Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child

Synopsis

Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child tells the history of Jake Paul and, to some extent, his brother Logan Paul. The documentary covers their time on Vine as well as on YouTube, including showing clips from the videos they posted. There is some coverage of the sponsorship deals Jake received. It spends some time discussing the relationship between the brothers and their rivalry.

It covers Jake's time with the Disney Channel show Bizaardvark, and briefly mentions the sexual assault allegations he has faced as well as the FBI raid on his home in Calabasas, California. Some other controversies were also discussed briefly, such as Jake's use of the n-slur during a filming of him rapping, and his disregard for COVID-19 transmission prevention. It also discusses Logan's video in Japan's Aokigahara Forest in 2017.

At one point, Jake states that his father Greg hit him as a child. In denying the allegation, Greg admits to physically throwing Jake on a couch and uses homophobic language to justify himself. Logan corroborates that physical altercations occurred, though he chooses not to use the word abuse. Logan also states that both he and Greg were concerned at one point that Jake had developed suicidal ideation.

It shows footage from Jake's bouts and talk show appearances, as well as Jake's perception of boxing as a performance. The film spends some time highlighting Jake's marketing strategies, and how his fights have increased match viewership. It includes criticism of Jake's chosen opponents: former professional boxers, Nate Robinson, or fighters with the UFC. It also mentions Jake's use of his social media following in an attempt to highlight the treatment of UFC athletes.

Cast

In alphabetical order, all as self:

Production

Chapman and Maclain Way continued to serve as producers for the third season. Ryan Duffy served as the showrunner, and Andrew Renzi directed this installment. Renzi described the film as connecting the rise of influencers to the re-emergence of boxing. It was filmed in Puerto Rico.

Music for the film was composed by Brocker Way and Ali Helnwein, with Jessica Berndt and Chris Swanson choosing other songs that play during the film. We Like to Party! by the Vengaboys, Amsterdam (Opening) by Daniel Pemberton, and Drake's Money In the Grave featuring Rick Ross are included. A diss track by Diss Don and Logan Paul, as well as Jake's response video, also feature.

Release

The film released on August 1, 2023 on Netflix, just prior to Jake's match with Nate Diaz on August 5 in Dallas.

Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child had a run time of 72 minutes in its UK release, but Dutch television station NPO 1 recorded the run time as 82 minutes, as did the review website Film Fugitives.

Themes

Following the premiere, multiple news outlets focused on the allegations of child abuse in the documentary. Jake's mental health is also discussed, both by Jake himself in mentioning how he did not like himself, and by Logan with his concerns over Jake potentially taking his own life.

Martin Cid Magazine commented that one of the key concerns addressed by the documentary is how far someone is willing to go to gain fame, noting that Jake states in the film that he and Logan would do "absurd and stupid things" in order to garner views and followers.

Reception

Critical reception

Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child received mixed reviews from critics.

Tim Bouwhuis, reviewing for FilmTotaal, rated the film one and a half out of five stars, noting that it feels superficial and that Jake's comment to his personal cameraman preventing him from recording might indicate that the documentary was never intended to be more than a presentation of Jake's existing profile. Giving it a rating of six and a half stars, NPO 1's reviewer noted that the film fails to garner the level of empathy it appears to have been aiming for because the negative aspects of Jake's life dominate the narrative. They also noted that it lacked depth, but would be interesting to Jake's fans or those wanting to learn about his marketing strategies.

While calling the film promotional, Ruben Praster of Veronica Superguide rated it three stars. Praster stated that the documentary made an effort to portray Jake as the next Muhammad Ali as well as "the savior of boxing." Praster noted that any critique is limited to archival footage, Jake's opponents, or Logan. With the exception of Logan, Praster stated that the critics are dismissed as "haters." Praster called it a well-crafted commercial that he found difficult to view as a serious endeavor. Greg Wheeler of The Review Geek noted that there are inaccuracies throughout the film. Wheeler commented that the filmmakers have omitted dates. Like Praster, Wheeler noted how Jake's critics are largely limited to recorded content rather than being included among the interviewees. Overall, Wheeler called it "a fluffy piece" that distorts history.

Jaschar Marktanner, reviewing for Film Rezensionen, noted that while the documentary is mostly neutral in the first half, when covering Jake and Logan's online history, it is told from Jake's perspective in the second half when discussing his boxing career. Marktanner commented that the boxing events are relayed inaccurately, effectively attempting to improve Jake's image. Marktanner acknowledged that Jake is good at the business of boxing while denigrating his skill in the ring. He rated the film a six out of ten. John Sooja, writing for Common Sense Media, only rated it a two out of five stars. Sooja commented on how the film glosses over Jake's past controversies, only mentioning a few of them, and "quickly becomes one long advertisement." Sooja did state that the film shows how Logan and Jake collaborate and capitalize on the hatred people have for them.

Audience reception

The day after its release, Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child ranked in the top ten movies on Netflix, a roster that had not changed for several days prior.