"The new bio-pic 'Michael' includes no mention that its protagonist, the late pop star Michael Jackson, faced multiple accusations of child sexual abuse. The allegations (which Jackson denied) were addressed in an earlier cut of the film, as the director, Antoine Fuqua, told Kelefa Sanneh for a recent profile in this magazine."
"This dismaying course of events reflects a major problem with bio-pics: that the involvement of interested parties—whether the subjects themselves, their families, or other rights holders—risks distorting a life story by sanitizing it, leaving out events that would make the subject look bad."
"Setting aside the woeful omission, though, and considering the film outside the realm of pre-existing facts, as if it were a work of fiction about a fictitious character, 'Michael' still counts as only a modestly noteworthy achievement, enjoyable yet flawed."
The film 'Michael' chronicles the rise of pop star Michael Jackson while deliberately excluding significant allegations of child sexual abuse against him. These omissions stem from the Jackson estate's influence, which sought to protect his reputation by removing controversial content. This sanitization raises concerns about the integrity of biopics, particularly those involving musicians, as they often rely on rights holders for music use. Despite its flaws, the film remains an enjoyable yet limited portrayal of Jackson's life and career.
Read at The New Yorker
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