Surely the biggest shock from any awards announcement last week was the inclusion of Music at the Golden Globes. I hadn’t heard of it at that point, and its unexpected appearance will definitely lead to far more people seeking it out than otherwise would have when it arrives on VOD this Friday after a one-night-only IMAX release today. What to make of Sia’s directorial debut? Well, that’s a complicated question.
Music (Maddie Ziegler) is the name of a teenage girl on the autism spectrum who is mostly nonverbal. The steady routines she has established are upended by the death of her caring grandmother (Mary Kay Place), which brings Music’s half-sister, Zu (Kate Hudson), back into the picture after considerable struggles with the law and addiction. Her kindly neighbor Ebo (Leslie Odom Jr.) and building super George (Hector Elizondo) look after Music as well as they can, but the premise here is clear: much as she seems unsuited for the task, Zu has no choice but to step up...
On paper, this film might seem like an inspiring and affirming portrayal of disabilities and accepting people how they are. Many will watch it and find it sincerely moving and affecting. There are also frequent dance numbers that seem to represent the way that Music perceives the world; Though their meaning is never explained, they do boast impressive choreography and lavish costumes.
But the core problem with this film is that it actually ignores its protagonist much more than it features her, utilizing Music’s disability as a catalyst for the other characters to progress and find themselves. Regular debates about diversity in casting won’t be helped by this film, which does spotlight an admittedly impressive performance by a completely neurotypical actress. But Sia has already been confronted about her decision to go that route, and the idea that she tried but failed to find someone to more authentically play the part should call into question her right to tell this story, which is entirely speculative in the way that it interprets Music’s understanding of the world.
Even if cinema is all about creating something that’s not real and it would just be an added bonus if autistic actors got to play autistic characters and gay actors got to play gay characters, this film misses the mark in other areas. Music’s grandmother’s death is never addressed and no one makes an effort to confront that hard truth to her seemingly oblivious granddaughter. Zu’s connection with her sister is much more about coming to terms with her own issues than actually seeing Music for who she is and the value she adds. The romance between Zu and Ebo doesn’t feel at all organic, and Sia’s cameo as herself is unnecessary and distracting. The same goes for Ben Schwartz as Zu’s flamboyant drug supplier, and a subplot involving another character and domestic violence feels unrelated, excessive, and not sufficiently explored.
There are some positives to this experience. Odom sings in three Golden Globe-nominated films this year, and even doing an accent and in a thinner role, he does well. It’s good to see Elizondo alive and kicking after rumors of his demise were falsely circulated this past weekend. Fans of Sia might appreciate seeing her artistic vision and the choreography of those many inarguably bizarre dance sequences. And Ziegler does do an incredible job of realistically portraying Music, though some may find the precise mimicry of nonverbal autism off-putting rather than praiseworthy.
But is this one of the best films of 2020/2021? No. It’s more of a conversation starter, and its inclusion in the Globes lineup will do that, though I don’t imagine the chatter will grow more favorable. Held up against fellow nominees and musical productions like Hamilton and The Prom, this film feels like a work-in-progress that still requires major revisions.