Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall
Showtime | Release Date (Streaming): February 5, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
66
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 10 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
RogerEbert.comSheila O'MalleyJun 22, 2020
Exquisitely researched, beautifully put together, with that celebratory knowledgeable chorus of voices pouring over us, what Spike Lee's documentary really is is an act of love. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyJoey Nolfi Jun 22, 2020
Lee’s documentary is, ultimately, enjoyably nostalgic, but says little more than what we already know. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesRobert LloydJun 22, 2020
Lee keeps his celebration smart and not soppy. He gets you excited, makes you feel the moment, see what was new in it, why it mattered. Read full review
70
VarietyGuy LodgeJun 22, 2020
This bouncily entertaining doc may boast only a notch more formal ambition than a very well-assembled “Behind the Music” special, but is no less essential than Lee’s first MJ opus, the excellent “Bad 25.” Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyJun 22, 2020
Lee's interest in Jackson goes beyond an appreciation of his music to acknowledge what an important figure the performer remains in black culture, bridging the divide that continued to separate many black artists from mainstream acceptance. Read full review
60
BBCOwen GleibermanJun 22, 2020
Lee’s film takes a deep dive into the music, and it succeeds in making that aural nostalgia exhilarating. But a movie called Michael Jackson’s Journey that leaves out the personal dimension of that transformation is missing a key part of the story. Read full review
60
The GuardianLanre BakareJun 22, 2020
It’s a brazen celebration of Jackson, which unlike Lee’s other documentary work doesn’t look under the hood to tell the whole story and examine some of the more uncomfortable inner workings. Read full review
60
The New York TimesMike HaleJun 22, 2020
What it resembles more than anything is a deluxe extended episode of a television music-biography series like “Unsung” (or “Behind the Music” minus the scandals). Read full review
58
The PlaylistNick SchagerJun 22, 2020
Spike Lee’s documentary on this formative period in Michael Jackson’s career derives its electric, enlivening energy from these fantastic clips. Alas, they’re not enough to alter the fact that this non-fiction effort . . . is merely a nostalgic promotional puff piece meant to look back fondly, and uncritically, at an artist transitioning from a youth-oriented pop fad to the biggest star in the world. Read full review
58
ConsequenceMichael RoffmanJun 22, 2020
The film is a friendly, warm, and inviting documentary that dances and shouts without ever shaking its body down to the ground. There aren’t any revelations, there aren’t any demons, and there’s zero drama. It’s simply another rolodex of talking heads — including David Byrne, speak of the devil — that want to talk about Michael Jackson. Read full review
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