Michael Interrupted...

This cinematic portrayal of the life and monumental legacy of one of the most influential artists the world has ever known will star Jackson’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, making his cinematic debut as The King of Pop.

I'm not gonna lie. I didn't hate the new Michael biopic. Kinda liked it. But I do agree with the hullabaloo: it's only a partial story. In fact, the last frames of the film are simply the words: "His Story Continues" which is either an opaque allusion to a potential "now you know the rest of the story" sequel or a sloppy deus ex machina before the proverbial s*** hit the fan in Jackson's life. Yes, the film hints at the origin of Jackson's addiction to serious pain medication following his famous burn accident. But it also keeps his devotion to children purely platonic and, well, "pure."

The film gives mixed messages about how authorized this film may (or may not) be by the Jackson estate. The film stars Jackson's nephew (who resembles Jackson and also apparently learned how to dance brilliantly), and that alone is probably worth the price of admission. But the estate also forced changes to the film. Janet declined to be represented in it. But Michael's mother and much of his family have praised particularly Jafaar's mimicry of Michael himself.

The music throughout the show is ample and is actually Michael Jackson's recordings (or remixed approximations) so there is no need to worry about how much Jafaar does or doesn't sound authentic in the film. It is a moot point. But at some point, that soundtrack is one of the reasons that the film is so enjoyable. Because, in addition to it letting us feel some affectionate nostalgia for Michael, this was the soundtrack for many of our lives and it is almost as addictive to see this highly glossy film recreate so many epic musical moments as they were in the first place.

Biopics of rock stars are now a thing and—as biopics go—this one is maybe a bit more enjoyable than many. Simply because it respectfully pays tribute to a very unique star. I went expecting to feel like it was a whitewash. And perhaps it is. But in the end, Jackson's skill at marketing and entertaining is what succeeds. Never mind the neglected facts. Never mind the rushed stories and the muddled histories (the homes depicted are apparently never intended to be Neverland even though it seems like they are trying to convolute that aesthetic into the sets. For example, Bubbles the chimp and giraffes were apparently only at Neverland but they are at the family home presumably in Indiana? But how could the film neglect the opportunity to show those and many other idiosyncrasies? Never mind the fall of Rome; let's focus on the euphoric Bacchanalia beforehand.

Apparently, the film didn't "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" but isn't "Bad" anyway. I found it to be more of a "Thriller." (See what I did there?)