Few musicians have left such a huge mark on pop culture like the former pop star Michael Jackson did, and the movie Michael manages to capture both the angles of the superstar and the person behind the fame. The first part of the long-awaited biopic is extremely emotional, visually beautiful and packed with incredible performances that bring the story to life.
One of the biggest reasons this movie works is the fabulous casting. Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s real-life nephew, plays Michael for most of the film, and after about ten minutes, I completely forgot I was watching an actor. The resemblance is obviously there as they are related; however, it’s more than just the looks. Jaafar took on Michael’s voice, mannerisms and confidence, encompassing all the little details that made Michael who he was. At no point in the movie did it feel like a parody or impression. The young actor who plays him as a child, Juliano Valdi, is also just as incredible and handles some of the film’s most emotional scenes incredibly well for his young age.
Speaking of emotional scenes, this movie did not hold back. Watching young Michael struggle with the pressure and abuse he faced from his father, Joe Jackson, was genuinely difficult at times. The film does an amazing job at showing the tragic side of the entertainment business and the toll it took on Michael throughout his life. The film also wonderfully portrays Michael’s constant feeling of isolation. In one scene, he asks his brothers to play Twister with him, but they all decline, calling him childish. This shows the clear divide between him and his family. Another great portrayal of his loneliness is the accurate scenes showing all the animals he adopted over the years—such as a Chimpanzee, Giraffes, llamas and much more—showing his stronger connection to most animals over humans.
Of course, a movie about Michael Jackson would be nothing without music. Thankfully, the performances are amazing. They made sure to dive deep into many of his iconic songs like Thriller, Billie Jean, Beat It and many more. Every concert scene they recreated felt electric, and the songs were woven into the story naturally. Uniquely, the movie used both the actors’ live vocals and Michael’s real voice throughout. When you see scenes in which Michael is singing a cappella, that is actually Jaafar Jackson’s voice. But during the performances, they kept Michael’s original recordings, demonstrating a perfect mix of Jaafar and his uncle.
One thing I really appreciated was how the film portrayed Michael’s personality. It would have been easy to make him seem larger than life in most scenes, but instead the movie shows the many complex sides of him. In everyday moments, he’s often humble, awkward, and surprisingly soft-spoken. However, the second he steps into rehearsal or a recording session, it’s like a switch flips. The movie perfectly demonstrated Michael’s determination and focus surrounding his art. He knew exactly what he wanted and nobody would’ve been able to convince him otherwise. The film did a great job at showing that confidence without leaning too far and making him seem arrogant.
Despite all its positive traits, the movie itself isn’t completely accurate, which is definitely worth mentioning. Some story lines and relationships were cut or shortened, including pivotal people in Michael’s life. It was certainly disappointing to many long time fans of Michael as it left out many important memories of his. Still, most of the scenes come from the challenges of adapting real life events involving real people. People like Diana Ross and Janet Jackson refused to be featured in the movie, making story lines seem a little strange because of their absence.
Between the performances, the music, and the genuine feel of the movie, Michael is definitely one of the best biopics I’ve seen in a long time. It checked all the boxes as it was entertaining, emotional, and incredibly well made. Just don’t make the same mistake I did and bring a box of tissues along with you to the theater.
