Cash grab or fond farewell? That is the still unanswered question after viewing This Is It, self-proclaimed King of Pop Michael Jackson's new concert documentary. Though Poppa Joe may have already answered that question in a recent television interview in which he so heartwarmingly stated, “He's worth more in death than he was alive.” Nice. The Father of the Year Certificate is in the mail, Joe.

Those seeking insight to Jackson's final days may want to keep refreshing the TMZ website, as Jackson, much like he did in life, keeps the audience at arm's length from his private persona, only allowing peeks into his presence as an orchestrator/organizer/intensely focused entertainer. For those who wish to witness the minutiae and cogs of what it takes to stage such an elaborate concert such as the one planned, This Is It is a curious, engaging glance at the man behind the curtain.

In the moments where Jackson is attempting to extrapolate on the inspirations of his songs and arrangements, the same individual emerges that we saw on the infamous Martin Bashir interview that ran on ABC a few years ago. He appears to be an individual who's passionate but puddle-deep. He talks about issues from only a surface perspective, not really seeming to go beyond headline chatter.

Take his analysis of "Earth Song": “I love the planet. I have this thing for trees, the colors and changing of leaves.I love it.” It sounds almost like a fifth-grader's take on environmental issues, and echoes the shopping spree scene of the earlier documentary in which he cavalierly clicks off items in a shop that he “needs” for his house, regardless of expense (and regardless of how broke he was at the time). You can sense that he means what he says, but lacks the focus to delve any further.

But when in the staged musical moment, he emerges much like a savant, able to recount each instrument's note progression, each vocal pattern, and each calculated step on the stage.

Article Author: Rob Rector

Rob actually gets paid to see film, and has for the past 15 years. He is very appreciative that he has the coolest job on the planet. He also teaches film in college and started an independent film festival in his hometown.

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