While the performances, particularly by Avery Jackson as Michael, are praised for their authenticity and emotional depth, the hosts agree that the film plays it safe, opting for nostalgia over a more profound exploration of Michael's darker realities. The slick dance numbers and iconic music are celebrated, but Chris and Jessica feel the film ultimately lacks the depth and nuance that Michael Jackson's story deserves.
With a score of 7 out of 10, this episode encourages listeners to check out *Michael*, especially if they seek a feel-good celebration of his music. However, those looking for a more honest and complex portrayal may want to look elsewhere. Join Chris and Jessica as they unpack the layers of this biopic and discuss what it truly reveals about the man behind the music.
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Chris: Okay, so here's something to think about.
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 Michael Jackson's life was like a perfectly
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 choreographed dance. Every move calculated,
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 every step scrutinized. But what happens when
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 the spotlight fades and the cracks in the
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 stage start to show? That's what this new
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 biopic tries to explore.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 But does it succeed?
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 Jessica: That's a great way to frame it. The movie
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 definitely gives us a lot to think about,
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 especially when it comes to the role his
00:00:26 --> 00:00:29 father, Joe Jackson played in shaping
00:00:29 --> 00:00:32 Michael's career. Colman Domingo's portrayal
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 of Joe is so intense. It's like
00:00:34 --> 00:00:37 he's both the hero and the villain of
00:00:37 --> 00:00:37 Michael's story.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 What did you think of that dynamic?
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 Chris: I thought it was one of the strongest parts
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 of the film. Joe Jackson is portrayed as this
00:00:45 --> 00:00:48 relentless disciplinarian who literally
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 whips the Jackson 5 into shape. He's the
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 driving force behind their success, but at,
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 ah, what cost. You can see how his methods
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 left scars on Michael, both physically and
00:00:58 --> 00:00:59 emotionally.
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 Domingo really captured that duality.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 He's terrifying, but you can't deny his role
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 in creating a global superstar.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 Jessica: That's exactly it. The film does a good
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 job of showing how Joe's influence was both a
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 blessing and a curse. But at the
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 same time, it feels like the movie doesn't
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 fully explore the long term impact of that
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 relationship on Michael.
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 We see him struggling to stand up to his
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 father, relying on his handlers to intervene,
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 but. But it all feels a bit surface level.
00:01:30 --> 00:01:31 What do you think was missing?
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 Chris: Honestly, I think the movie missed an
00:01:34 --> 00:01:35 opportunity to dig deeper into the
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 psychological toll of that relationship.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 Michael's entire life was shaped by his
00:01:40 --> 00:01:41 father's control.
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 And while the film touches on that, it
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 doesn't really show us how it affected him as
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 an adult. For example, his obsession with
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 childish things like Peter Pan plush
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 toys and animals features feels like it's
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 just presented as a quirky character trait.
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 But there's so much more to unpack there. Why
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 was he so drawn to these things? What does
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 that say about his need for escape or his
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 inability to connect with people?
00:02:05 --> 00:02:08 Jessica: That's such a good point. And speaking of his
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 animals, the movie does highlight how
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 isolated Michael was growing up. He didn't
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 seem to have any real friends and instead he
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 surrounded himself with animals like a rat
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 and a chimp and even a giraffe.
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 It's fascinating, but again, the film
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 doesn't really connect the dots. It's like
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 they're afraid to go too deep into what that
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 loneliness really meant for him.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 Chris: Exactly. And that's a recurring issue
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 throughout the movie. It touches on these big
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 emotional themes, but it never really dives
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 in. Take his relationship with his mother,
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 Catherine, for example. She's portrayed as
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 this quiet, supportive figure who stands by
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 while Joe dominates the family.
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 Michael clearly has a strong bond with her,
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 but the movie doesn't explore how that
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 relationship might have shaped him either.
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 It's like they're giving us the highlights
00:02:58 --> 00:02:59 without the context.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 Jessica: Right. And that's frustrating because there's
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 so much complexity to Michael's story.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 Even his desire to break free from his
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 father's control feels underdeveloped.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 The movie shows him constantly asking his
00:03:12 --> 00:03:15 handlers to stand up to Joe on his behalf,
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 but it becomes repetitive after a while.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 It's like, we get it, he wants independence,
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 but what's driving that? What's holding him
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 back from confronting Joe himself?
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 Chris: That's a great question, and it's one the
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 movie doesn't really answer. Instead, it
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 focuses more on the music and the
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 performances, which, to be fair, are
00:03:35 --> 00:03:36 fantastic.
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 The dance numbers are slick, the songs are
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 iconic, and Jafar Jackson, who plays
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 Michael, does an incredible job. He's
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 got the moves, the vulnerability, the
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 charisma. It's like watching Michael himself.
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 But even with all that, the film still feels
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 like it's missing something.
00:03:55 --> 00:03:56 Jessica: I completely agree.
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 Jafar is amazing, and so is
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 Juliano Valdi, who plays the young Michael.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 There's this inherent sadness in his
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 performance that really captures what it must
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 have been like to grow up in that kind of
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 environment. But again, the script doesn't
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 fully explore that sadness. It's like the
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 movie is afraid to get too dark, too real.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 Chris: And that's frustrating because Michael
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 Jackson's story is inherently dark and real.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 It's a story of genius and ambition, but also
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 of pain and isolation. And while the
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 movie touches on those themes, it never
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 really dives into them. It's like it's
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 skimming the surface of a much deeper story.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 Jessica: Exactly. And I think that's why, for me,
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 uh, the movie ultimately feels unsatisfying.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 It's beautifully made, it's well acted, it's
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 nostalgic, but it's also safe. It
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 doesn't take any risks. It doesn't challenge
00:04:50 --> 00:04:53 the audience. It doesn't give us anything we
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 didn't already know. And that's a shame,
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 because Michael Jackson's life is so much
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 more complicated and fascinating than what we
00:05:00 --> 00:05:00 see here.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 Chris: Yeah, I feel the same way. It's a
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 decent movie. It's entertaining, it's
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 emotional, it's nostalgic. But it's not
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 groundbreaking. And it doesn't really add
00:05:11 --> 00:05:12 anything new to the conversation about
00:05:12 --> 00:05:13 Michael Jackson.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 If you're a die hard fan you'll probably
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 enjoy it but if you're looking for a deeper,
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 more nuanced exploration of who Michael
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 Jackson was, this movie isn't it.
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 Jessica: So should you see this film? I guess it
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 depends on what you're looking for. If you
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 want a glossy feel good celebration of
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 Michael Jackson's music and legacy, then then
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 sure go see it. But if you're hoping for a
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 deeper, more honest portrayal of his life,
00:05:40 --> 00:05:41 you might want to look elsewhere.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 Chris: Well said. And on um, that note, I think it's
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 time to wrap up Final score.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:50 Jessica: I'd give it a 7 out of 10. It's good
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 but it could have been so much better.
00:05:54 --> 00:05:54 Chris: Same here.
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 A solid seven. It's worth watching but
00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 don't expect to be blown away. All right,
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 that's it for today. Thanks for listening and
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 we'll see you next time.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 Jessica: See uh, you next time.