‘Music’ film with nonverbal autistic lead, directed by Sia
It's understandable why Sia cast Ziegler for the role, as it involves two roles in one - the severely autistic non-verbal girl in the main narrative, and the accomplished dancer in the musical parts. I can see why it might have been hard to find someone suitable, and Ziegler actually does a great job in both parts.
I feel the criticisms of Sia were overblown, if not harmful to autistics in some ways - as it could have reduced or cancelled the screening of a movie with potential to increase understanding and acceptance of non-verbal autism.
My overall thoughts on the movie are mixed, there are aspects I liked and others I wasn't at all sure about, but that's another discussion. I'm just expressing that I think many were too quick to criticise. I know autism representation is important but at least people should watch the movie before drawing conclusions.
I'll be honest it gets deeper than that. There is the fact Sia decided not to consult with a single autistic self-advocacy group. But who did she go to in order to gain advice for the film? Well, she went to Autism Speaks and they co-created this film. Why is this so problematic? Well, Autism Speaks has been embezzling money for decades, supporting the abuse of autistic children, and literally produced a video where a parent discussed wanting to murder their own autistic child. The pain there cuts pretty deep for one.
The film also depicted autistic people in general as living in a completely different world and reality to the one we are exposed to. Even with non-verbal people, I find making that association troubling, it neglects the struggle so many faces to have their voices heard by the people around them. We are more sensitive to a whole range of stimuli, we don't live in fantasyland like a Disney princess.
As for criticisms being overblown. Wellbeing angry and outraged doesn't do any good, to begin with. But secondly when you got such a media like Twitter you are always going to get extremely pissed off and aggressive comments. It's par for the course and doesn't really mean much.
That being said, I can see how this film can have a positive impact on some people. But honestly, at this stage I prefer Rainman. At least with Rainman a lot of the humor was at the expense of a dumb salty Neurotypical not understanding what the hell to do.
Yeah, I'm aware that Austim Speaks has a history of not speaking for autistics themselves. I was inclined to be lenient towards Sia, though, based on the likelihood that she acted out of ignorance rather than ill intent. I'm sure for most (non-autistic) folk out there, when asked to think of the top autism advocacy charity they probably think of Autism Speaks.
There is a parallel with Rainman, now you mention it. There was the half-sister who was suddenly expected to care for an autistic sibling out of the blue - with the crux of the movie being whether or not she can grow up and develop the responsibility to do so, or whether she puts Music into an institution.
Well, this is not a very kind review: Sia's film Music misrepresents Autistic people. It could also do us damage:
ohhhh dang, props,
This article again typifies the ableism among those in Neurodiversity.
She hides her real reasons for disliking it behind against stereotyping autistic people by showing severe autism, like there has never been hf autism shown as well like the “good doctor” or “the accountant” movie.
I would say these days the stereotype in movies is definitely hf autism not severe autism, simply because it allows greater scope for a story line including the silly “superpower narrative”.
ND spend a lot of time hiding and denying these people out of shame and embarrassment so naturally they get angry every time the truth is shown.
When she says the movie damages autistic people what she really means is it damages the ND whitewashing propaganda message.
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"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends upon the unreasonable man."
- George Bernie Shaw
Yeah, I think that review is coming from a neurodiversity standpoint, with the way it is planting the idea that Music is acting too severely autistic, and hence infantilising autism.
Knowing that there are people out there with severe forms of autism, I'm not sure about that. I mean, the character Music actually seems to have a relative degree of independence, considering that she is minimally verbal and dyspraxic and subject to meltdowns on changes of routine.
Plus she's still a child, I think? So not surprising she might be collecting dog pictures rather than writing newspaper columns.
But I do agree that there is an issue with the way Ebo lies on top of her to calm her during a meltdown. I didn't realise when I watched it, but since then I've seen shocking accounts of how many people have died through that kind of restraint.
Let's hope the reaction to the movie will help initiate changes in that area.
This article again typifies the ableism among those in Neurodiversity.
She hides her real reasons for disliking it behind against stereotyping autistic people by showing severe autism, like there has never been hf autism shown as well like the “good doctor” or “the accountant” movie.
I would say these days the stereotype in movies is definitely hf autism not severe autism, simply because it allows greater scope for a story line including the silly “superpower narrative”.
ND spend a lot of time hiding and denying these people out of shame and embarrassment so naturally they get angry every time the truth is shown.
When she says the movie damages autistic people what she really means is it damages the ND whitewashing propaganda message.
I have been told the best person to play the non-verbal intellectually disabled character who uses AAC for communication is another autistic person because "autistic people understand each other better than non autistic people do".
