Michael
★★ 1/2 out of ★★★★ (👍)
Even decades after his passing, Michael Jackson continues to captivate the world through his music, dance choreography and stage presence. From "Thriller" to "Billie Jean" to "Bad", these songs remain ubiquitous in media, whether it's in videos or movies. Which leads to the inevitable production of documentaries and this recently released biopic, summarising the first half of his life into a mere two hours (with text reading at the end of the film, "HIS STORY CONTINUES").
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, who also helmed movies like Training Day and The Equaliser franchise, this conventional and sometimes workmanlike production chronologically delves into Michael's upbringing, involvement in the Jackson 5, his sudden and unlikely rise to stardom, up to the 1984 Pepsi incident and a 1988 Bad tour. If that sounds like a lot, it sure is. The condensation of such events warrants things such as time jumps which are not subtle in the slightest sense, as well as smoothing over the complexities and challenges in his journey to worldwide fame or even the legal matters. It may sound ironic to suggest this, but it wouldn't have hurt to have made it longer, adding greater depth and specificity. Halfway through Michael, John Branca makes an appearance. He is played by Miles Teller, which reminds me of the vastly superior Whiplash, an intense piece of art that was unforgiving, brutal, but incisive and searing.
Yet, it's hard to entirely dismiss Michael too. It is undeniably crowd-pleasing, a biopic that hits crucial beats like his robbed childhood, trauma, pursuit of perfectionism and grappling with fame - with varying degrees of success. Casting Jaafar Jackson, a blood relative of Michael, proves to be a good choice. His mannerisms, dance emulations, voice and physicality, combined with the spectacle and entertainment value of the stage, buys a lot of goodwill which makes these shortcomings relatively easy to forgive.
We start in the 1960s to 70s, where Michael and his brothers repeatedly rehearse songs, especially his movements and singing. He is subject to constant physical abuse by his father, Joseph Jackson (Colman Domingo). Right off the bat, we get insight into his childhood trauma, sometimes hinted to us, sometimes clearly shown. Yet, throughout all of this, what did Michael think about this? What did he feel in the aftermath? It's a crucial piece that drives his pursuit of perfection, which includes him getting cosmetic surgery on his nose, and the drive to have total artistic and personal control of his life. His constrained upbringing also led to the loss of a proper childhood, something he genuinely wanted. We see this in his readings and imaginations of Peter Pan in solitude, and the purchase of various pets such as llamas, giraffes and even a chimpanzee.
The pieces are all there, but they don't completely snap together. Biopics like Michael are a puzzle to review, because they sit right in the middle of superficial and complex. His relationships with his brothers are barely explored, relegating them to background extras, which strips away much of the family dynamics and who Michael really was as a person. On the other hand, the aforementioned themes do have the requisite scenes meant to support the argument, but it could have benefitted from greater depth. A scene that hints at this is when Michael's mom Katherine (Nia Long) argues with Joseph about exploiting the family for commercial success and career growth, sidelining their mental health, wellbeing and freedom. However, it strangely places the llama in the background at the end of an argument, forcing comedic relief when letting us sit in the discomfort would be preferable. Then, the overbearing musical score - whether it's a song or a tune - punctuates the background before transitioning to a more lighthearted scene. There are many such potentially great scenes that suggest a more incisive exploration of these themes, yet it tiptoes then scurries from the fire. We don't need jarring tonal shifts or music to comfort us and dictate how we should feel. The scene itself should do the work.
Fortunately, Michael does slightly improve in the back half, weaving in how music brings people together with gang violence, leading to the production of Thriller. The film, normally moving at a relentlessly fast pace, slows down relatively in covering the 1984 Pepsi incident, his recovery and The Big Concert. Michael's conversations with his mom provide some insight into grappling with fame and identity. He also develops an agency to take control of his life, to break free from the chains of his father and his demands. The penultimate concert with the Jackson 5 is arguably filler, as the brothers were barely depicted on screen anyways, yet the final performance is electrifying. Whatever compromises there may be, not everyone wants to enter a cinema and be intellectually challenged all the way. Sometimes all we need is a reassuring final dance.
Comments