'Michael' offers nostalgic yet incomplete view of King of Pop

The long-awaited musical biopic on the King of Pop is finally in theaters. "Michael" was supposed to hit theaters last year, but re-shoots caused significant delays. If you love his music, odds are you will enjoy the film, available now only in theaters. The action begins in Gary, Indiana in 1966. At only eight years old, Michael Jackson (Juliano Valdi) is the lead singer of The Jackson 5. Michael and his four brothers spend most of their free time rehearsing their singing and dancing. But that's not enough for their father Joe (Colman Domingo). Joe pushes them relentlessly, far beyond what their mother Katherine (Nia Long) is comfortable with. When Michael pushes back, he gets whipped with a belt.&emsp;&emsp;Shortly after playing their first several gigs, the boys become so popular that they attract the attention of Motown Records executives. When they sign a record deal with Motown, their star shoots straight to the top. Their album reaches number one, and their concerts are sold out. The family moves from Gary to Encino, California. By the time 1978 rolls around Michael (now played by Jaafar Jackson) wants to embark on a solo career. The only problem is that he's scared to tell his abusive father. Michael has the executives at Epic Records tell Joe, who allows it as long as Michael still fulfills his obligations to The Jackson 5. Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson) produces his first solo album, "Off the Wall," which is immensely successful. Joe still insists on controlling Michael, on holding him down. But Michael's couldn't be stifled by anyone. Much of the remainder of the film is about Michael struggling to break free of his father's iron grip and forge his own path. You don't have to be a Michael Jackson fan to recognize that he was an amazing talent, the kind of generational talent that we may never see again. The songs in the film are great, no surprise there. I found my head bobbing and my foot tapping as soon as the movie began. I kept right on enjoying the music until the credits rolled. There's no mystery about why Jaafar Jackson looks so much like Michael. Jaafar is Michael's nephew, the son of Jermaine Jackson. Jaafar has the bloodline, but can he pull off a performance as his uber famous uncle? The answer is yes. I didn't think it was possible for anyone to emulate the dance moves of Michael Jackson. I don't know how he did it, but Jaafar's dancing in the film is amazing. His moves are virtually identical to his late uncle's. He also sings (his voice is blended with real tracks of Michael singing) and talks and looks just like Michael. It's uncanny, like you're watching Michael on the screen. Jaafar's acting in between the dancing and singing was not quite as good. Equally impressive was Juliano Valdi as young Michael. Juliano also sang along with real tracks of Michael, and it was fantastic. His dance moves as the frontman of The Jackson 5 were phenomenal. I don't know where they found him, but young Juliano is a major talent. The biggest criticism of the film is the fact that it ends in 1998 and doesn't include any of the more troublesome and controversial parts of Michael's life. The movie doesn't even scratch the surface of Michael's real personality and private life. That's partly for legal reasons, and partly because the movie was produced by family members and the estate of Michael Jackson, among others. Of course the movie was going to avoid controversy and emphasize all of Michael's best attributes. It's a jukebox musical, and there's nothing wrong with that. The movie is more of a celebration of Michael's life and music. When looking at the movie in that light, it's certainly successful. I don't remember the last time I had this much fun at the movies. You can sing along with your favorites songs while being amazed at Jaafar Jackson's resemblance and even see behind the scenes of the making of the Thriller video.&emsp;&emsp;"Michael" showcases the best parts of his life and provides a real hit of nostalgia for those of us who grew up during Michael's reign as the King of Pop. The ending suggests that the rest of the story may be told on the screen very soon.Grade: A-Rated PG-13 for some thematic material, language, and smoking. ••• Bradley Griffith is a local attorney and longtime film buff.