Sia's controversial movie Music isn't just an affront to the autism community, it's offensive

Today Jay and Sean discuss Sia's controversial movie Music, starring Maddie Ziegler, Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr., Hector Elizondo, Mary Kay Place, Ben Schwartz, and Beto Calvillo. One sister, an addict named Zu (Hudson) uses the other, Music (Ziegler), a young woman on the autism spectrum, as a prop for her own healing and development. The film disappoints by casting a neurotypical person in the role and for portraying many offensive stereotypes.
Zu is newly sober when she receives news that she is to become the sole guardian of her half-sister named Music, a young girl on the autism spectrum. The film explores two of Sia's favorite themes: finding your voice and creating family.
Director: Sia
Writers: Sia , Dallas Clayton
with Tig Notaro, Lena Dunham
You may already know about this movie even if you haven’t seen it. Sia, the popular singer-songwriter with the oversized wigs, is its director and co-writer, but more importantly, is the woman who made a movie about a young woman on the autism spectrum without casting or seemingly consulting anyone on the spectrum. And when she was called out about it, she got kind of defensive. Understandable, maybe, but not a great look. She has since half-apologized, the very definition of too little, too late.
Music is not about a young woman on the spectrum named Music. Music (Maddie Ziegler) lives with grandma Millie (Mary Kay Place), who has carefully constructed a safe space in which Music can exist. Music is barely verbal, but she likes to go for walks and visit the library, and she’s never without her headphones. But then Millie suffers a deadly stroke and Music’s sister Zu (Kate Hudson) has to step up and take custody, which is a real head scratcher since Zu is an addict and a drug dealer recently released from prison and currently on parole. How she gets custody is beyond me. She can barely care for herself, she’s 40 but hardly an adult. Caring for a special needs sister seems wildly beyond her, which is probably why things get so wildly out of control. Anyway, this movie is not about Music, it’s about Zu. Music is merely used as a prop to help Zu achieve her goals. She’s a plot device on Zu’s road to redemption.
While this is hardly Hollywood’s first ‘marginalized person as a plot device’ narrative, it is a particularly offensive portrayal by Maddie Ziegler, who, by her own admission only prepared for the role by watching KZbin videos of kids on the spectrum having meltdowns. Ziegler’s performance is without depth or nuance. It’s one-dimensional, insensitive, and doesn’t begin to describe a person as a whole. But director Sia doesn’t understand this, and the script, co-written by Sia and children’s author Dallas Clayton, isn’t interested in fully-realized characters anyway. Music remains opaque and unknowable, Zu is hardly treated to anything resembling an arc or development, and other characters aren’t just basic but sometimes downright offensively stereotypical. It’s surprising that Sia was able to get the likes of Hector Elizondo, Mary Kay Place, Ben Schwartz, and Leslie Odom Jr. to sign on, but then again, none of them would have seen Ziegler’s patronizing performance until everyone was already on set and the ink on contracts was good and dry. But the whole notion that Zu can achieve some sort of absolution merely by learning to love her “challenging” sister is gross. Music doesn’t exist to make Zu look good. She shouldn’t be used as a way to illustrate someone else’s good vibes and positive intentions.
This patronizing and poorly judged filmed is frequently interrupted by an entire album’s worth of Sia songs - performed by Ziegler, Hudson, and Odom Jr. - and their accompanying music videos, which masquerade as insight into Music’s interior life but are really just an excuse to trade on the director’s only real talent. The musical interludes are of course pastel pieces of choreography heaven, but they not only have little if anything to do with the film itself, they also get really old really fast. Sia lacks the skill to connect these interjections to the larger story and the videos feel shoe-horned into a film that doesn’t want them. And though Ziegler’s other Sia collaborations (videos for Chandelier, Elastic Heart, etc) are borderline genius, these are of course tainted by Ziegler’s self-evidently problematic aping of disability.
The film’s ignorant & infantilizing portrayal of autism is disastrous, so it might be a good time to yet again point out that actually involving people on the spectrum in this film’s conception, casting, development & shooting would have resulted in something more authentic and representative. I know it’s tempting, in today’s cancel-prone culture, to dismiss or boycott this film, but I think that we can still learn valuable lessons from bad art. And Music is very, very bad. It’s so bad that it should serve as a new benchmark for productions going forward. It’ll be harder for mistakes like this to be made in the future.

[@emholmes1]

The most important problem with this movie is the restraint scenes and the blatant pro-restraint plot. Prone restraints have killed many people, and depicting it at all is triggering and damaging to many autistic people, and the way the movie shows it as a positive and appropriate response to a meltdown is downright dangerous. If even just one person walks away from this movie thinking that restraining someone is an appropriate response to a meltdown, that can put lives at risk. This is beyond irresponsible.

