Story
Michael stars Michael Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson and tells the story of Michael Jackson, up to when he quits the Jackson family band.
As a young boy, Michael (Juliano Valdi) is the youngest member of the Jackson 5. Although a seemingly glamorous life for a very talented child, Michael’s childhood is troubled. He has a difficult relationship with his very controlling father, Joseph (Colman Domingo). He lives in a fantasy world, reading books and watching movies with his mother, Katherine (Nia Long). His only friends are his pets.
As Michael (Jaafar Jackson) grows older and more famous, the family’s income expands, allowing them to live a luxurious lifestyle. This means Michael can keep more exotic pets, including a chimp, giraffe and llama. He longs for independence from his family but continues to fear his father.
Michael manages to escape his family for a while when he makes the famous Thriller album, but Joseph brings him back into the family band without his knowledge. Michael announces at the final concert with his brothers that this is the last time the band will perform together.
Themes
Child abuse and exploitation; family violence; pop music
Violence
Michael has some violence. For example:
- Joseph removes his belt and uses it to lash young Michael. Michael cries and screams in pain.
- Katherine stands up for Michael and tells Joseph he mustn’t hit him anymore. Joseph leans over Katherine and yells at her.
- A film clip is shown in which a woman hits a masked man with an object and his mask cracks.
- During a performance, Michael’s hair catches alight and the fire spreads quickly. He falls to the ground screaming and is badly burned.
Sexual references
There are no sexual references in Michael.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
Michael shows some use of substances. For example:
- People drink alcohol at several venues.
- Several people smoke cigarettes, and Joseph smokes a cigar.
Nudity and sexual activity
There’s no nudity or sexual activity in Michael.
Product placement
The following products are displayed or used in Michael:
- Marlborough cigarettes
- Twister
- Yahtzee
- Uno
- Pepsi
- Coca Cola.
Coarse language
Michael has some coarse language and insults.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Michael is a biopic about the legendary Michael Jackson. The performances by Jaafar Jackson, and Juliano Valdi as young Michael, are very well done. But Michael features the troubled relationship Michael had with his father Joseph, so it’s best suited to teenage and adult viewers.
The main messages from this movie are to be true to yourself, shine your light in the world and bring joy to others.
Values in Michael that you could reinforce with your children include creativity, hard work, discipline and resilience.
Michael could also give you the chance to talk with your children about the real-life issues raised by Michael’s relationship with his father. Michael is always afraid of his father Joseph, who is a cruel and controlling man. Several times, Michael tries to tell his father he needs independence, but he can’t do it. Michael gets his manager to send Joseph a letter, firing him as his manager. He also makes an on-stage announcement to end his career with the family band. The movie shows that Michael escaped into a fantasy world to cope with his situation. You could talk with your children about how parents can support young people to find independence in a safe way.