The Island Cinephile

Michael: Victorious performances, weak story  

It is cumbersome to visualize the life of one of the most famous people of all time. The newly released biopic of the late musical giant, Michael, affirms this sentiment. With director Antoine Fuqua at the reigns, the audience journeys through the life of Michael Jackson and his dreams of becoming one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Taking on a transitory role, we observe how he moves from a young performer to a seasoned entertainer. A large portion of his internal and external conflict comes from his father, Joseph Jackson, who also functions as the family manager. The shortcomings of Joe are amplified on the big screen as he is purported as the ultimate villain and the root cause of all issues faced by the star. In true one-dimensional fashion, his character is all-bad, and by contrast makes everything else seem all-good. Struggling with nuance, the writers seemed unable to establish complex characters and their relationships with each other. With little time given to form a cohesive story, the film operates as a display for his extensive discography – and by extension the Jackson 5 and the Jacksons. 

Pertaining to the concerts, recreated music videos, and songs within the film, this is where it garners acclaim. However, outside of this, the storyline proved to be a bit lackluster. The audience’s foreknowledge and nostalgia surrounding what is remembered of the late pop star is what informs their understanding of the new film. As seen in many ill-attempted biopics of Michael’s life, the issue usually always lies in the comprehensive nature of who he was. From familial dynamics, industry dynamics, personal dynamics, or even with issues relating to his health – any attempt at detailing his life is not an easy feat. Fuqua had attempted to include as much information as possible to provide a bit of insight into the enigma that was the King of Pop, but there were various legal issues which excluded whole segments. Pacing also seemed to be a problem as we sped past emotional moments and opted for full length performances of various hits. Not enough time was spent on developing these characters or their relationships with each other. Berry Gordy and Quincy Jones were both major players in the life of Michael; yet both scrape by with minimal screen time and no development, whilst Diana Ross’ scenes were nonstarters.  

 The casting crew and performances were wonderfully choregraphed and executed. Most notably, Jafaar Jackson as Michael was spot on with similar mannerisms, speech, and looks. He embodied his uncle wholeheartedly, and it would have paid to have more than a surface level view of who Michael is with such a committed actor. Colman Domingo portrayed Joe as the abusive and controlling father whose presence incited intimidation on screen and annoyance in theaters. Katherine Jackson is easy to love but very underused at no fault to Nia Long. Juliano Valdi makes his debut as young Michael as he dance and sung with conviction. Miles Teller is John Branca, the questionable manager of the Michael Jackson estate who is painted in an oddly favourable light. Larenz Tate portrays a fatherly Berry Gordy whose relationship with Michael deserved more exposure to flourish. Kendrick Thompson is given little time as Quincy Jones. He is present for an estimated ten minutes, yet his influence ranged from the late 1970s to the late 1980s. With so much talent in one film, it is criminal for them to be so mediocre in their development.

Michael is a great attempt at re-introducing a new generation to the genius that is Michael Jackson to new audiences. However, there were many challenges that hindered the biopic in creating a cohesive storyline with strong characters. As a long-time fan, I enjoyed the re-imagined concert; but as a lover of good stories, I find myself unsatisfied. 

Watch trailer for Michael.