[@theamazingwillywank]

Agreed.

[@jademitchell9956]

Thank you. I am autistic and was resrained like this several times in my childhood and am absolutely traumatized by it still.

[@emholmes1]

@@jademitchell9956 I am so sorry you went through that. It must be really hard. I really hope that as a society we can learn not to restrain people, and as soon as possible.

[@legendtrevor7284]

I dont mean to be so off topic but does anyone know of a method to get back into an Instagram account..? I stupidly lost the login password. I would appreciate any tricks you can give me

[@darrensamir4580]

@Legend Trevor instablaster ;)

[@piikapoka]

She was really uncomfortable with the role, didn't wanna do it, was afraid people would think she was mocking autistic people, she cried and sia just said, no, do it, I won't let that happen. And it happened. I feel so bad for maddie

[@MakiPcr]

Also she was 14 when she was cast and she's 18 now. I don't think it's fair to criticize her, at least not beyond "follow your instincts next time"

[@mindajane]

The adults around her failed her miserably!

[@amandamandamands]

@@MakiPcr She was 12 when she was cast and 14 when she filmed it

[@crowdemon_archives]

@@MakiPcr well, if anything, her instincts were spot on.

[@TuesdaysArt]

@@MakiPcr Regardless of how old Maddie was, the power Sia had over her by using her as her "muse" makes it hard for me to blame her.

[@robinrichardson5243]

"She's a plot device" OMG, thank you so much for bringing that up. So much of the criticism has revolved around secondary issues of casting and Sia's grossly petty and self-absorbed reactions while overlooking that the fundamental conceit of the film is offensive. The films revolves around fetishizing autism and rendering autistic folks as quasi-mystical beings who exist for the development of the non-disabled main character. It's basically the ablism version of the "magical negro" trope.

[@theamazingwillywank]

Well put, and unfortunately true.

[@blackforest2808]

Sia announced years ago in an interview that she had written a movie for Maddie to star in.

[@cau1471]

For real lmao really seems like there was never an autistic actress

[@KarenLawana]

As the mother of someone who is on the spectrum, I will run far away from this movie. Thanks for letting me know how very, very much I need to avoid this one.

[@puppylov3808]

Sia seems strangely obsessed with Maddie

[@Flareontoast]

AFAIK she's her godmother but that does not really explain her weird fixation. Like Maddie will probably have more opportunities but Sia insists on providing all these for her...

[@amandamandamands]

@@Flareontoast Yeah but even that is weird as, they only met when Maddie was 11.

[@neonjaystones1992]

I feel so bad for maddie, she was 14 at the time the film started recording and according to sia herself, she was really upset about her portrayal of autistic people but was told by sia that it wouldn’t matter. Poor maddie knew that she would be mocking the autism community but she was manipulated by sia into still performing in the same offensive way

[@louderthanwordsInclusivity]

"It feels like donald trump might do this at a rally" 😂

[@garygarside9782]

ha ha ha ha

[@mattymariah]

Maddie was failed by all the adults around her, but especially *Sia* . Sia told her she’d protect her from criticism, which as a famous person she knew was impossible. It’s so unfair that someone who was 14 years old at the time of shooting is taking so much heat for this when she was directed to act the way she did. Am I autistic? Yes. Is this movie offensive? Yes. Is it in any way Maddie’s fault? NO.

[@carpesolis]

This whole situation is kiiiiinda fucked. Maddie knew this was wrong but couldn't back out because Sia's her friggin' godmother. Oh, and ENORMOUS trigger warning on the restraint scene (I was unlucky enough to see it in a video covering this debacle.)

[@theamazingwillywank]

Yeah, good point, it's hard to watch but also possibly dangerous misinformation!

[@carpesolis]

@@theamazingwillywank Oh, not possibly. It is. Whole reason I mentioned a trigger warning was because my roommate in one of the psych wards I was staying in years ago got hurt because of this kind of restraint during a meltdown.

[@videohistory722]

@@theamazingwillywank it's even worse: Sia made a post saying going forward that she'd take the scenes out, as well as put a sensory warning. Several people went to see it for the sake of making sure those promises were kept, only to be saddened when they saw she didn't change a damn thing. No warning, scenes still in.

[@lostinthereel]

I tried going into this film with an open mind and unfortunately, I was still let down by this movie... not just for how offensive it is, but also the music wasn't memorable and what was up with that sub plot about Music's younger male neighbor and that super dark ending to his story!?!? Anywho, great video you two 😁

[@theamazingwillywank]

Yeah, that subplot felt borderline racist to me and I wasn't comfortable with it either. And yes, the songs sounded pretty much all the same, I thought, and there were a lot of them!

