Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story
6 /10 1 Votes
Initial DVD release February 8, 2005 Country US | Duration Language English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date August 6, 2004 Nominations NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Cast Similar movies Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon (2011) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story is a 2004 Canadian-American biographical telefilm produced for VH1. The biopic stars Flex Alexander as Michael Jackson, and follows his rise to fame and subsequent events. The film takes its title from one of Jackson's songs, "Man in the Mirror". Filming was primarily shot in to Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Contents
The film originally aired on August 6, 2004, receiving a TV rating of TV-PG for language. It is available on DVD, where it is distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment and is rated PG-13 for some brief language and thematic elements by the MPAA.
The film is a sort of spiritual sequel to The Jacksons: An American Dream, which discussed the Jackson family as children. The telefilm went on to receive generally negative reviews from both fans and critics alike as the film presented Jackson in a very unflattering manner and did not represent most of the true story. Unlike the former, none of Jackson's songs are heard, only mentioned in the telefilm.
Plot
Man in the Mirror begins with a flashback, albeit with a voice-over narration by Michael Jackson (Flex Alexander), who reminisces on his younger self (played by Brennan Gademans in a non-speaking role), wanting a normal childhood in addition to becoming a superstar at a young age. It later flashes forward to 1983, whereas Jackson (Alexander) is now a global superstar and pop icon, due in part to his success of his critically acclaimed and universally successful sixth studio album Thriller, which has sold over 100 million copies worldwide, and making Jackson a global superstar beyond his wildest dreams.
The telefilm later jumps from Jackson's universal fame post-Thriller, into his personal life and relationships within the public eye. From events chronicling a troubled time during the Dangerous era, his failed marriages with both Lisa Marie Presley (daughter of music icon Elvis) and Debbie Rowe, whom he later had two children with, a strained relationship with his father Joe, child molestation allegations, to the 30th anniversary of his solo career, dealing with 9/11, and a criminal trial for child molestation allegations of which he was found Not Guilty, the telefilm has Jackson struggling to regain his image as a music icon and a world-renowned entertainer.