Michael Jackson Biopic 'Michael' Criticized for Ignoring Abuse Allegations and Key Figures

Antoine Fuqua’s “Michael” is the latest in a long line of musical biopics that adhere to a familiar formula. However, it is likely the first celebratory musical biopic about an artist who spent the last two decades of his life facing allegations of child sexual abuse.

If you’re wondering how “Michael” delivers nostalgic performances and melodrama akin to films like “Walk the Line” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” while acknowledging the elephant in the room, the answer is simple: it doesn’t. The film offers no mention of the allegations, despite scenes that uncomfortably foreshadow them. According to Fuqua’s film, nothing of significance occurred in Michael Jackson’s life during his final 20 years.

The movie also exists in an alternate universe where Janet Jackson never existed. She was already a superstar in her own right years before the credits roll in “Michael”, yet she is nowhere to be found. The film erases vital context and important figures, crafting a legend while omitting anything that detracts from it.

While some elements of the production succeed in recreating the pop superstar’s biggest career triumphs, they serve a narrative so incomplete that even the working parts feel unworthy of celebration. (The film reportedly addressed the allegations in an earlier cut, but it was dramatically reshot and re-edited.)

Plot and Cast of ‘Michael’

“Michael” chronicles Michael Jackson’s life from his earliest performances with The Jackson 5 through the late 1980s. Young Michael is played by Juliano Krue Valdi, who portrays the brunt of his father’s psychological and physical abuse—most of which occurs off-camera.

The film’s dramatic arc centers on Michael enduring and eventually extricating himself from his manipulative father, Joe Jackson, played by Colman Domingo with soap operatic flair. Nia Long stars as Katherine Jackson, Michael’s mother, who watches helplessly as terrible events unfold before retreating to eat ice cream and watch TV with one of her sons.

Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s real-life nephew, portrays the adult Michael. His impersonation is uncanny, with moments where he looks, moves, and sounds so much like his uncle that it feels like watching a ghost.

John Logan’s screenplay depicts Jackson as permanently trapped in a childlike state, surrounded by toys, pets, and picture books—especially a copy of “Peter Pan”, which receives more screen time than La Toya Jackson. Jaafar leans into this portrayal, presenting Michael as a tragic figure whose childhood abuse ruined his life even as his career soared.

There’s much to unpack here, including layers of irony, but “Michael” never delves deeply. (This may be due to the reshoots, but we can only assess the version that exists.)