Disney+’s latest documentary has a runtime of just 100 minutes, and these 100 minutes are more than enough to tell the beautiful yet struggling tale of Anthony Madu. Madu is a young boy who has had one passion in life, and that’s ballet. In this documentary, viewers get a chance to see Anthony make his journey as a young boy in Nigeria, all the way to the United Kingdom, to perfect his art at one of the most prestigious schools.
Although Anthony has been a viral sensation before this documentary, it is now time for people to know the whole story and that is exactly what Disney+ manages to achieve. Keep reading our review to know our thoughts on Madu, and why believe it deserves to be added to your watchlist, as soon as possible.
Follow Anthony Madu with Disney+’s Latest Documentary
When it comes to Madu, this documentary is perfectly made in a style that would keep you interested from the very first minute, until the last.
There are moments where you might find yourself hitting pause and grabbing a tissue because of how emotional and raw some of the scenes are, and when you realize that Anthony Madu’s journey wasn’t just about learning ballet and being the best at it, but also battling severe problems that put his life in danger.
In this documentary, we start with glimpses of Anthony’s home back in Nigeria, with a special focus on his mother, who has been an important part of the documentary, and her son’s life.
Different issues are tackled throughout the duration of Madu, and we often see Anthony discuss them as he narrates firsthand experiences of what it felt like to be the only boy in an otherwise female-dominated art form.
Anthony opens up a little about bullying, however, the focus of the documentary is from the time Anthony packs his bags, leaves his family behind, and makes his way over to the UK, where life is completely different for him.
Anthony didn’t just struggle with being in a new place but soon realized that he also had issues with his eyes that caused partial blindness. There are moments in Madu that are bound to completely shatter the viewers’ hearts, especially when Anthony tries to talk to his parents about wanting to see a therapist to try and cope with his emotions, but they fail to understand.
All these events strung together to showcase the life of Anthony, who despite everything that was going on, never once decided that he was going to give up on ballet, because it wasn’t just an art form, but his art form.
Of course, the documentary also shows Anthony’s performances or his dancing by himself or in classes, which only proves just how elegant he is as a dancer, and how ballet truly belongs to him, and he to ballet. This documentary wasn’t just emotional, just also inspiring for many people out there who often think about giving up on their dreams.
Conclusion
If you enjoyed watching Madu just as much as we did, and found yourself reaching for the tissues, then do let us know in the comments what your favorite part about this documentary was.