Michael

Michael Jackson (Jaafar Jackson) finds fame in Michael (Distributed by Lionsgate)

Michael, the first part of a proposed series about the life story of the legendary, and very controversial, singer Michael Jackson, is barely a movie. It is a collection of his songs draped on top of a story so thin it is practically see-through. It feels more like seeing an impersonator perform in Vegas than it does a big budget Hollywood production. The actors and dialogue are just used as an excuse to play as much of Jackson’s music as the filmmakers could squeeze into its 118 minutes runtime (with more played over the end credits). It is an incredibly sanitized version of his life, without even a whiff of scandal. The focus is on his meteoric ascent under the intense gaze of his domineering father, Joe. At no point is anyone in this movie given the tiniest shred of depth. They are all pit stops on Michael’s journey.

Even Michael himself is merely a vessel for the music. He is presented as a guy who had a gift and loved to perform; there is no character here, beyond some of his meant-to-be charming quirks that the screenplay mistakes for personality. There isn’t a chance for the audience to get to know him or possibly understand the man behind the headlines. It is fan service for those who have enjoyed his work for the last half century. This is a movie made for fans to celebrate someone they already love. It feels like a reenactment posing as a movie. Those looking for something with insight are going to be massively disappointed.

This is typically where I would put a brief synopsis, but all this does is follow Michael Jackson, from a distance, from the rise of the Jackson 5 through the smash success of Thriller. There is no character arc, no story to sink our teeth into, no nuance and no surprises. There is far more music than there is any semblance of a narrative. The “drama,” so to speak, is more like a series of quick asides to segue us to the next performance. I guess that could make for a decent musical, yet it is so hard to care about anything happening that even the musical numbers, such as they are, come off as timewasters.

Joe Jackson (Colman Domingo) tries to promote his sons

The conflict in Michael is the title character’s desire to be his own person versus his father’s insistence on prioritizing the family over any individual triumph. As played by the usually powerful Colman Domingo, Joe Jackson is an outline of the stereotypical overbearing stage dad. Every scene he is in is him demanding obedience and threatening a beating. The motive for his behavior is never hinted at. I suppose the implication is that he is worried about his own legacy, though that is never made clear. Like everyone else in this movie, he is kept stubbornly one-dimensional. He is simply intended to represent an obstacle Michael needs to move past in order to become the world-famous megastar he was destined to be.

When the family is involved, there is always going to be a divide between how protective they are of the estate and what could actually make for an interesting production. The family tends to win. That is certainly the case with Michael. This is as uncontroversial as a biopic could possibly be. There is no attempt to shed light on his darker side. As far as this is concerned, such a thing doesn’t exist. They know this will make money. Even having Michael’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, star as his uncle feels like exploiting Michael’s success to give his relatives some of his shine (ironic considering what the bulk of this story is centered on). If all you are looking for is a celebration of Michael Jackson’s work, this will likely satisfy you. Everyone else should steer clear.

1½ out of 5

Cast:

Jaafar Jackson as Michael

Juliano Valdi as Young Michael

Colman Domingo as Joseph Jackson

Nia Long as Katherine Jackson

Miles Teller as John Branca

KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Bill Bray

Directed by Antoine Fuqua

Written by John Logan