‘The Truth About Jussie Smollett?’ Pits Truth Against Speculation

Documentaries are often sought out for the purpose of satiating an individual’s curiosity on a specific subject. Viewers expect documentaries to answer their questions with the truth in a captivating and aesthetically pleasing manner. The Truth About Jussie Smollett?, directed by Gagan Rehill, produced by Raw TV, and released worldwide on Netflix on Friday, August 22, 2025, appears to be delivering such truthful answers on a heavily debated event.

The film reexamines a highly publicized incident where, on Tuesday, January 29, 2019, actor and singer Jussie Smollett was seemingly assaulted by two white men in East Lower North Water Street in Chicago. The two men shouted racial and homophobic slurs at Smollett and placed a noose around his neck. This was reported to the Chicago Police Department, but upon further investigation, evidence was found that suggested Smollett staged the hate crime with the help of brothers Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundario. He was later found guilty by a jury on Thursday, December 9, 2021. The film decides to tackle all this in its 90-minute runtime, in addition to further events that followed the verdict. It seemingly offers the viewer an unbiased accounting of events with a multitude of perspectives and dares to interrogate the consensus of Smollett’s guilt. The question that is left to ask is does the documentary succeed in all it sets out to achieve?

The film features a strong combination of camera footage, interviews with the people involved, and actor recreations of the events as they unfold. The film’s first half, recounting the night of the assault, is punctuated by gorgeous shots of Chicago. This emphasizes the importance of the city’s soul, which is contrasted by the coldness of the winter. The editing seamlessly blends interview, recreation, found footage and establishing shot, giving the recount of the night of the crime an engaging pace. The recreation of certain events is done particularly well, with one standout example being a scene where after having been assaulted, Smollett is left lying on the ground. A spotlight then shines upon him—a moment of visual storytelling representing how the incident casts new light onto the supposed victim.

The music throughout the film is carefully chosen, always lingering under the surface but never playing to the point of insincerity. At all times during the first half, the film engages with multiple viewpoints, giving each individual sufficient time of day and leaving the viewer guessing and eager for the final revelation to bring it all together. A final revelation that unfortunately never comes.

The first half of the film would have made for a solid first episode of a miniseries chronicling this case, but unfortunately, this is a film stuck with only 90 minutes to tell the whole story. Thus, the following court case is given little time to breath. A considerable amount of information is thrown at the viewer, too much for anyone to process. Trying to sum up a 5-year case in just under 45 minutes is a daunting task, and one that the film fails to achieve. It seems more interested in delivering a summary of events rather than diving into all the intricate details.

This missed potential is most clear with Jussie Smollett himself. Throughout the film, Smollett is constantly giving his perspective on events in a rather bland manner. But in the final third of the film, his commentary on events is little more than a claim that he is innocent. There is no insight into the effects on his personal life, his relationships, or his status. As the protagonist of this story, Smollett is not particularly engaging.  

The Osundario brothers are even less convincing. Their testimony is deemed as the most damning evidence against Smollett, and yet their interviews portray them as uncaring regarding the situation. Whether this was an intentional choice by the director or the brothers themselves, it nonetheless feels like an attempt to poke holes in the credibility of their confessions. This stands in stark contrast to nearly everyone else who gives their perspective on both the case and the brothers. They all approach the situation with the respect and gravity it deserves, which is important if the audience is to take the documentary seriously.  

But what ultimately sinks this documentary is, in addition to the confusion due to the quick pace, the ending, where viewers would expect to be given one final answer that should bring together all the details discussed in the film and thus reveals the whole truth. But there is nothing of the sort to be found here. The final act of this film opts not to discuss the truth, but instead, to speculate on whether Smollett was in fact innocent of the crime. This comes in the form of newfound security footage, witness testimony, and past instances of police misconduct in order to weaken the credibility of the CPD. But rather than engaging in discourse with these pieces of evidence to paint a clearer picture, the film decides to end it there. It has reached the allotted 90-minute runtime, with Smollett simply reaffirming his innocence and leaving the viewer to interpret what they have just watched. This may work in a fictionalized retelling or biopic covering the event, but in a documentary that deals in hard truths, it feels as though time has been wasted since the questions of the viewer have not been satisfied. Anyone curious about these events and seeking to learn more will be left with more questions rather than answers.   

In the end, the best summation of this film can be found in its title. The phrase ‘The Truth About Jussie Smollett,’ promises a proper accounting of the events and the case, but the final addition of a question mark robs the statement of authenticity. The film’s first half effectively presents the initial assault and investigation in unique and impressive ways with its filmmaking, whilst also balancing perspectives, but the 90-minute runtime leaves the subsequent fallout feeling lacking. If this was a miniseries, it likely could have engaged in sufficient discourse with the facts and ultimately delivered the truth, but as it stands, The Truth About Jussie Smollett? provides no answers. It is only the promise of truth and nothing more.