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Judah Edwards as Young Tito, Jaylen Hunter as Young Marlon, Juliano Krue Valdi as Young MJ, Nathaniel McIntyre as Young Jackie and Jayden Harville as Young Jermaine star in a scene from the movie "Michael." The OSV News classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.(OSV News photo/Lionsgate)

Movie Review: ‘Michael’


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OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Movie & Television Reviews

NEW YORK (OSV News) – The professional legacy of famed entertainer Michael Jackson continues to glitter as brightly as the rhinestone-covered glove he was fond of sporting on stage. Yet the details of his controversial personal life remain as murkily mysterious as they were at the moment of his untimely death at age 50 in 2009.

That imbalance naturally presents a dilemma for anyone setting out to create a biography of the remarkably gifted performer — whether in print or on screen. The folks behind “Michael” (Lionsgate), however, have chosen to ignore this quandary rather than address it. The result is a hagiography that simply skirts all the potentially problematic aspects of Jackson’s life.

Those not offended by such a maneuver will appreciate the verve and effectiveness with which Jackson’s nephew Jaafar portrays the King of Pop. He captures both his late uncle’s endearing shyness behind the scenes and the charisma he displayed under the bright lights.

Screenwriter John Logan’s script traces events from Jackson’s working-class youth in Gary, Indiana, and his rise to stardom in the late 1960s as the lead singer of the Jackson 5 through that group’s “Victory Tour” in 1984. In doing so, he focuses primarily on Jackson’s fraught relationship with his father, Joseph (Colman Domingo).

As depicted here, Joseph was an originally well-meaning but tyrannical and, by current standards, physically abusive parent. Disgusted by the drudgery of his work in a steel mill, he fervently exhorts his boys to display the relentless drive and determination required to rescue them from a similar fate. Endless rehearsals and the occasional belt whipping ensue.

The tension between Joseph and Michael only increases once the latter sets out to chart a solo career. As he does so, however, Michael gains the increasingly vocal support of his loving mother, Katherine (Nia Long). He also benefits from the savvy backing of his new manager, John Branca (Miles Teller).

Those bonds notwithstanding, Jackson seems to have found himself in a painfully paradoxical situation. Even as he became perhaps the most popular celebrity in the world, he remained so isolated that he treated his famously exotic pets as friends and family.

Thus, in one scene, he gushingly shares his hopes and plans for the future with a llama before bidding the creature goodnight. Such behavior could be dismissed as silly if it weren’t so poignant.

Director Antoine Fuqua successfully conveys the artistry and energy that propelled Jackson’s career. And Logan’s screenplay includes relatively few lapses into vulgarity, referring to sexuality, moreover, only once and then very indirectly. As a result, most parents will probably consider “Michael” acceptable fare for older teens.

Viewers of whatever age will note that Jackson’s only interaction with children in the movie consists of giving out autographs and visiting young patients in the hospital. Is that accurate to history? To paraphrase novelist Ernest Hemingway, wouldn’t it be pretty to think so.

The film contains a scene of harsh parental punishment, a single instance each of profane language and vaguely sexual humor, about a half-dozen crude terms and a couple of crass expressions. The OSV News classification is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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