We got to the theatre a little late; my colleague and I both assumed the first chunk would be ads. Nope. The movie had already started and I walked in about 10 minutes deep. Lesson learned.
The movie itself
Honestly, it was better than I expected. The story felt grounded, the characters were fleshed out, and the whole thing had a real sense of drama without feeling overdone. The actor playing Michael was genuinely impressive — there were a few moments where he didn't just play Michael Jackson, he became him. Physically, the resemblance was striking.
A few things from Michael's life that I either didn't know or hadn't thought much about:
- He had a whole zoo of animals that he genuinely considered his friends — not a celebrity quirk, but something deeper
- He was fiercely ambitious, from very early on
- Despite everything his father put him through, he never stopped respecting him
- He wasn't just talented — he was passionate, which is a different thing
- People literally fainted at his concerts. The kind of adoration fans had for him is hard to wrap your head around today
- His mother was warm and steady — she never got between father and son, just quietly held things together
The dance sequences were electric. Though by the third or fourth time, they did start blending into each other a bit.
Where it fell short
The ending felt like the movie just... stopped. It covered the peak years well but didn't go anywhere near the end of his life - no final chapter, no death, nothing. You come out feeling like you only saw half the story. I kept waiting for another act that never came.
Verdict
It's a solid watch, especially if you want to understand the person behind the icon. The performance alone is worth it. Just go in knowing this isn't a full biography - it's more of a spotlight on a particular era of his life.
My rating
7 / 10