Good for Disney for supporting the release of a poignant, global story like Nigerian ballet student Anthony's, though this unhurried and understated film will appeal to a limited audience. Anyone interested in dance, or who has been, had, or even known a child with an exceptional talent, will connect with Madu.
The directors are holding no hands, explaining little, and allowing the quiet teen to live his story at his own pace. This opens up some emotional moments, many involving Anthony's mother and family, and allows viewers to draw their own conclusions about Anthony's feelings and his likely future.
The downside to this is that you may feel you want more information. What's the story behind the Instagram video that alerted the UK school to the Nigerian boy's talents?
What do his teachers really think of him (he's clearly special in his village; is he just one in the crowd of other dance students)? Who was the camera operator with Anthony at so many intimate moments? Was it one person or more?
The film opts to essentially pretend the camera isn't there (outside of direct interviews), which does foster a fly-on-the-wall sensation but also leaves out an obviously important part of this story and how it came to be a film.
Read the full review on CommonSenseMedia
Images courtesy of Disney+