[@lostinthereel]

@@theamazingwillywank Rrrright! Why was that even in this film!?!?!

[@juicyparsons]

@@theamazingwillywank oh joy! racist easter eggs thats always fun lol

[@theamazingwillywank]

I know, this movie has it all.

[@Truffle85]

"Pop Stars without borders" *dies laughing.* You guys are hilarious!

[@VictoriousChild]

She didn't any research or consulted members og the autistic community while working the film. Thank you for sharing

[@diazdiscusses]

I am so upset that this was made, let alone it getting awards attention.

[@hokihorastv8066]

Sia's controversial movie Music isn't just an affront to the autism community, it's offensive

[@mathieuleader8601]

why put strobe lighting and have loud music which will put people off watching said movie

[@danielleforrest2763]

I find it amazing that Sia spent 7 years on this movie and it still didn’t rise above dumpster fire. Just wow, Sia...

[@chloetalisha4318]

I feel so bad for Maddie as she wasn’t comfortable doing this role . I feel that if this movie was handled a lot more carefully it could have been amazing . If music was developed more she could’ve had an interesting dynamic with zu. I don’t understand why someone with some for of autism wasn’t casted (apparently there originally was) . Maddie could have played a secondary character or (if she had to be the lead) had someone onset who knew a lot about autism to support her & help with research . The scenes that effected me were the restraint scenes . Nobody should send any hate to Maddie.

[@nadirimyers6643]

Only person I feel bad for in this whole thing is Maddie. She was 14 at filming and said she didn’t want to do it cus she didn’t want to feel like she was mocking. Now I could say she should have said no but when you that close to an adult. You don’t want to disappoint them. I feel like her team. Her mom. Sia... they played her fr. Which is unfortunate

[@mathieuleader8601]

I blame the success of La La Land for making this movie into a last minute musical

[@aussieman3021]

I would actually blame that it's because Sia is a successful pop singer/songwriter that it was made into a last minute musical.

[@GrandmaSandy]

I don’t know if I want to see this movie or not it doesn’t sound like you thought it was worth watching I think I may pass on this one. But you guys did do a great job on the review like usual. I always enjoy watching the two of you

[@amandamandamands]

Last I saw it was 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, I think it has dropped lower since. I have seen more than a dozen written reviews of this movie and while they all acknowledge the controversy the reviews are based on plot, characters etc and they all pan it. The sum up is that this is a tired old trope that has been done better before and it is Zu's redemption arc, all of the other characters are little more than props to help her achieve it. Another good reason not to is that it has prone restraints in it as a loving way to manage an autistic's sensory meltdown. When Sia was called out about them she apologised and said that she was going to get an advisory warning added and have those scenes edited out from future prints. Last I heard neither had happened yet.

[@mcsmaria28]

In addition to the existential problems with this movie and the poor representation, the plot sounds like a bad short story I wrote in high school 🤦‍♀️

[@mongoose1628]

idk who these two people are but they're great

[@amandamandamands]

Thanks, this is the first review I have seen on this that makes me laugh while at the same time emphasises how bad the movie is.

[@theamazingwillywank]

Ha, thanks, glad we're good for something ;)

[@KeepBeautyReal1]

Wow...she actually admitted that that is how she prepared for the role? 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@theamazingwillywank]

She needs to be surrounded by better people, clearly. She's young and she'll make mistakes but these are very big, very visible, very permanent mistakes that could be hurting her career.

[@amandamandamands]

And with Sia being the writer, director and editor of this movie it would have presumably been at Sia's suggestion that she did so. Sia also said that she taught Maddie all of the tics that she needed. Right there Sia shows her lack of basic knowledge and she says that she did 3 years research and doesn't even know what a stim is.

[@lindensalter6713]

@@amandamandamands yeah when she said tics I thought “does Music have Tourette’s too?” Nope. She’s just ignorant.

[@BonedaddyToo]

Today I learned that there is someone in the entertainment industry named "Sia". Thanks!

[@bymimiwithlove7087]

Thats hilarious, Mimi.

[@PatchesandPotholes]

Hahaha 🤣

[@lovers_cult]

dont brag with being ignorant sweetie

[@gabigabi9248]

Thank you for making this video!

[@squanus2866]

wonderful individuals, wonderful things to say, and hilarious/ME channel title. THANK YOU FOR EXISTING AND DOING YOUR THANG Y'ALL. subscribed.

