I am a Mother of Autistic Child and I Have Thoughts on Sia’s film MUSIC

Before I begin to share my thoughts about this film Music, I want everyone to take a good look at this picture of my son Xavier.

This is my son Xavier

In this picture, you will see my six-year-old boy sitting in the dining room taking his virtual learning course sucking on a gogurt, and of course, my notes right next to him (I was taking notes for my play).

Yup, That’s my son!!!!

My son Xavier is six years old and has been diagnosed with nonverbal Autism. It started when he was 3, my son Xavier was playing unusual and not listening to me when I tried calling his “name" he never responds nor even look at me. As a parent, I have dealt with challenges like out-of-control behavior, autistic facial expression, and nonverbal communication. When I heard about Sia’s directorial film MUSIC and how the film is getting a lot of heat because of Maddie’s portrayal of a non-verbal autistic teenager. I knew had to see for myself if Sia could prove me wrong.

Now just to remind you, I used to be a fan of Sia until she had to defend MJ accusers Wade Robson and James Safechuck but had to be an idiot and defend Paris Jackson (MJs Daughter)

MUSIC movie trailer

The trailer looks interesting and very cinematic.

GMA ABC News reporting about the controversy of Sia's film.

So I rented this movie on AppleTV Plus.

When I first watched this film.....

The movie opens at Music Gamble (played by Maddie Ziegler) living in an apartment with and cared for by her Grandmother until she was found dead by her and her neighbor mechanic George (played by Héctor Elizondo). Before her Grandmother died, I saw how Music was taking a walk by herself without the assistance of her Grandmother (played by Mary Kay Place ) or anyone else which was confusing and concerning but when I see neighbors having conversations with her I start to dissolve the concern for Music. Then, Kazu “Zu” Gamble (played by Kate Hudson), Music's newly sober drug dealing half-sister, becomes a sole guardian. When the morning routine goes wrong with Music and Zu, Ebo (played by Leslie Odom Jr), next-door neighbor, step in the apartment and help Zu with Music. Throughout the scenes, I start to fall in love with Zu and Ebo friendship even the way he helps her with Music. Also, there was a boxing gym where Ebo works at and I see Felix, a chubby quiet teenage boy who happens to like Music but never really shows it. He is adopted and his adoptive father is physical and verbal towards Felix. However, I did find some of these scenes uncomfortable with Music's autistic behavior which half is nothing like my son's autistic behavior.

There were two musical scenes that I loved so far than the others:

The first scene would be Ebo (Leslie Odom Jr.) singing and performing an emotional performance. I love how the background is blue which represents sadness, Ebo expressing his facial expression of happiness and pain while walking on a small treadmill wearing gigantic pants and his voice is beautifully pure.

The song is heartfelt (on repeat 24/7)

Spoiler: Ebo has HIV. When Zu meets the person she was selling a medication it turns out Ebo was the buyer trying to buy the meds. I was shocked to find out Ebo's "secret" which made Ebo's solo totally understandable.

In the second scene, it started quietly then Zu (Kate Hudson) singing "Music" in what seems to a bar. The wallpaper, the costume, and the setting are all the same color and pattern. After Felix was killed at the hands of his abusive father after trying to stop him from strangling his adoptive father. At the bar, Felix takes Music's hand when she was sitting next to her Grandmother and starts to dance with her. The dance was sympathetic and contemporary. The camera skills are vibrant throughout the scene. At the end of the scene, Felix and Music's Grandmother enter with a man riding a bike with them in a carriage then enter at this bright light (Heaven) waving goodbye at Music. Music emotionally waves goodbye to them.

Ok, I did cry watching that scene.

Here's what I think of this film?

After watching this conversational film, I must say I find it very impressive but stereotypical. I understand what story Sia is trying to tell but it’s kind of complicated to understand. First off, I didn’t like how the opening when Maddie’s character Music's facial expression looked off when she walks into this orange maze making those mental facial expressions until she started with walking around the maze looking ridiculous. A lot of people said that there was "blackface" involved in this film but I didn't see any blackface but there was ableism which did tick me off. Honestly, Maddie looks like she is doing a mockery of a mentally challenged person with a twist of her choreography. Bad Opening.

MUSIC Opening: I like the song but the facial expression turns me off.

The cinematography skills are on point. The songs are alright. All the actors' performance is solid, the costumes are colorful and the settings are colorful, imaginary, and flat out weird. I didn't like the hairstyles on Music that super uber offensive. In the opening, I didn't like Music's hairstyle in the opening scene and the scene where she enters this cotton candy world with Felix as a dog the way it looks culturally appropriate because of the hair.

Also, the strobe lights in the opening are disturbing because children who deal with autism are linked with epilepsy (my son has epilepsy as well).

But here’s what I don’t understand...

Why people had to judge the film before seeing it. I don’t understand that at all. Also, you think this film is the only one to judge. There's Good Doctor (ABC TV show) and What's Eating Gilbert Grape?

Both of these tv show and film have non-disabled actors playing and no one seemed to say anything about it. Now I'm trying to defend Sia or anything like that, she did try to create a beautiful visionary story but here's honest, not every child diagnosed with autism's minds are not like a magical musical colorful world. The point is we don't know what's inside the minds of autistic children or teens. In closing, I would like to say this film is good but very stereotypical that's all I can say about it but if you're a Sia fan and you want to watch the stereotypical ableist film I would say rethink watching this film.

Director: Sia Furler

Producer(s): Sia Furler, Vincent Landay

Screenwriter(s): Sia Furler , Dallas Clayton

Story by Sia Furler

Cast: Kate Hudson , Leslie Odom Jr. , Maddie Ziegler, Mary Kay Place, Héctor Elizondo

Music: Sia Furler , Labrinth , Craig DeLeon

Editor(s): Matt Chessé, Curtiss Clayton , Dana Congdon

Cinematography: Sebastian Winterø

Production Companies: HanWay Films , Atlantic Films , Pineapple Lasagne Productions , Landay Entertainment , Crush Films

Rating: PG-13

Language: English

Year: 2021