‘Leaving Neverland’ Early Buzz: Disturbing Documentary Chronicles Michael Jackson’s History of Abuse
Posted on Friday, January 25th, 2019 by Hoai-Tran Bui
Leaving Neverland, the documentary investigating Michael Jackson’s years of sexual abuse allegations, premiered at Sundance Friday. The four-hour documentary directed by Dan Reed chronicles the King of Pop’s long-running relationships with two boys, James Safechuck and Wade Robson, during the 1990s. “Now in their 30s, they tell the story of how they were sexually abused by Jackson, and how they came to terms with it years later,” the film’s official synopsis reads.
The documentary premiered amid backlash against the film’s contents and “direct threats” against Reed’s life, causing Park City police to raise security around the Friday screening. However, the protesters reportedly didn’t appear, and Leaving Neverland was shown to a packed audience that gave the documentary and its subjects Safechuck and Robson a standing ovation. Critics who left the screening called it “disturbing,” “exhaustive,” “a devastating, deeply credible piece of filmmaking.”
Read on to see the rest of the Leaving Neverland early buzz.
