There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Family Ties was one of the most successful TV comedies during the 80s. It's gimmick was the flower power children of the 60s who met at Woodstock got married and raised a family. And their first born was a born again Reagan Republican. Michael J. Fox reached stardom playing Alex P. Keaton teenage Republican, but he certainly had teenage hormones.Parents Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter were indulgent if sometimes exasperated by this conservative that they've raised. There were two other kids. Justine Bateman who had not a political thought in her head, just simply concentrated on boys and keeping up with the latest fashion and Tina Yothers who before puberty was a tomboy of sorts, but had really grown out of that when the show ended its run.Fox was the main reason this show had the run it did. It was just acting in terms of Alex Keaton and Michael J. Fox being one and the same. His views in real life were not Reaganesque, but in terms of keeping out of scandal sheets Fox led a conservative lifestyle.Sadly enough we also know of the premature Parkinson's Disease diagnosis which cut his career short. I remember my grandmother having that and well remember her tremors. Only rarely does it affect the young and Michael J. Fox was that rare and tragic exception.Family Ties is set firmly in the Reagan years. I wonder how a middle aged Alex Keaton feels about the current administration.

To all of you who had nothing nice to say about Family Ties,I get that this show wasn't obviously for everybody and it even had its moments of annoyance if you enjoyed it,but I'll gladly take this even over most sitcoms that aired in the same era,let alone those of today.I actually was one of the yew young boys who crushed on Tina Yothers(Jennifer Keaton),which is no knock whatsoever on Justine Bateman(Mallory Keaton)because she was a hot number then and even still is.Most of the political jargon that came out of Steven,Elyse,and Alex's mouths mostly went over my head then,but it was still entertaining how it was all delivered.I didn't watch as much of the final 2 seasons and that was mainly because it was switched to Sunday nights,it became apparent to me in the few episodes I did watch that the show had finally ran its course.At least it went out strong,unlike many of its counterparts.

I often watch old sitcoms that I use to love as a kid. A lot of times, I'm disappointed because they are not near as good as I remembered, and in some cases they are just plain bad, when seen through my now-adult eyes. Family Ties is NOT one of those sitcoms! It's more impressive now than it was then. And of course, there are things that I pick up on now that I didn't when I was 10 years old. (politics/ hippies) I also never realized how FUNNY Michael Gross was until I started watching it again recently. I have no idea how that slipped by me! He is hilarious. Micheal J Fox is very funny too, of course. He had a lot of funny lines, but I've only recently noticed how much physical comedy he did as well. It's really sad to watch how quick and nimble he use to be; the way he could jump up onto the kitchen counter in one quick motion and slide all the way across it.There was always a moral lesson, too. I think all '80s sitcoms had those, but Family Ties pulled it off w/o being too cheesy about it. It's such a great show for both kids & adults. Every time I watch it, I find myself thinking "what ever happened to good, quality TV!?"

The best sitcoms ever are only counted on one hand reaching to 5, 1) Sceinfeld, 2) Family Ties, 3) Perfect Strangers, 4) Married with Children, 5) Dream On. There are other good shows like The Nany, Friends, Taxi, According to Jim, Mind your language,Everybody loves Raymond, Becker, and few others but don't stand up to category "best". Family Ties being among the best gives the credit to Michael J. Fox (Alex P. Keaton) and only who watched the show know why. The other characters, however, were also funny but not as Alex. There were Skippy, Malory and Michael Gross probably the funniest next to Michael J. Fox. As for the rest they weren't as funny but they completed the set.The show was so smart and original compared to other family based sitcoms. Contrary to Married with children (which is also an extremely funny and smart show), it depicted the ethics that most of the families miss today - ethical parents, democrats, charity loving and enjoy the bonds they have and though they play it so safe during the whole show, they still got you laughing in a joyous way. Alex was so funny in almost all the episodes with a lovely contradictive character. Though he seemed to be so materialistic, a big fan of Nixon, womanizer, always making fun of his naive sister(Malory), he had so depth and wasn't really a happy character all the way. There was this episode when his friend dies in a car accident and Alex was supposed to be with him but lucked out because of his selfishness. In this episode, Alex reveals so much depth of a character, he exhibits regret for not going with his friend, realization of the useless meaning of being ambitious while everything is going to end one day and at the same time he gets you laughing while he is visiting a shrink for help and the latter turns out to be a Grant College graduate, same college where Malory is studying and Alex always makes fun of it. He also tells the shrink that when he was a kid he was just as normal as any kid playing with toys and stock market. He could also identify the coin's value from the sound after they used to cover his eyes and toss the coin for him to guess. In other episodes we also see Alex so romantic in love with Elen and later hurt because she leaves him for dancing scholarship to France and then he falls in love with Lauren (Courtney Cox). That was another funny and memorable episode because she is a psychology student and interviewing Alex to study high achievers. Definitely, an unforgettable show!