Michael tells the story of the music icon with all of Michael Jackson’s songs, Jaafar Jackson’s performance, and impressive concert shots! The film is directed by Antoine Fuqua and he also directed the action movie, The Equalizer 3 (2023). The script is written by John Logan who also was the writer for the horror musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007). Interest in the film may be if you like Michael Jackson’s music and as a person. This is up to the point of 1988 before all of the controversy. The bio pic presents its story and audiences should be ready to accept it as is, be entertained, and not expect what they want out of it.
It opens with a crowd cheering before we see Michael Jackson (Jaafar Jackson) from behind walking up to the stage, we have the beginnings of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” Jackson is making his film debut. He is of course the nephew of Michael Jackson and the son of Jermaine Jackson. The spotlight follows him. This moves to 1966, Gary, Indiana. The face of young Michael (Juliano Valdi) looks through a window at kids playing outside. This is Valdi’s first film, he has previously worked in television including an episode of 9-1-1, “Handle with Care.”
In the living room, Michael’s father, Joe Jackson (Coleman Domingo) takes him to stand in the line up of his brothers; Jermaine (Jayden Harville), Marlon (Jaylen Lyndon Hunter), Tito (Judah Edwards), and Jackie (Nathaniel Logan McIntyre). Domingo was last in The Running Man (2025) playing Bobby T. This is also a movie debut for actors, Harville, Hunter, and Edwards. Penn was played by Edwards in the podcast series, Six Minutes. McIntyre was in the drama series, All American. Also in the room is mother, Katherine (Nia Long) and sister, La Toya (Amaya Mendoza). Long was in the powerful thriller, Missing (2023).
Mendoza is also acting in her first movie. Joe is watching his sons perform from the couch. He says to Michael, “I need you to look at me” focusing on the audience. Later, we see Joe drive up in his Volkswagon Van in the snow. He is returning from work at the steel mill. He enters the house and says to the group, “I booked you a few gigs.” At dinner, he asks his son if they want to work at the steel mill, then asks if they are willing to fight for it. This is good to focus on the goal for the group, but it is more control with his own disappointments.
Joe has the group dance and tells them to reach out ot the wall, but don’t touch it. Interesting stage directions for the fledgling group. At a club, we see the Jackson 5 perform and of course Michael is a stand out. Afterwards, Joe wants them to practice, but Katherine says they have school tomorrow. Michael starts to complain and Joe takes out his belt. The brothers are stunned. Joe starts giving a belt whooping. Michael runs off and then curls up in the corner of the bathroom. Katherine knocks at the door, but Michael is alone. Later in his bunk bed, Michael looks at the illustration of Peter Pan in a book under covers with a flashlight.
Also, we see Michael looking at the Wizard of Oz, I thought this book in particular should have resonance with his part of the Scarecrow in The Wiz (1978). 1968, the Regal Theatre, 1968, the Jackson 5 are behind the curtains. Michael mouths the lyrics as he watches Gladys Knight & the Pips perform. They go on stage to an excited audience. A woman behind Joe walks up to him and says she is Suzanne de Passe (Laura Harrier). The actress played Patrice Dumas in BlacKkKlansman (2018). She says Michael has “perfect pitch” and that she works for Motown. Suzanne gives Joe her business card.
At a recording studio in Los Angeles, Motown president and producer, Barry Gordy (Lorenz Tate) watches alone at the recording booth. Tate also played Quincy Jones in Ray (2004). Michael begins to sing and Barry interrupts him, “Michael, you’re moving too much.” Michael was dancing, but then keeps his legs still, while he still moves while singing. His brothers sit quietly on the couch in the booth. Joe says he just needs five minutes, but is ignored by Barry. Afterwards, Barry remarks to Michael that he “sung the song better than Smokey himslef.”
He shows Michael about the recording equipment, Joe appears, and then Michael hugs Barry. This is the first sort of affection we’ve seen with Michael. Suzanne watches a monitor in a tv studio as the Jackson 5 are filmed for The Ed Sullivan Show. Then, they walk out to photographers flash. Barry Gordy asks Michael’s age and he says he is 10. He is told to say that he is 8. At a press conference, Michael is asked the same question and he replies, “I’m eight, sir.” It is stated that their hit song, “ABC” is at the tops of the charts. 1971, Havenhurst, California. Michael is on his bed talking to his mouse. A nice nod to the 1972 horror film, Ben, where Michael sang the end credit song.
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