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Extraordinary forces — knee-jerk wariness of capitalism, ordinary standards of human decency in the face death — conspire to give This is It the stench of a robbed grave. A rushed release of footage documenting rehearsals for a series of concerts Michael Jackson was about to launch when he died in of a drug overdose in June 2009, bought in a bidding war by Sony for a reported $60 million and edited by concert director Kenny Ortega (whose most impressive cinematic credits heretofore consist of Newsies and all three widgets in the High School Musical franchise), This is It exists on this earth only because Michael Jackson no longer does.
The problem is not just that Jackson’s death has changed the commodity value of this material from questionable to infinite, but also that it’s so clear that the Michael Jackson presented in the footage would never have sanctioned this release. Depicted here as a gentle genius who insists on having the last word in every aspect of the massive production (even if that word sometimes takes the form of impenetrable similes such as “play it like you’re getting out of bed” — which takes on extra mystery coming from a man who apparently used intravenous anesthetic as a sleeping aid), it’s unfathomable that Michael Jackson would have allowed the world to see footage of him shuffling through blocking and stopping mid-number to nitpick, often dressed in mismatched layers (a bomber jacket and massive Ed Hardy sweats, a boxy silver lame blazer and orange jeans) that fail to obscure the boniness of his frame. How does he look? Like a 50 year old man who has had a lot of surgical procedures. This is not exactly a revelation, but it’s not flattering, either.
And so, it goes without saying that This is It is vile. But it’s also fascinating as a portrait of how far one man would go (and how many millions of dollars and thousands of workers and hours of labor he’d be able to employ) to restore his public persona in the image of his ego after years of undeniable damage.
The rehearsal scene is set via breathless testimonials from Jackson’s dancers. Later they’ll be glimpsed in crotch grabbing clinics and taught to jump “like a piece of toast,” but here they can barely hold back their emotions when talking about The Man, The Myth, The MJ. “Life is hard, right?” croaks a small, greasy Timerblake-alike with tears in his eyes. Titles tell us this footage was shot at auditions in April, which may or may not be ingenuous, but obviously the idea is to point out that even before his death, some people responded genuinely to Jackson as an untainted godhead who gave them some sort of inspiration when times were tough. This is It, then, is presented as a final gift from Michael Jackson to us.
It’s fitting, then, that the entire show-within-the-film is about Jackson as death-defying hero. He creates a digital militia to back him on “They Don’t Care About Us” to fight … racism? He digitally inserts himself into Gilda, then turns tommy-gun-toting “Smooth Criminal” to outrun Bogie in The Big Sleep. In the show/film’s pièce de résistance (which comes a way before the end, which is a problem — at least to someone who would never voluntarily listen to MJ off a dancefloor/without the aid of cocktails), Michael sings “Earth Song” in front of a pre-filmed segment in which a phantom bulldozer burns down a rainforest, thus destroying the home of an orphan girl of unidentifiable mixed race. Suddenly we switch to a digital recreation of what presumably would happen in the live show, had it ever happened: an actual bulldozer appears on stage and heads straight for MJ, but stops just short of hitting him … presumably blocked by the purity of Jackson’s love for the planet? Who knows how or why he concocted this fractured persona as stylish gangster militia leader cum savior of rainforests — anything but accused child molester and walking embodiment of The Picture of Dorian Gray, right?
The segments that deal with more local, specific sorts of love are much more problematic, and they give This is It a sick, voyeuristic kick. (In a good way — what seems like it would be bad for the concert is only good for the behind-the-scenes film.) Though he claims to be reserving his voice and his energy (he leaves the spectacular physical work to his back-up dancers, and in most of the rehearsed numbers doesn’t seem to perform choreography as much as cycle through a series of signature moves that come naturally when he hears his own music), Jackson seems generally capable and on-top-of-it in all but a few sequences. The first, and most jarring, is a segment of the show devoted to Jackson 5 songs. Here Jackson seems unable to find a voice to sing, and when he stops the rehearsal to address a technical issue, his incoherent complaints about fists in his ears seem to confuse even the unflappable, off-camera Ortega. Later, a number set against a Fosse-esque cityscape backdrop and to an extended version of “The Way You Make Me Feel” starts spectacularly, but Jackson fumbles awkwardly when trying to pantomime sexual attraction young female dancer. And this is nothing compared Jackson’s cringe-worthy mugging through “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.” Maybe it’s just impossible to see Jackson performing a romantic duet with a female singer and not project his baggage onto the scene, but in this number Jackson’s declarations of love seem exponentially more genuine when he turns out of a staged embrace to face the audience.
