From the moment the movie opens, the audience is drawn into the story of Michael Jackson. It begins when he's five years old — a tiny kid watching other children play on the street outside the home he shares with his sisters, four older brothers, and his parents in Gary, Indiana. Father Joe Jackson is hard on the boys, forcing them to spend every minute rehearsing songs and dancing in unison. Joe is desperate to use his children's talent to transform their circumstances from poverty to wealth and stardom.
While there aren't many scenes of abuse, the ones we do see are horrendous. One particularly heartbreaking scene involves young Michael, who locks himself in the bathroom after being whipped by his father with a leather belt. The tiny boy curls up on the floor, sobbing inconsolably, refusing to let his mother come in and comfort him.
Although Michael is clearly the standout of the group with his wide vocal range and energetic dance moves, his father seems to be hardest on him, singling him out and repeatedly correcting him. It's remarkable that Michael could appear so happy and carefree onstage, singing and dancing his heart out, despite the pressure from his father. After performing at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, The Jackson 5 catches the attention of a scout for Motown Records. In the recording studio, Michael is finally allowed to be himself and receives praise for his incredible talent.
Due to his immense stardom, Michael doesn't have a childhood and finds it impossible to have friends, leading him to acquire several exotic pets. He's also captivated by a storybook about Peter Pan, reading it over and over, even as an adult.
Michael's nephew, Jaafar Jackson, son of Michael's brother Jermaine, auditioned for the film. Although he had been a singer and dancer since the age of 12, he'd never acted before. He devoted significant time and effort to the role even before getting the part, fully immersing himself to the point where, at times, we're not sure if we're watching Michael, or Jaafar portraying him. He perfectly captures Michael's mannerisms, dance moves, speaking voice and innate gentleness.
Colman Domingo was unrecognizable as Joe Jackson, the abusive patriarch of the family. It took me a while to determine that it was Colman playing the role of the angry, drunken, frightening bully; the revulsion I felt every time he appeared on screen is a testament to how completely he embodied the role.
There were two other actors I didn't recognize at first — Mike Myers plays a gruff but kindly recording executive, and Miles Teller plays Michael's new manager John Branca, who represented The Beach Boys before working with Michael. Both actors disappear into their roles, creating memorable characters.
Director Antoine Fuqua has clearly poured everything he had into creating this masterpiece, from the acting to the unfolding story and the film's presentation. It's a magnificent work of art, especially when viewed in IMAX.
The film covers a significant portion of Michael's story without skimping, despite being only two hours and seven minutes long. The end credits include a card that informs us there's more to this story, which was met with cheers and applause at the advance screening. It was impossible to fit Michael's entire life into just one movie, so a sequel is set to be released in 2028. Since the film ends in 1984, there's still much more of his life to share with audiences.
I've been aware of Michael Jackson's life and incredible talent since his time with The Jackson 5, and I've always been amazed by his range as a boy soprano. Remarkably, he continued to prove his versatility as he grew older, driving his career himself with his talent and imagination. He chose to create short films and music videos to promote his songs as he transitioned into adulthood. He dedicated so much effort to each project, even coming up with the titles for his albums himself, as evidenced in the film. He was no puppet of the music industry — he forged his own path and made his own decisions.
Michael is a must-see on the big screen for everyone who loves his music and wants to witness how a little boy who never had a childhood became one of the best-selling music artists of all time. ~Alexandra Heilbron
5 out of 5 stars.
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I can't wait! I love Michael!!!
He was the greatest. My favourite clip is of the concert where the young man jumped on the stand Michael was on that was hovering in the air and Michael kept his arm around him to keep him safe the whole time while he kept singing. He was such a sweetheart. Most singers would have been angry that a fan did that.
I was on the fence about this, but now I'm definitely going to it!
Simply an outstanding movie. Not sure what the professional film critics were thinking when they rated this movie as mediocre at best. It's heart breaking the way Michael's father treated his sons for his own personal gain. Truly an amazingly well done movie. It explains a lot as to what Michael went through. He might be viewed as off the wall in his time and a lot of allegations were made about him but there's not doubt when watching this movie as told by Jackson family that Michael was truly an amazing soul whom was misunderstood. Hollywood, the music industry and the world lost a good soul when Michael passed away.
I'm so glad that people are starting to understand that Michael was a gentle soul who wanted a childhood. There are videos of him playing with kids, allowing them to push him in the pool, playing tag, and telling them to have all the candy they want. He just wanted to make kids happy and join in on the fun.