It seems to me that a person who is abled enough to follow direction and act as someone else has little shared experience in common with a person like the character. I suppose being autistic would give some additional insight, but there's still a gulf there to be bridged.
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This article again typifies the ableism among those in Neurodiversity.
She hides her real reasons for disliking it behind against stereotyping autistic people by showing severe autism, like there has never been hf autism shown as well like the “good doctor” or “the accountant” movie.
I would say these days the stereotype in movies is definitely hf autism not severe autism, simply because it allows greater scope for a story line including the silly “superpower narrative”.
ND spend a lot of time hiding and denying these people out of shame and embarrassment so naturally they get angry every time the truth is shown.
When she says the movie damages autistic people what she really means is it damages the ND whitewashing propaganda message.
I have been told the best person to play the non-verbal intellectually disabled character who uses AAC for communication is another autistic person because "autistic people understand each other better than non autistic people do".
It seems to me that a person who is abled enough to follow direction and act as someone else has little shared experience in common with a person like the character. I suppose being autistic would give some additional insight, but there's still a gulf there to be bridged.
This concept goes beyond acting to advising on treatments and government policy for autistic people who can't advocate for themselves. There is a large gap between the type of autistic who posts here and the most severely disabled autistics and that will lead to mistakes. That said I can not agree with those who argue autistics like us have no right to opine on policies. Assuming NT's have less of a gap than people like us is mistaken IMHO.
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It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
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In a succession of tweets on Tuesday night, the singer wrote that she has “been listening” to the criticism surrounding the film’s portrayal of a nonverbal autistic person by a neurotypical actor, Maddie Ziegler. As a result, the singer announced that a warning will appear at the beginning of the film, specifically about scenes depicting physical restraint.
“I promise, have been listening. The motion picture MUSIC will, moving forward, have this warning at the head of the movie,” Sia tweeted, followed by the warning, which reads: “MUSIC in no way condones or recommends the use of restraint on autistic people. There are autistic occupational therapists that specialize in sensory processing who can be consulted to explain safe ways to provide proprioceptive, deep-pressure feedback to help w meltdown safety.”
Sia then simply tweeted, “I’m sorry,” an apology presumably aimed at the members of the autism community who have been vocal about their disappointment in the film’s casting and portrayal of autism.
Sia also wrote that all restraint scenes, for which the warning at the beginning of the film is issued, will be removed from public screenings of the film. “I plan to remove the restraint scenes from all future printings,” she wrote. “I listened to the wrong people and that is my responsibility, my research was clearly not thorough enough, not wide enough.”
The tweets remained publicly accessible for just over an hour before Sia deactivated her account.
“Music” earned a nomination for best picture in the musical or comedy category at the 2021 Golden Globes, with star Kate Hudson also picking up a nod for best actress. The recognition reignited controversy surrounding the film, which is scheduled for release at select IMAX theaters on Feb. 10.
All of this led to the creation of a petition asking for the film to be canceled, which has garnered over 17,000 signatures.
“As an autistic individual, I am asking that this film is canceled,” wrote Hannah Marshall, the creator of the petition, on its homepage. “It is extremely offensive to myself and other autistic individuals. Sia has shown no remorse for her inaccurate and hurtful betrayal of the community.”
The artist had also had her supporters, like the National Council for Severe Autism, which published a letter from Yuval Levental, an autistic fan, titled, “Thank You for Representing a Girl with Severe Autism.”
Tweets that are taken down after an hour are not sincere.
Personally I wish the focus of peoples ire had been more on the restraint scenes then the casting. I have not seen the restraint scenes but they are probably more tame then what so many autistics endure everyday.
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DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
For those who haven't seen the movie, there are two restraint scenes, from my memory.
In the first, Music is having a screaming meltdown in the apartment and a frazzled Zu doesn't know what to do. Neighbour Ebo comes round and lies on top of Music to calm her.
In the second, they are walking in the park. That time, Ebo doesn't dare intervene, knowing what a big black guy jumping on a white teenage girl would look like, so Zu has to do it.
I think the intent was to show Zu learning how to take care of Music.
But yeah, it is problematic.
I'm glad Sia realised and issued that apology and added the warning in the titles.
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The reviews I have read have been nearly universally scathing. As of this writing rotten tomatoes gives it a rating of 16%. The only people who seem to like it are the people at the Golden Globes who nominated this film twice. With the film opening in the U.S. today in theaters and on demand we will see if the general public agrees with the critics.
