriage and confidence abounds as he no longer cowers to the bully Biff. This is the heart of the film which is the reason this picture continues to stand the test of time.