This is, of course, is the true tragedy of Jackson’s life, which in itself is an almost unthinkably extreme replay of the tragedies of dozens of superstar performers before him: they have something like a love relationship with millions, and yet are totally, maybe even criminally incapable of having anything resembling normal one-on-one personal/romantic relations. This is It’s attempt to whitewash the scandal out of the Jackson myth is reprehensible, but the couple of moments where the undeniable pathos of his plight peeks through are indispensable.
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We’ve had a bit of trouble getting this episode to go through the iTunes feed, so we hope this re-post will fix the problem. The original post, with episode description and embedded player, is here.
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Thank you! Finally a review of This Is It that doesn’t hide from the fact that Jackson’s legend is tarnished by his past and that the “film” is merely a way to cast aside morality and squeeze millions out of a dead performers name.
I enjoyed the film. It wasn’t exactly what I expected, but it was good to see him during rehearsal. I think it is sad that everyone still insists on focusing on the child molestation charges instead of his talent. Michael is gone and he is being judged so we can stop doing it here, it’s not our job! It is sad to see his entire family make money off of him after he’s gone, but that’s the way it is. God bless Michael Jackson for we have lost a legend!
I don’t even know how to respond to such rubbish. The movie is not an attempt to whitewash anything - you see that’s not necessary since the man had his day in court and was acquitted. Your comments are more telling about the kind of person you are, rather than what this movie is all about. How about you review a film and leave your personal opinions and unfounded accusations out. All of us know very well what took place in MJ’s life, and for you to expect ANY of that to be included in a movie that is simply a bunch of compiled rehearsal footage is ignorant on your behalf. Do everyone a favor, next time stay at home with your bad attitude and leave the reviewing to the critics that can be more objective and kind. Your article really just comes off as mean – and I get your point, but there’s a time a place for everything and a movie review isn’t the appropriate forum to air your personal opinions about the man.
Perhaps people should read more into his scandals, then talking repeatedly about it. I’m tired of people talking about these scandals, as though they are proof that they are true. It’s no secret that Michael Jackson was strange, hated the way he looked, was addicted to drugs, but if people spent a little bit more time looking into the validity of his accusers in scandal cases, it will soon be easy to see it was all about money.
‘This is it’ is the way he should be remembered - by what he brought to the world by his music and his performance. It was made for the fans, and I believe, the footage is not something MJ would have wanted, but I think it is something the fans should see.
So if you want to talk about morality a bit, I suggest you do some more research, and quit dragging his name around in the mud, as you have already bought into the media circus that spent years in bringing down his name.
You fail at reviewing. If you could have been less opinionated in your response, I might have actually gotten something out of it. Unfortunately, you let yourself rant (for an unreasonably long time) on things that people already know about. You neglected to mention much of anything about the music. Strange, seeing as the movie is supposed to be about that very topic. What can I say. Lrn2review? Lrn2belessofadouche? Either of those might work. Lrn2write? When’s the last time you did an English paper where that kind of support-lacking argumentation was allowed? Obviously you’re no longer in high school, but surely you remember those days… right?
Dear Will,
Thank you for your response. My favorite part was when you wrote “Lrn2write”.
Oh, Will. If you only knew (you don’t) how funny that is.
My 2nd favorite part is where you went on to give Karina some tips you learned from your English class in High School.
Which you did after you typed “Lrn2write” on your keyboard.