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Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
I guess it will not join Shawshank Redemption as a blockbuster debut.
Do musicals ever do well at the box office?
I think they are really aimed at a small audience of enthusiasts. Les Misérables & Evita are the only two that come to mind that i never bothered watching & only got a modest audience as far as im aware. This despite the "art world" fawning over these kind of things.
I would rather watch paint dry
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"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends upon the unreasonable man."
- George Bernie Shaw
I guess it will not join Shawshank Redemption as a blockbuster debut.
Do musicals ever do well at the box office?
I think they are really aimed at a small audience of enthusiasts. Les Misérables & Evita are the only two that come to mind that i never bothered watching & only got a modest audience as far as im aware. This despite the "art world" fawning over these kind of things.
I would rather watch paint dry
Well, there are some I really like:
Billy Eliot
Chicago
Moulin Rouge
And there was a time musicals were big. Think of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers, Singing in the Rain, My Fair Lady, and a host of other. But I think it is a hard genre.
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A review by an autistic person
Sia Asked Critics to Watch Her Controversial New Movie Before Judging It, so I Did - Sara Luterman
Earlier this month, Sia went on an Australian talk show, The Project, to talk about Music. She discussed how uncomfortable Maddie Ziegler felt playing Music early in the production. “She cried on the first day of rehearsals and she was really scared. She just said, ‘I don’t want anyone to think I’m making fun of them.’ ” It isn’t hard to see where Ziegler might have gotten that idea. In the first few minutes of Music, Ziegler grunts, hums, and hits herself. She thrusts her upper jaw forward into an exaggerated overbite. Then, the first musical number starts. Ziegler continues to twitch and lurch around, but this time with background dancers and bright yellow costumes.
I do not think Ziegler is making fun of anyone. However, a lack of malice does not reduce the acute discomfort of watching her clumsily ape disability. Ziegler is a teenager, and by reassuring her about her role in this movie, the adults in her life have failed her profoundly.
Autism is, technically, an invisible disability, but there is a physicality to it. Our bodies move in unusual ways. To be entirely fair to Ziegler, we do sometimes grunt, hum, twitch, lurch, and hit ourselves. I appreciate that she probably watched several YouTube videos while researching for the role.
Music is not a film about autism, nor is it a film about an autistic person. Despite the movie’s eponymous title, Music, the character, is barely a person at all. She seems to exist for no reason other than steadily propelling her half-sister Zu (Kate Hudson) along a predictable redemption arc.
To be fair to Zu, Music’s needs are unclear and seem to fluctuate based on whatever needs to happen to advance the plot. It doesn’t appear that Zu needs to do all that much for Music, beyond cooking breakfast and braiding her hair. Music dresses herself, brushes her own teeth, and walks from her home to the local library and back unattended every day.
Most autism organizations across the ideological spectrum have denounced elements of the movie as not representative and unsafe, and I’m inclined to agree. One notable exception: the National Council on Severe Autism. NCSA was founded by a handful of parents hostile to the idea of neurodiversity, a branch of the disability rights movement centered on the idea that cognitive disabilities like autism are normal parts of the human experience—essentially, it’s the idea that autistic people are different than our typical peers, not less. NSCA chose to praise the movie’s decision to portray “severe autism” based purely on the fact that some autistic adults online were offended by the premise and movie trailer. Having actually seen it, I think they will be disappointed. The movie does not depict autism as “severe” in any sense. Music’s autism is unrecognizably sanitized, her life miraculously, dazzlingly easy. Music’s neighbors love and support her. People on the street wave to her, handing her free magazine clippings and fresh fruit. In case you were wondering, this is not how the world generally responds to autistic people, more or less across the spectrum.
And then there’s Ebo, played by Leslie Odom Jr. Ebo lives down the hall from Music and Zu. Ebo is from Ghana. He had an autistic brother at one point, but—as he strangely cheerfully informs Zu—his brother is dead. But it’s OK! You see, in his village, autism “was considered a curse“.
Some of his advice is just astonishingly terrible. At one point, Ebo coaches Zu on how to hold Music down after Music has a meltdown in a park. Zu gets on top of Music, pinning Music face down. This is called “prone restraint” and is a practice that has resulted in multiple deaths. After some outcry, Sia has apologized and said that the scenes will be removed from future versions of the film. But that the scene—as well as another in which Ebo, a grown man, climbs on top of a panicking autistic teenager as though that is an ordinary and even desirable way to respond to a meltdown—made it all the way from filming through postproduction apparently without anyone raising an eyebrow is exactly the problem. It’s a bizarre choice.
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Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
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