Walking out after watching “Michael,” the Michael Jackson biopic, had me feeling weirdly inspired. “Michael” told the story of Michael Jackson’s rise to fame in a way that was entertaining and relatively accurate, while keeping it more light-hearted.

Jafaar Jackson, son of Jackie Jackson and nephew of Michael Jackson, plays Michael Jackson. Obviously, I wasn’t even alive when the real Michael Jackson was. Still, according to the fans online, Jafaar Jackson truly embodied Michael Jackson in a way that no random actor could. That is all very apparent in his voice, dance and overall mannerisms.

Not only was the acting amazing, especially as this was his first acting role, but so was the movie itself. The story begins in Gary, Indiana, where Michael Jackson was born, and showcases the journey of the Jackson 5. It tells how he was discovered, and we see the shift from his group career to when he decides to go solo. From then on, he launched his solo career but continues to struggle to break away from the group.

By far my favorite part of the movie was the performance scenes. It was so entertaining to see him sing, as they used recordings of his vocals, but also to see the effect he had on the crowd. Before seeing this movie, I never truly understood how big of an impact he had on music, despite always hearing about it. Seeing it on screen brought that to life for me.

Some critics complain that the story was inaccurate, as it shows mostly the polished version of his life. Heavier topics and controversies were downplayed, such as his abuse growing up. His struggle with vitiligo was introduced and will most likely be focused on if there is a sequel, as this film only went up to 1988. Other parts were left out completely; however, according to IMDb, producers are working on getting a second part approved. It is rumored that this part will focus on those darker parts of his life.

For some, that was a downside, but I personally enjoyed seeing a lighter, more fun movie than a heavy and serious one. So, I recommend “Michael” to anyone looking for an enjoyable movie. The overall vibe of it, and I know it seems plain, but it really does sum it up, is happy.