I think we should all just exhale a big sigh of relief and be glad that you at least added the “w”. Because let’s be honest, nobody expected that from you.
Nobody.
Sincerely,
Your High School English Teacher
Seriously Karina. This rubbish doesn’t even follow a 5 paragraph essay format. Did you even write an outline?
Anyway. I hope you find a good outlet to keep writing about documentaries where you talk about the effect of directorial choices rather than just review what the movie is about. Good documentary reviews are so hard to find. If you leave the game, it’s gonna be pretty damn bleak.
So Will’s teacher (hilarious name by the way I’m glad you took the time to come up with something really clever), you apparently just discovered this nifty thing called THE INTERNET. lrn2*insert something here* is an INTERNET JOKE. lrn2play, lrn2read, lrn2whateveryouwant. So once you realize that I was using this internet meme to get my point across you might look back and see that the rest of my post was well written. So before you get all “I know how to write better than you and I think I’ll just go ahead and make ultracrepidarian remarks left and right”, think about the fact that I don’t post anything on the internet unless I’m 100% sure that it is sturdy in both logic and composition.
Karina,
How old are you? I doubt you grew up with the greatest entertainer you will see in your life time. After seeing the movie tdoay, which is really a documentary, it’s obvious that he was a perfectionist and cared deeply about his craft. If you had spent less time critizing the film and more time just purely enjoying the raw footage (which it was) of a man trying to put together a fabulous show, perhaps you could have seen it from a different perspective. It’s sad, Karina, that you missed the whole point of the film - which was to give his fans one last glimpse into the works of a genius who gave some many millions of people true happiness from his music.
(shrugs at all of the above)
I got from the review what I always get from Karina’s writing: intelligent and thought-provoking analysis expressed with verve and personality. I might not always agree with her opinions, but she certainly knows how to write and her critical faculties are top-notch. And that is why, even after this site’s demise, I’ll still follow her criticism, wherever it’s presented.
LMAO. Thank you ALL for putting a HUGE smile on my face. I 2 (too, two, to) liked the will’s teacher name…….
1) just out of curiousity why did you go to see this film in the first place? I’m not a Michael Jackson fan myself but I’m wondering if perhaps you thought this would be some sort of exploration of the wide gulf between The man’s troubled pshyche and his image or art.
2)Do you think Joe Swanberg is this generations MJ but on a smaller scale? Swanberg doesn’t don the sparkly glove but I hear they used to call him twinkle toes back at the ol’ film academy you know the one he advertised he didn’t go to.Or that the press did so annoyingly. It was primarily because of his eccentric moonwalking and his stated desire to strip sex of it’s dirty fascination and make it more banal and normal. You probably don’t and I’m going out on a limb here but in that case what are the major insights in the films that MJ was just not capable of in his work? I’ve seen Nights and Weekends…Hannah…and Lol and think I caught just about all the flourishes I could but I’d love to hear somebody elaborate a little more convincingly than just a lazy three page advertisment for what a mench they are and they’re own supposed fascinating brilliance while being essentially what amounts to a slapshod four page backhanded compliment…wink wink
3)Why would anyone want to make sex more banal and normal as a stated intention? Please understand this isn’t innuendo or any kind of thinly veiled allusion to my own glorious capabilities or lack there of but a genuine inquiry. If it helps picture an incredulous and utterly confused face asking this question.
4) have you seen son of a seahorse yet ! It’s stunning! Breathtaking actually. The filmmaker is fiercly loyal to “the man who got him back into film”. For this alone I also have to love Swanberg and commend him as well. What did you think of it if you have? Pretty good?
5)Do you think it’s lazy to write someone off as an internet troll? Or should you try to cope? It’s an interesting phenomenom to be sure. There’s a lot of grey area there. Essentially if someone doesn’t conform to the already murky and possibly irrelevant subject matter or “language” of the forum they’re labelled that. It’s easier but don’t you think that’s kind of dangerous? Not saying you because you seem to at least try to respond and be somewhat sensitive to remarks or at least take them slightly seiously but I’ve been researching it a little lately myself and while not every troll is interesting just as not every filmmaker is the implications of trolldom on a larger scale is I think…
6)Sorry to harp on Swanberg…free publicity for him anyway but why are their no trolls in Swanberg’s films?
