Michael
First off lets talk about the elephant in the room….Rotten Tomatoes rating from the critics of 39% and the public of 97%. THis film focuses solely on Michaels early life before 1988. That said it does not get into the controversial years leading up to his death. The director Antoine Fuqua focuses on Michaels kindness and concerns for all life young and old. So if you are familiar with the accusations against Michael in his later life you can begin to understand the critics low rating.
“In this life, you’re either a winner or a looser....”
Let me start with Jaafar Jackson who plays “Michael” He is an actor born in Los Angeles, California. He’s the second youngest son to legendary singer, songwriter, and producer Jermaine Jackson and nephew to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
The amount of training he under went to even audition for the roll was over the top, let alone what he went thru to nail this performance was amazing! His facial expressions, intonation, tone of voice, and body language are all spot on. It almost feels like you’re watching Michael himself. One of the best performances for 2026 and hope Jaafar gets an Oscar!
Makeup and wardrobe departments made everything look authentic. Direction is well-balanced. Storytelling is compelling with a mix of beautiful moments and raw, difficult sides, making it feel human and real.
Definitely a film you should see on the big screen. The impact, music, and atmosphere come alive in the cinema.
To sum it up….its a surprisingly powerful movie with an exceptional lead performance and outstanding production quality.
I highly recommend this film…..I was truly blown away watching this!
Rotten Tomatoes: Critics: 39% Public: 97% IMDb 7.7/10
Stars: Jaafar Jackson - Colman Domingo - Nia Long - Miles Teller