Michael
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Jaafar Jackson, Juliano Krue Valdi, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller, and Colman Domingo
Rating: ★★★★
There is a sequence in Antoine Fuqua’s Michael in which a young Michael Jackson performs Billie Jean at the Motown 25th anniversary. The iconic performance was where MJ debuted the Moonwalk, which would revolutionise pop music and dance for years to come. On screen, even as you know it’s not Michael performing; even as you know what is to come, and that it is all make-believe, you cannot help but feel the occasion, the aura, and the build-up. And that’s just five minutes of the 2-hour film. The Michael Jackson biopic presents the pop legend as a human being, someone who was both a victim of his surroundings and a fighter against them. It does not make him a martyr or a renegade, but just a boy trying to do the best with what he was given. And full credit to Fuqua and debutant Jaafar Jackson for truly bringing MJ back to life on screen. This is as much a tribute as it is a celebration of his life, music, and ideology. And one that Michael himself would enjoy!
The premise
Michael begins in his hometown of Gary, Indiana, as the 10-year-old MJ (Juliano Krue Valdi) is beginning his music career with his brothers. The Jackson 5, managed by their overbearing father, Joe Jackson (Colman Domingo), are beginning their road to success. But everyone can see that Michael, despite being the youngest, is the most talented and destined for greatness. As Michael grows up and tries to carve a path for himself, he must battle his own father and an industry that has repeatedly tried to put black artists in a corner. The film chronicles his rise as a solo artist in the 70s, the superstardom after Thriller, and his comeback after a life-threatening accident just before the Victory Tour in 1984.
Michael rocks your world
I entered Michael’s screening with some hesitation, I admit. I read the international reviews and momentarily let that temper my expectations. And the film did itself no favours when it began in a rather choppy, disjointed manner. For the first 20 minutes, it does feel like a series of clips stitched together, yearning for consistency and semblance. Unlike Michael’s music, his film needs some time to win you over. But it does over time. Colman Domingo holds your attention in the early minutes with a strong performance as the domineering Joe Jackson. But as Michael grows up and conflicts arise, he gives young Jaafar space. That is when the film kicks into high gear.
The USP of Michael is two-fold. It uses the man’s music – that era-defining, foot-tapping rhythm that is just as relevant today as it was four decades ago – perfectly. Every song, every beat fits where it appears in the film. The performances, set to MJ’s original vocals, feel so real that you feel you are in an arena watching the man live. The cinematography, score, and production design add to that effect, transporting you to the 80s. And it is all elevated by some great performances. Domingo leaves a mark early, but Miles Teller also impresses as MJ’s lawyer and agent. KeiLyn Durrel Jones, who plays his bodyguard, is the audience’s eyes and ears into this narrative, making us feel for the boy beneath the pop sensation. And then there is Juliano Krue Valdi, who plays the 10-year-old Michael. The young actor is pitch-perfect in a performance that required him not just to emulate one of the most popular child stars of all time, but also to portray a scared and inquisitive boy who probably never knew what it was like to be a kid.
Jaafar, the smooth criminal
But the film truly belongs to Jaafar. The Jackson boy shows that talent does run in the family. He had the unenviable task of playing the most famous man in the world. Every step Michael performed, every note he sang, and every word he spoke in public have been dissected, played and replayed billions of times over the years. After Charlie Chaplin, Michael has the most impersonators in history. It is impossible to be like him in a way that nobody finds fault with that portrayal. Hence, Jaafar does the smart thing. He never tries to copy Michael or imitate his mannerisms. He becomes the young star and then lets the performance dictate. What merits praise is how closely he emulates MJ’s iconic dance moves and voice. While he doesn’t sing, Jaafar modulates his voice just enough to sound like Michael. And then an experienced director like Fuqua can extract the best from him.
This film wanna be startin’ something
Michael is the first instalment of a two-part biopic. That is why it takes time to set things up, but it ends on a crescendo. To many, it may feel as if the film is not doing enough, or not diving deep enough into his life and career. But it addresses some things and glosses over others. There is a healthy amount of sanitisation, but that is something one should expect in a film produced by the Jackson estate. And as for the worry that it ‘deletes’ the sexual assault scandal completely, the film only covers Michael’s life till the 80s. The downfall of the pop star, including the infamous allegations, may just be fodder for the planned sequel.
Yet the film does miss a beat or two. It relegates his brothers – the other four of the Jackson 5 – to background entities with no personalities. Heck, even his pet chimp, Bubbles, gets more screen time than the brothers. But none of that warrants the scathing ridicule the film has received from many critics in the West. Perhaps, they were expecting a different kind of film, something that focused on MJ’s antics and scandals more than his life. But what we get is not diluted or whitewashed, just honest. And that is what makes it uniquely MJ!
