A SWISH EXTRA - The "Michael" Biopic Review

The new "Michael" biopic from director Antoine Fuqua and writer John Logan—produced and approved by the (majority of ) the Jackson family—is genuinely a feel-good, sing-along inspiring ride. However, even though it's the biggest film opening of 2026 so far, it is not a hit with professional critics; many have pointed out misaligned timelines and the blaring omission of key people, events, and controversies that made up a significant part of the King of Pop's first 30 years. That aside, we enjoyed the film, and agree the casting and acting are spot on, especially when it comes to Jaafar Jackson as Michael. He uncannily manages to channel the well-documented mannerisms, speaking and singing voices, and even the innovative dancing style of his late uncle.  We recommend the movie whether or not you are, or were, a diehard Michael Jackson fan. But we have a warning: what you will be getting is a sanitized version of what really happened (his own daughter, Paris, has publicly said as much). We are also looking forward to the much-anticipated—and now certainly green-lit, though unannounced—sequel that will cover his 30s and 40s. Unfortunately, however, we know how that movie will end. In this 'Swish Extra,' we'll break down the movie and tell you what we think about the biggest celebrity biopic of all time, now playing at a theater near you. NOTE: Do we need a spoiler alert for a uber-documented global superstar's biopic? Yes, we talk about EVERYTHING. If you want to know nothing, like Scott did before he went to the theater, see the movie first, then come back to our in-depth discussion. _________ Stream, download, and subscribe to the audio version of the show on most popular podcast distribution apps and sites, such as Spotify, iHeart, Apple Podcasts, Audible, YouTube Music, and Podbean. We also have a VIDEO version available on YouTube! Alternatively, every audio episode produced since 2018, is available at swishedition.com. FOLLOW US: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/swisheditionpodcast/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/swishedition/ X - https://x.com/swishedition CONTACT US: [email protected]