[@ChilledMoon]

Good info , great upload 👍🏻

[@sofiaandcheryl]

Nice info. Thanks for sharing.

[@codyssmith73]

So Maddie was the female equivalent to Simple Jack (Which was a joke in Trophic Thunder)?

[@Flareontoast]

Someone made a trailer mashup of both, it works perfectly lol

[@Sassssssquatch]

First video of yours! I'm loving you guys, keep it up!

[@TutoItMaster2020]

Nice upload! Thanks for sharing!

[@silverliningsvlog1846]

Wonderful channel i do enjoy i do love this

[@EnglandCountyRovers]

Never heard about this Music or movie, thank you for this information, Looking forward to watch more. stay connected. Greeting from UK

[@felkhenbal5860]

Thnank you for the great review my dear friend, enjoyed watching here. Love it..❤️👍

[@happyfamily8624]

Thank you very much for fabulous sharing

[@zestygirl]

Thanks for this great review - I have heard of it but didn't know anything - Thanks

[@queenofhearts_la]

Ahh I'm so in love with your hair 😍 I love the green ♥️🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@queenofhearts_la]

Full watch

[@theamazingwillywank]

Green twins!

[@bettyhordeclinic6147]

Not heard of this but I did enjoy hearing you perspective on this you had me giggling LOL thanks guys

[@mountainviewturning5319]

Great review 👍

[@birdsmariaandsunshinetv9899]

Great job great video I’ve haven’t seen it yet

[@everythingproof]

Lol I feel you at the 7am thing 🤣

[@HuyenNguyenmonica]

Love always Movies with Music , You two very good introduction 👍💕😍

[@LilletVintage]

Another great upload friends, have a nice day.

[@KeepBeautyReal1]

New hair, Jay! 💙💚

Thanks for sharing

[@SuhenasWorld]

Very interesting story thanks for sharing ❤️💙👍

[@TonyMcGreal]

Great review 👍😍

[@udadacats]

Nice movie review~!

[@MilagrosConstantino]

Thanks for sharing friend. If some people watch this movie, they should be an open minded. Love you both. Have a nice day!

[@bymimiwithlove7087]

Hi guys, this is the first I have heard or seen anything about this movie. I am intrigued. I will have to see it, I dont know if I will watch it. TFS and have a blessed week. Hugs from VA.

[@ProfessorDrugsstudios]

Great review

[@8tv]

Very nice information~👍 Thank you for sharing :)

[@christinaauer1563]

Hector Elizondo is in this movie?! I LOVE Hector Elizondo!!!! As a disabled person, that’s SUPER disappointing!!! UGH!

[@theamazingwillywank]

I know!

[@aussieman3021]

He was in several of Garry Marshall's movies, like Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries.

[@ju-ju]

I don't understand all of my friends' conversations, but it's nice to see them talking. ^^

[@UniquelyIndividuallyMe]

Great review, I loved how right from the get go Sean was like no lol. Sounds like this was just a mess and insensitive. Anyway I hope you are having a nice weekend! Also your reaction to Sia's cameo was great!

[@piikapoka]

You should put some clips of the movies in your videa. It would be awesome ✨

[@averyhomedecor]

Hi friend here watching. Great share! Keep up the good work.

[@AquaChiara77]

Nice movie review sist... I like you hair colours..

[@brianferris1233]

🎥🌲🦌🌲thank you for sharing your video today stay safe out there 🎥🌲🌲🦌🌲

[@hannonadventures]

Wow, great job guys, I love Sias music, great job 👍

[@montagnardfoundation-siu8908]

Abig Like- 21. Thanks for sharing my dear

[@whiskynerd6950]

Great Video my Friends 😀👍👍

[@ceagremanuel]

thumbs up good film dear friend nice sharing fullywatch

[@CAMPGMAY]

Do you have a good time travel movie for me ? I like your Style and revues

[@theamazingwillywank]

I'll have to think about it!

[@jenjackson5544]

Boxer / Dancer YASS! The rest of the film I’m thinking 🤔 nope 🤣 I hear you about great movies being passed by, and junk box films get all the Kudos. Thank you for sparing me from having to watch this. I love you both bunches. You always make me smile! I will definitely watch the middle-age lady’s making fun of middle-age lady’s cause I’m a middle-age lady! 😂 ❤️

[@theamazingwillywank]

It's a nice club.

