Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Docu looks at disputed case; language, racism, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Truth About Jussie Smollett?
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
THE TRUTH ABOUT JUSSIE SMOLLETT? rehashes the ins and outs of the controversial, highly-publicized 2019 case involving the alleged racially-motivated mugging of Black actor Jussie Smollett in Chicago. Smollett was a star of the hit show Empire. He reported to the police that he'd been beaten at 2 a.m. on a street near his home on a frigid Chicago night by two masked White men. He says they used the term "MAGA" and racial slurs when they beat him, and put a noose around his neck. The Chicago police, with a long-standing reputation for racism, saw a celebrity mugging as a publicity nightmare for the city; the mayor wanted a quick resolution to the case and it had the attention of the department's Black superintendent, Eddie Johnson, interviewed here. Almost immediately, the police began to wonder—what mugger in his right mind would be out on a winter Chicago night in the middle of a polar vortex (with temperatures of 20 below)? Why was Smollett still wearing the noose the perps had allegedly hung around his neck 30 minutes later, when the police arrived? Why did he seemingly get up after the attack, dust himself off and, before heading home, grab the to-go sandwich he'd bought, which had been cast on the icy ground? Why could police find no CCTV footage of the attack, nor even of any passersby in the area at the time? Why did Smollett refuse to let them look in his phone? Police interviewed two Nigerian brothers, extras on the Empire set, and one of them Smollett's personal trainer, and they claim Smollett hired them to stage the attack. What really happened?
Is It Any Good?
The Truth About Jussie Smollett? has a great case as its subject. But it also has many flaws, the most glaring of which is the way it points toward distrusting Smollett's account in its opening minutes. In the early set-up, almost all comments question Smollett's story and suggest his attack was faked. It's not until well into the movie that we learn of two witnesses who claim they saw masked White men in the area at the time. The movie never clarifies that even if White men were around at the time, there was no evidence connecting them to an attack. Since the film later presents enough backstory to call the hoax theory into question, the existence of opposing views should have been included in the film's opening moments.
It's notable that never once is it mentioned whether Smollett had bruises from his attack, nor do we learn if anyone wondered if he went to the hospital to treat them. No one follows up with information on whether the police charged the Nigerian brothers for weapons violations. Given that the filmmakers seem intent on presenting an evenhanded account of this puzzling case, the movie is missing a number of obvious, essential pieces of information.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way The Truth About Jussie Smollett? pits Smollett against the Chicago police. How does the police department's documented history of racism influence your opinion on the case?
Does the movie do a good job of presenting the two sides of the story? Does it represent both sides—guilt or innocence—fairly?
The police superintendent is Black. How do you think his skepticism regarding Smollett's story influenced the public's view of the case? Do you think the report of his ultimate firing for drinking is another influence?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 22, 2025
- Director : Gagan Rehill
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : History ( Biopic )
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 4, 2025
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