Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The J Team’ On Paramount+, A Musical Where JoJo Siwa Refuses To Dull Her Shine (2024)

JoJo Siwa has been something of a rainbow, rhinestoned phenomenon since making waves on Dance Momsyears ago and taking the world by storm with her music singles and larger-than-life dance moves. The sparkly, smiling blonde has sold out stadiums and bedazzled bows all around the world, and now, she’s here to charm you in her new movie,The J Team,streaming on Paramount+.

THE J TEAM: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: JoJo (JoJo Siwa) has never been afraid to stand out. She lives her life in a technicolor bedroom, dons sparkly hair bows and sequined jackets, and grooves with the mailman on her way to dance rehearsal. Things seem perfect – she loves her dance coach, Val (Laura Soltis), and has her two best friends, “The Rubies” (Kiara T. Romero and Kerrynton Jones) by her side. But when Val announces she’s retiring after 30 years as a dance coach and the no-nonsense Poppy (Tisha Campbell) is replacing her.

Things get off to a less than ideal start, and Poppy makes clear that she won’t stand for any of the glitter, rainbows, or bows that make JoJo, well, JoJo. JoJo tries her best to blend in, but despite her best efforts, she just can’t shut off her sparkle. Dumped by this depressing dance crew, JoJo decides to start her own team – The J Team – and recruits some eclectic athletes to join her. She may get knocked down, but if there’s one thing JoJo knows how to do, it’s get back up again.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?:The J Teamvery much feels in line with the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon original movies about being proud to stand out we’ve seen over the years, like High School Musical andCamp Rock.

Performance Worth Watching: Really gotta hand this one to JoJo’s dog BoBo, who rocks every single ridiculous accessory he is forced to wear, from bows and jackets to every piece of sparkling or colorful dog attire one can imagine. You’re a trooper, BoBo. We love you.

Memorable Dialogue: The dialogue inThe J Teamis pretty cheesy, but I was admittedly tickled by Tisha Campbell’s delivery of “notnow, Mom, I’m changing lives!” upon answering the phone.

Sex and Skin: None.

Our Take:The J Team, with all its relentless earnestness and sincerity, feels like the DCOMS of yore and all the other tween content we’ve grown tired of over the last few decades. Despite this, however, it still manages to charm, and that’s in large part due to its sparkly star, international sensation JoJo Siwa. As an added bonus,The J Teamtotally throws shade at JoJo’s former dance coach, the bonkers and berating Abby Lee Miller ofDance Moms. While the abuse in this film doesn’t come close to what we know Miller is capable of, the reference still feels pretty obvious – and deserved. It’s fun to watch Siwa’s unstoppable ray of sunshine go up against all the storm clouds she meets.

The J Team is certainly not for everyone, but for its intended audience – JoJo fans, families, and the like – it is bound to delight. This is a sweet, loud movie that wears its heart loud and proud, from the moment JoJo wakes up in her rainbow bedroom and starts dancing down the street with everyone she meets. It’s hard to fault a film with such good intentions, especially when the kids who watch it are likely to be singing these songs for weeks to come.

Our Call:STREAM IT. The J Teamis a wholesome, endearing showcase for its sparkly star, bound to please fans and families alike.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

StreamThe J Teamon Paramount+