[@RollingQueen]

I find that bold that Sis is getting into that topic and trying to make a difference BUT what I found wrong in the whole entertainment industry, that roles like that are not played by experts in their own thing. You know? Iam handicap too and that makes me so angry. Handicap people dont get a chance to do movies. Of course they are a little amount of famous handicap people. Will watch that movie though and let you know my opinion. Thank you for your review :))

[@rangrasiyanevergonewhirlwi492]

LIKE DEAR SO GREAT VIDEO

[@rhfashionpoint7085]

Wonderful

[@nikkirevasmrplus5313]

I am embarrassed for everyone involved in the film... must watch now! 👀

[@PredatorZone]

great video dear friend🤗💜🤗🤗

[@deenzoe176]

First I have to mention that you crack me up with you Greenland review. I personal liked it cause it was what I call a movie to vegetate to. No thinking, or analyzing. As for this movie I remember you talking about it. I don't like these types of movies. I'm going way out there but it s almost like a Mike Ward.

[@theamazingwillywank]

Believe it or not, we liked it too - surprisingly, actually. We didn't bother doing a full review since we didn't see this one when it first came out, but as always our full reviews can be found here: assholeswatchingmovies.com/2021/02/16/greenland/

[@danceingntherain2]

I think the character Music could have been swapped with a neurotypical toddler and the movie would be exactly the same.

[@sonarbanglacomedian2815]

Best beautiful video

[@bangpchannel354]

Nice video sharing friend❤️

[@TeamConfidantENERGYBOSS]

Fantastic dancer she is

[@mahmoudsaz7027]

Very Nice video. Thank you for sharing my dear friend. Keep it up 👌👌👌👌🌹🌹🌹😊😊💗💗💗✳️✳️✳️✳️✳️

[@-raniakitchen323]

Good dear 🌼🌺

[@christinejchannel]

Hi Jay n Sean I’ve heard of this movie but haven’t really paid attention wow it’s that bad 🥴

[@PaZIxTeR]

► Good job, keep it up.

[@WhosCookin]

L81, Great review friend.... Good job 👍👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏💯💯

[@AlexiaHDIntuition]

Oh boy I love it when you two get excited about a bad movie 😂 well this is typical Hollywood bling bling production and I’m glad you are talking about it 🤩🤟 Merci les chéris Xoxox

[@TristanCollectsYT]

Great review! I think we all saw this coming, this sounds like a mess. "Drugs for the needy!" Haha!

[@SKETCHUPARTANDCRAFT]

Nice 👍

[@Sameenaskitchen22]

Nice sharing stay happy

[@passionmamancuisine]

Coucou super vidéo ♥️

[@superbellabeau]

It doesn't sound like a movie I want to watch. Sia is a strange person. It annoys me that she wants the fame but wears her hair hiding her face. 😊

[@TheLaughingLion]

Wow this is too bad it was disappointing. I really like Sia as a musician and hoped she could do well with this movie too. Awesome and honest review. like #73

[@SketchingGreyhound]

That sounds so terrible. I don't get how people like this continue to get money for these kind of projects. They either still get their viewers or it's just the self-indulgent money machine behind them. Either way, it's sad.

[@TereseBenge]

Yes thank you. I do like Sia, but I am saddened by this😑

[@ana314]

There is a HUSBAND wonderful my dear friend thank you for sharing and movie star very interesting ❤️❤️❤️❤️💐💐💐💐

[@ShitalGohel]

Great great great my friend ❤️❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍👍🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@HarryThomasPictures]

Awesome review, I'm autistic so I don't know if I would find this movie offensive or not!

[@Flareontoast]

There's a bunch of reviews from autistic people, if that helps! I am autistic and I'm not going to watch it but from what I've seen it's not necessarily offensive but it portrays dangerous restraint and probably functioning labels...

[@HarryThomasPictures]

@@Flareontoast Thank you so much for letting me know. I'll probably skip it in that case. I prefer autism being portrayed positivily in media!

[@elianeruth7517]

Bom dia lindos desejo muito sucesso para vocês Deus abençoe grandemente suas vidas 👏

[@JenniferandMark2014]

I am loving your colors, J! 💙💚. This movie sounds terrible 😒Jenn

[@predatorzonelazy7769]

amazing video dear friend💞🤗🤗💞🤗

[@chaos3494]

Nice video💐 26like👍️

[@XiniaR72]

Wow did not know about the controversy behind the movie. I love your reviews I watched it yesterday. It was just OK. I did like seeing Kate Hudson in this role

[@amandamandamands]

This review only touches on the controversy, I've been aware of it since the first trailer dropped in November. This was filmed in 2017 and when some of it leaked back then there was controversy about how Maddie was playing the character.

[@XiniaR72]

@@amandamandamands wow. That goes back aways. Thank you for the added info.

[@afroditachannel8372]

Thank you my friend for sharing and video enjoy to watch like me you my dear friend ❤️❤️❤️