The Jacksons – An American Dream (The Complete Miniseries)

The miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream begins in the 1940s, when Joseph Jackson (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs) and Katherine (Angela Bassett) meet and fall in love, and ends in the 1980s, when their sons reunite for the 1983 Victory Tour that brought them back together as the Jacksons.

During the first part, “The Early Years,” the couple starts a family, and although times are tough, Joseph still finds time to play music on the side. When he discovers that his sons have inherited the same talent, the Jackson 5 are born. They sign with Motown and start churning out the gold records. The second part, “The Success Years,” begins in 1970 at the peak of their fame, but by 1976, the hits have started to dry up. If the acting is uneven and the story somewhat sanitized, Bassett is affecting, and the series includes Emmy-winning choreography and a combination of original and re-created material, ranging from “I Want You Back” (1969) to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” (from 1982′s multi-platinum Thriller).

The Jacksons – An American Dream Review

Joe Jackson had dreams as a young man. He wanted to be a boxer and musician and go to California. But he got his girlfriend, Katherine, pregnant and he did the honorable thing–he married her. He tabled his dreams for his family, working in the steel mills of Gary, Indiana, to put foood on the table. A religious and principled man (the Jacksons were Jehovah Witnesses), he took family seriously and since he didn’t believe in birth control or abortion, he had a lot of kids–9 altogether. On occasion he was brutal–but if any of you are parents, can you imagine how brutal you might get having 10 people depending on you?

Gossip and badmouthing from the kids paint Joe Jackson as a tyrant–and he may have some very large flaws–but one thing is very clear: he never abandoned his family. He transformed his dreams to fit the talent of his children and took all of them out of a probable bleak destiny in Gary to the height of world recognition. I’m amazed by that, frankly.

This movie is definitely worth watching for many reasons. Though poor, this was a close knit family smothered in love and support by both parents. Angela Bassett is touching as usual, all mothery and love, but able to stand up to Joe when he gets a little too tough with the boys. Her children are still devoted to her. Lawrence Tillman as Joe Jackson gives a multi-dimensioned father. Proud of his children, a stern taskmaster, a visionary–as much a visionary as Berry Gordy–a family man who is complex and flawed. I loved the scene at the Apollo where he embraces Michael and gets off to his children performing Twist and Shout. We also see the music business during the Motown Age and the inner workings of Berry Gordy’s Motown at the height of its success. Now Billy Dee Williams gives Gordy way too much sex appeal…but I enjoyed the charm anyway.

The boy who played preteen Michael was simply adorable and highly talented as singer and dancer. His singing of Kansas City and Twist and Shout in the first half had me moving. The second half, when the family is breaking up as Michael’s star ascends was somewhat painful. The father loses control over his creation, Hollywood values destroy family unity, Katherine suffers from empty nest. But what an achievement.

I loved the fact that this is 4 hours long–it’s like a good book you don’t want to end. No doubt this story will be retold in fuller detail, but I suspect that story would take 8 hours. I’m looking forward to it.

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