The Quill & The Cross

Summary

The story of Michael Jackson, one of the most influential artists the world has ever known, and his life behind his biggest hits. Follow his journey: from the discovery of his talent, leading the Jackson 5, and becoming the visionary artist who was the most popular entertainer in the world, highlighting his life off-stage and some of his most iconic performances.

Starring: Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Miles Teller, Juliano Valdi, Nia Long

My Review

My Rating: 4/5

My Recommended Age: 14+

Things To Be Aware Of

Violence: 2/5 (Michael’s father beats his young son with a belt and Michael screams in pain. While on a show, Michael’s hair catches on fire, and we later see the burned area on his scalp. Some grim images of gang violence are shown on television.)

Sexual Content: 1/5 (Some of Michael’s dance moves can be suggestive. Some women wear slightly revealing clothing.)

Language: 2/5 (The s-word is used multiple times. God’s name is taken in vain a couple times. D**m, h*ll, a**, and a**hole are used a couple times.)

Other Negative Content: 2/5 (Michael gets multiple nose jobs. Somebody encourages Michael to lie to the press. His father is very harsh towards his sons.)

My Take

I was never a huge fan of Michael Jackson, aside from the occasional Thriller song at Halloween, but when I first saw the trailer for this movie, it looked pretty incredible and I was excited to see it. Safe to say, the movie did NOT disappoint! It’s a well-done film, with a fast moving plot, a decent script, and good acting all around. The highlight of the movie was 100% the performance of Jaafer Jackson (Michael’s real-life nephew) as Michael Jackson: he perfectly captured the essence of Michael Jackson, and his singing and dancing performances were incredible! I confess to getting home after the movie and turning on Michael Jackson music; it was that catchy.

Overall it’s a pretty clean movie: occasional cursing and a few heavier moments. It only covers the first 25-ish years of his life, so it skirts away from all the controversy involving his later years. It’s kind of a concert film with a lot of dialogue… and I LOVED that! Halfway through I found myself impatient for the next time Michael was onstage: it was that captivating! I went into the theater not knowing that much about Michael Jackson, and I genuinely enjoyed the entire movie! Even if you’re not a big fan, it’s an entertaining movie with some awesome concert scenes!