Review: Michael

(The Sweet, Sublime Perils of Fame)

Freddie had his. Elton had his. Now, MJ gets his musical bio-pic treatment. Even though there is little here that we don’t know, the movie succeeds with good performances (including a transcendent one by Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s nephew), efficient direction by Antoine Fuqua (it sounds like I’m damning with faint praise here, but there’s an art to it), and, of course, the music, the glorious music.

Michael begins with the formation of The Jackson 5 in Gary, Indiana. Michael’s father, Joe (well played by Colman Domingo), is a hard-charging—read: tyrannical—steelworker who is determined to mold his sons (Jermaine, Tito, Jackie, Marlon, and, of course, Michael) into a successful musical group.

And, through force of will and his abusive behavior toward his children, he does. Whether they like it or not.

Starting out performing locally, it doesn’t take too long for the boys to move to mid-sized venues in places like Chicago. And then, Berry Gordy (the founder of Motown, for you young’uns) comes calling.