Movie Review: Music

Film: Music

Stars: 3.5

Cinema: Village Rivoli

I've not been so conflicted about a film for a while, hence giving this a 3.5 stars. There were parts I loved about this film, parts I really didn't gel with. And that's okay, I was half expecting to come out of this in a few minds, and that is okay too. 

The film follows the story of Music (Maddie Ziegler), a girl deep on the spectrum who lives with her grandmother and is supported by the community at large. Music is pretty much non-verbal, a pair of headphones on her head to minimise the noise around her and with a very set schedule. When her grandmother dies, her troubled sister, Zu (Kate Hudson),  comes to look after her, trying all the while to straighten herself out, get on with the neighbours Ebu (Leslie Odom Jr,) and George (Hector Elizondo) and stay on the right side of her drug dealer (Ben Schwartz aka John-Ralphio Sapperstein from Parks and Recreation).

Simple story? Yes. Problematic? Absolutely. Good film? Not bad - though I wasn't completely comfortable with some of it. 

So let's unpack this. 

Sia, global pop start and Adelaide girl wrote the script and music for this. As a first movie this is great. She also has a cameo as herself as one of Zu's clients. The musical numbers and the dancing are fabulous, of which there are many numbers, most from Music's perspective. Stylistically, the film is flawless, from the ratty tenement building in which they live to the uptown scenes to the musical numbers - it's great. 

Kate Hudson iswonderful as Zu, a conflicted woman forever on the wrong side of the law who has to come and look after her autistic sister. She puts a lot of gravitas and grit to the role. With her number 2 haircut and grungy clothes, she spends the movie conflicted and then happily reconciled to caring for Music. 

Leslie Odom Jr is also great as Ebu, the next door neighbour who comes to Zu and Music's assistance, becoming close to the former over the movie. A somewhat contrived relationship, Ebu has his own crosses to bear.

Maddie Ziegler, best known as a dancer in most of Sia's videos, is very, very good as Music. Her dancing, for which this movie is a platform, is extraordinary. And her performance as a barely verbal austistic teenager is good, strong even. 

So what's wrong with the film?

Is the film a far representation of people on the autism spectrum? Probably not. Is this autism porn? Some might think so. Is it realistic? No. That Music is supported by the community at large as she goes about the neighbourhood is a wonderful ideal, and it may happen in places, but in a dodgy suburb in L.A? Probably not.

There are some cliche bits to the film. The budding love story between Zu and Ebu grates a bit. I spent a lot of time wanting to throttle Zu as she tries, mostly unsuccessfully, to sort herself out. This annoyed me to the point where I was considering walking out - but I'm glad I didn't.

This isn't a perfect film, but I'm glad I saw it. It provides an interesting perspective on autism, even if it isn't realistic, the ticket price is more than earned by the musical and dancing numbers. 

The film also has a great heart to it - and for this I give it a lot of kudos too. 

Today's Song: