MICHAEL

Director: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Juliano Valdi, Miles Teller, Mike Myers

Jaafar Jackson takes on the coveted role of playing his uncle, Michael Jackson, in the new biopic, Michael. Artists like Michael Jackson have an impeccable music history but a very complicated and troubled personal life to go along with that. He lived a massive life that gets distilled into a two hour movie focusing on the earlier days of his life and career. The film is bookended with the Jackson 5 as it opens in 1966 in Gary, Indiana with their father, Joseph Jackson (Domingo), pushing his boys into becoming famous. Little Michael (Valdi) was extremely talented for a boy his age. He had a stunning voice and natural charm on stage. This biopic races through the standard template pinpointing highlights in the Jackson 5’s early days with Michael getting noticed by Motown all while being physical abused by his father. It then jumps to cover 1978  through 1988 when Jaafar Jackson takes over as Michael all grown up and now wanting to separate himself from his father’s clutches and take control over his own destiny. He wants the world to see him differently. His destiny was to spread love and joy to heal the world through his music. In theaters

Here’s my review