Michael Jackson Biopic Presents Too Polished a Portrait of the Man in the Mirror

Michael Jackson was a unique pop performer. But “Michael,” the new major motion picture based on the first 30 years of Michael Jackson’s life, hues closely to the biopic formula, tracking his steady rise to success, artistry, and adulation. Along the way to pop stardom and cultural icon status, the movie portrays some of the difficulties the singer experienced, though most of these are depicted as stemming from one source: his father Joe Jackson. The one element missing from the typical Hollywood approach is the fall from grace, which began in earnest when he was first accused of sexually abusing a minor in 1993. According to multiple news reports, scenes were shot that addressed these accusations but ended up cut from the film for possible inclusion in a sequel, which may only arrive if this one turns out to be a blockbuster. In terms of entertainment, as well as a nostalgia trip for those who lived through the period portrayed, “Michael” provides the occasional pleasure, and not only because it features several classic songs and recreations of legendary performances, such as Michael’s moonwalking during a 1983 television special. The film’s central coup is its lead actor, Jaafar Jackson, who is the late singer’s nephew. Beyond family resemblance and the replication of Michael’s speaking voice, Mr. Jackson brings his uncle back to life through underplayed emotion and intelligence in dramatic scenes and through precise movements during musical moments, with the vocals for these predominately derived from the original tracks.It’s a winning performance, even if the overall conception of Michael as an artist and complex young man ultimately proves a frustrating one. Focusing as it does on Michael’s early success as a boy and his later struggles to escape the grip of his father, the film works well as an example of the age of stagnation theory, which posits that individuals stop maturing and evolving when they become famous. In Michael’s case, he shot to stardom at the tender age of 10 with the Jackson 5, the band created by his father and including several of his brothers. The movie’s first thirty minutes or so depicts an adolescent Michael as he endures relentless rehearsals and beatings by the abusive Joe, though director Antoine Fuqua balances out these scenes with lively musical montages of touring and rising fame in the late 1960s. The highlight of this too-condensed first act is a sequence in which little Michael, played wonderfully by Juliano Valdi, cannot help but move his body as he sings in a recording studio and belts out a version of “Who’s Loving You” that greatly impresses Motown impresario Berry Gordy, played by Larenz TateMr. Fuqua quickly moves on to 1978, the year Michael began recording his first album separate from the “Jacksons” franchise: “Off the Wall.” The young adult Michael is afraid to tell his father about the album and sends record company executives to do the deed, an avoidance scenario that will play out again later. Despite the importance of the album and its multiple hit singles to his career, the filmmakers barely address Michael’s creative process. This extends to the making of its even bigger follow-up, 1982’s “Thriller,” with the exception of one scene in which Michael watches a news segment on television about Los Angeles gang violence and we’re subsequently shown how Michael brought rival gang members together for the “Beat It” video.With nary an insight into his inspirations and process beyond a few references to old Hollywood and some Post-its, the film starts to feel like one big montage of “great moments” interspersed with a slightly engaging, if repetitive, drama of hesitant maturity and struggling independence. By separating the music from what was happening in Michael’s personal life, the reality of which was fuller than what is presented, it ends up treating his music — what most endures — as incidental, despite the numerous recreations of iconic choreography and performances. We see him play with his pets, including a CGI’d Bubbles, but we never find out how he came to write such a serious song like “Billie Jean,” which sees a young woman ascribing the paternity of her child to the singer.The filmmakers studiously avoid the subject of sex, despite Michael’s suggestive dance moves, syncopated grunts, and the fact that it was often the subtext of his songs. The screenplay by three-time Oscar nominee John Logan offers a sanitized, sanctified version of Michael, with his only character flaws being perfectionism, a king-sized but admirable ambition, and dissatisfaction with his nose. While the production design is handsome and the cinematography sparkles appropriately, the history book-esque script and often platitudinal dialogue resemble what can be found in a rushed TV movie, which leads one to wonder if watching or re-watching the 1992 mini-series “The Jacksons: An American Dream” might be a more enlightening experience. Under heavy prosthetic makeup, Coleman Domingo somehow manages to make Joe Jackson more than just an avaricious, violent monster. Portraying mother Katherine, the lovely Nia Long displays great tenderness and maternal concern, particularly in a late scene in which she apologizes to her son for not protecting him. Unfortunately, the other family members are barely sketched at all, leaving the actors with almost nothing to do. The only other character of note is Miles Teller’s John Branca, Jackson’s attorney when he was alive and the co-executor of the estate. With an artist as concerned with sales and legacy as he was with beats and melody, it’s no wonder Branca gets included in the “Michael” narrative. Guest appearances by Mike Myers (as CBS Records honcho Walter Yetnikoff) and Deon Cole (as promoter Don King) add a bit of context to the music industry at the time, though his relationship with producer extraordinaire Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson) is basically ignored, and there’s no mention of his purchase of The Beatles catalog nor of “We Are the World.” While Jackson’s 1984 brush with disfigurement and death during the filming of a Pepsi commercial provides a third act pivot point that leads him to snub his father, the personal anguish and familial implications connected to the moment of betrayal are scarcely dramatized. Instead, we’re given yet another recreated performance, and another opportunity to explore complex intentions and mixed emotions goes missing.The film ends with the onscreen words “His story continues.” Yet it’s barely been told.

Michael Jackson Biopic Presents Too Polished a Portrait of the Man in the Mirror

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