Michael

Today, while exercising, I finished watching “Michael,” which came out theatrically in April but on Starz in August. As everyone knows, I became a fan of Michael Jackson after he passed because I found out about his life. I had no idea they came out with a biopic of him until after the film came out, since I heard from children who had seen the film. Once it came out on streaming, I checked it out. How accurate did this film portray the King of Pop?

Lynn Venhaus started his review by saying, “In contemporary biopics, well-known artists are usually presented in a typical template – rags to riches, bumpy roads and triumphs during a specific period, not spanning womb to tomb, and “Michael” doesn’t stray from that formula.”

How this story differentiates itself, in this Jackson family-produced film of their famous member, is the undeniable impact of his music and the memorable pop culture moments that Michael Jackson was a part of during his life, which was sadly taken on June 25, 2009 at the age of 50.

The story of the King of Pop begins in the mid-60s in Gary, Indiana, through the Jackson 5 success and their relocation to a large family house, Hayvenhurst, in Encino, CA, to his breakout solo career, stopping at his “Bad” World Tour in 1988.

Venhaus said, “As an artistic innovator who redefined music, dance and music videos, he was known as a perfectionist who had a relentless work ethic. That is also shown in “MJ The Musical,” which opened on Broadway in 2022 and continues to tour the country, concentrating on rehearsals for Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour, and his career pressures.”

Venhaus continued, “His creative genius and masterful songwriting skills are the major focus of this dramatization, while displaying his painfully shy and sensitive personality. There are glimmers of his compassion (visiting children in hospitals) and humanitarianism (although it doesn’t touch on “We Are the World” or his Heal the World Foundation).”

Important times include meeting Berry Gordy (Larenz Tate) at Motown, and his collaborations with Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson) on his first solo album Off the Wall in 1979 and then Thriller in 1982, which is still the best-selling album of all-time.

However, the film really comes alive during the famous pop essentials – filming of the great Thriller video, a choreography rehearsal for Beat It, the iconic introduction of his famous “moonwalk” on the Motown 25^th anniversary special in 1983, besides his solo and group performances with his brothers Jermaine (Jamal R Henderson), Jackie (Joseph David-Jones), Tito (Rhyan Hill), and Marlon (Tre Horton).

Those scenes are the highlights and give the film its oxygen. Jaafar Jackson, who is Jermaine Jackson’s son and Michael’s nephew, is just perfect in his supernatural portrayal of Michael from his teen years into adulthood, while Juliano Krue Valdi plays him at age 10.

Venhaus credits, “Jaafar has the moves, the speech pattern and the megawatt smile down pat, and Valdi is incandescent as the ebullient child singer fronting the Jackson Five. Suffice it to say he thrived in the spotlight.” It’s the real-life material he had difficulties with (however, that’s only hinted at briefly).

Venhaus said, “The struggles with his controlling and abusive father Joseph (Colman Domingo) and sweet but passive caretaker mother Katherine (Nia Long) are shown, but the family’s input on this heavily redacted narrative is obvious. After all, the list of producers includes everyone but his sister Janet and his daughter Paris. who did not sign off on this version.”

You know you are getting a clean version of his life. This is the story the family wants to tell, and this is the movie that we got – 2 hours and 15 minutes, from his childhood in Gary, IN, and stopping at his “Bad” World Tour at Wembley Stadium the summer of 1988. At the end, it says “His Story Continues,” and they announced a sequel being in development in May with a release of either in late 2027 or early 2028, with production starting either late this year or early next year.

If you want the other details, look somewhere else. However, if you want an entertaining slice of life that takes you back to the days when you first heard Michael Jackson and saw his evolution in the music business, those scenes so with such energy and excitement.

Antoine Fuqua, who directed “Training Day” and “The Equalizer,” directed this, and his early career as a music video director is shown. His concert footage is perfectly shot by cinematographer Dion Beebe, who shows the electricity of live performances.

They also show the 1984 taping of the Pepsi commercial accident where Michael’s hair caught on fire from pyrotechnics and he suffered second and third degree burns on his scalp. That suggests taking painkillers, which later caused problems for Michael.

Screenwriter John Logan, who has been nominated for three Oscars for writing “Gladiator,” “The Aviator,” and “Hugo,” and won the Tony Award for Best Play with “Red” in 2010, knows how to make a compelling story about larger-than-life people.

Logan also highlights Jackson as an understanding businessman, knowing exactly what he wanted, in meeting scenes with record company executives and managers.

This film was made for his countless fans, and from the preview audience reaction, this will be a huge crowd-pleaser for those who separate the art from the artist, and is not for the cancel culture.

In quieter life moments, the film shows us Michael’s loneliness as a boy, his escape into a fantasy life with Peter Pan, old Hollywood movies, and his big dreams to be the best at what he did as an entertainer. Venhaus said, “It’s meant to tug at the heartstrings, the perennial man-child dilemma...”

However, the film shows a loving relationship between Michael and his brothers – even when they grew up and he didn’t. In their childhood, those roles are played with great enthusiasm by Jayden Harville as Jermaine, Jaylen Lyndon Hunter as Marlon, Judah Edwards as Tito, and Nathaniel Logan McIntyre as Jackie, with Amaya Mendoza as a young LaToya.

Venhaus said, “His eccentricities include housing exotic animals that were a major part of his menagerie, including Bubbles the Chimp (a horrible CGI visual) …”

The cast includes Laura Harrier as great Motown talent detective and later executive Suzanne de Passe, Jessica Sula as La Toya, KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Michael’s bodyguard/confident Bill Bray, and Miles Teller as lawyer and manager John Branca, who is also credited as a producer. Branca is co-executor of the Michael Jackson Estate.

Mike Myers, who also had a cameo in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” appears as CBS Records president Walter Yetnikoff, who pushes MTV to play Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean in heavy rotation, threatening to pull his artists like Bruce Springsteen, Journey, Billy Joel, and other famous singers on the label if they don’t.

Venhaus ended her review by saying, “While “Michael” is not a documentary or a complete picture, this fictional account encapsulates how Jackson’s talent endures and reminds the audience why they admired his unique four-decade contributions. This is definitely geared to a specific audience who is willing to get lost in the music.”

For those who were lifelong Michael Jackson fans and those who became his fans after his passing should see this movie. It currently is streaming on Starz, so those who have that should see it. You will love this film a lot. I thought I was going to have a full career history of Michael Jackson, but when it stopped at the “Bad” World Tour and said his story continues made me believe they were going to make a sequel. When they make that, I am looking forward to it. Still, this is a film that should not be missed out by any MJ fans. See it and enjoy, because this film probably got his life down right.

Thank you for joining in on this review today. Stay tuned on Friday for the continuation of “Halloween Month 2026.”