7)How come if Antichrist was so provacative I can’t remember it and I saw it four days ago?
The nagging problem for me is that Michael Jackson was so ill during the rehearsals that he was running on medications and fear and hired praise. The man was sick unto death (we now know), so it is prohibitively unlikely that anyone who saw him rehearse couldn’t have seen how desperately sick he was. What it sounds like (and I haven’t seen the movie), is that this thing has been edited to give the impression that Jackson seemed hale and healthy, in order to spare his handlers from having to admit that they new how fragile he was.
This was not a movie review. This piece allows us a glimpse into the twisted mind of Kairna Longworth. It’s obvious she walked into that theater with so much hatred towards Michael Jackson, that her review is completely blinded by this hatred. Objectivity is absent in this review, so much that it doesn’t even come close to describing this film. All of her baggage towards Michael Jackson comes right through. The comment from Lacy is right on!! Karina Longworth is mean spirited, and completely misses the point of this movie! This “review” is garbage!! For anyone who is wanting to vent about the scandals of Michael Jackson’s life should go do some research and write about the scandals. Don’t dress up your opinions about his life as movie reviews. It’s a waste of time for the rest of us.
Rightly said - those who have relationships with millions are often alone. And what is left afterwards are their stories - written in books, made into movies…… I think ‘This is it’ is an irony of what we see and what we precieve. Sad end though.
This film could have easily come across as a love letter to a fallen legend. It would have also been taken as a slap in the face to an already tarnished legacy left behind by a dimming star. This Is It is neither. This is a film that cuts deep, and leaves a memorable scar of hope. Jackson may have been an odd seed, but at least he wasn’t a sheep (black, OR white). He had heart, faith, and an understanding of what brilliance sounded (and looked) like. What we see here are both moments of defying confidence, and others of coyly depicted shy self-doubt.
MJ was a legend. Many people only knew him only for all the reasons except music. He was a thorough hardworker and I don’t think it would be ever possible to have another one like him
You found “Just Can’t Stop Loving You” cringe worthy? Fuck, I thought it was the best song in the movie…
I thought the film was great. I was surprised by what I saw. I am glad that it made 100 million dollars this week-end world wide. I don’t agree that the movie should be held throughout thanksgiving, because it that’s the case, then all of sony’s movie’s need to be given the same respect.
i dont want to c ur review i want to see michael at his best dammmm and the new song this is it best song gone hit the charts i swear it will
Lamebrain!! Who are you, what are you? You missed the whole point. The man was REHEARSING. His genius is undeniable, he moved so beautifully and his voice was strong, he was unbelievably talented - this piece of film is the singularly most fantastic account of “..a few days in the life of a genius” that I will ever see. The fact that you had to bring up the “child molestation” theory, and that is what it is - theory - in this review just goes to show your inability to go beyond the mundane filth you wallow in! MICHAEL JACKSON WAS A LEGEND - THE WORLD IS POORER WITHOUT HIM IN IT. LONG MAY HIS MEMORY LIVE. and you, Karina Longface go back to the black hole where you reside.
What movie were you watching? This film showed a loving, gentle, talented genius, who’s voice and dance moves still rock hard some 20 years later. You are clearly NOT a fan. Those of us who loved him, will find it amazing and be grateful for the last looks at the KING. I ran and bought the soundtrack! I love you MJ, you were one on a kind and the very very best as a human and as an artist! I miss you.
This is nost ridiculous review that I have ever read. I can’t believe that you are employed to do this. Did you get the job the job through a developmental disabilities placement program? Even in England they have generally had higher quality assurance standards for alleged journalists
Sorry. Did mean to insult the British; I was referred here through another website. There is even less of an excuse for this trash.