Am I Racist? Go To The Theater And Find Out

In their most ambitious pursuit yet, The Daily Wire and Matt Walsh have released a feature film exclusively to theaters. Am I Racist? Follows popular podcaster/conservative personality/comedian on a satirical journey documenting his mission to become an antiracist. Featuring one of the most prominent antiracists in America and several highly compensated professionals, the film explores the antiracism industry from its values to its programming. 

The Daily Wire and Walsh in particular have had a string of successes as they’ve build a true entertainment media brand. Starting with Walsh’s What is a Woman the Daily Wire brand has been building a library. Lady Ballers (reviewed by the Conservative Critic here) invited the largest subscription day in DailyWire+ history. Shows like Judged by Matt Walsh have started the Daily Wire down a path of, dare it be said, fun. The decision to take Am I Racist to theaters is a bold one and an expensive one but also one that could pay off not only financially for Daily Wire but also culturally for the conservative movement. 

The mainstream media has orchestrated a total shutout of reviewing Am I Racist which only suggests that it must be very good. If not, they’d have been happy to widely pan it. But is Am I Racist? As good as the mainstream media clearly thinks it is? The Conservative Critic Asks: Is it entertaining? Does it have artistic/intellectual value? And is it liberal propaganda? 

The Conservative Critic Meter Check: Am I Racist? 

Overall Rating: Great 

Am I a Racist? is worthy of the big screen. Featuring the Daily Wires most talented (and perhaps most unlikely) comedian, Am I Racist? comes off not only funny but also extremely smart. By and large, those subject to mockery in the film are not actually set up to say or do anything that they wouldn’t have otherwise said or done. Walsh and the truly brilliant team behind the film knew when to set up a joke and when to simply allow the joke to be spoken as the sincere truth of some of these ‘antiracist’ professionals. They had the humility and vision to understand when Walsh’s apparent gift for making people uncomfortable was necessary and when nearly genuine interview would achieve an even more satisfying outcome. 

Am I Racist? contained nuanced thinking far beyond what was advertised which elevated the film to a special place of thoughtfulness that outhits other films in it’s genre like those made by Sacha Baron Cohen (who has been accused of sexual harassment by his co-star, Rebel Wilson). Am I Racist? was obviously tackling the issue of race but in many ways it was also tackling the issue of economic class and faith. The film managed these subversive story lines without ever seeming heavy handed or overwrought and never losing sight of the joke. 

Am I Racist? Is the best of the Daily Wire and makes audiences want even more from Walsh. 

Is it entertaining? 

Rating: Funny and compelling 

Am I Racist provides a diverse offering of comedy. Audiences are given scripted jokes, improvised situational bits and unintentionally hilarious ideas. Director, Justin Folk (who is a veteran of the Matrix franchise) who was also a writer on the film along with Walsh and Brian Hoffman (who also worked on Lady Ballers) had a self-awareness which saved the film from any preachiness which would have stopped its heart. 

In fact, there is a moment in the film where a monologue (you know how this critic feels about those) could have self righteously jumped the movie right over the proverbial shark. But instead, Am I Racist chose to make light of the moment and mock itself as much as it was mocking anyone else. For that reason, the movie stayed funny, stayed engaging and avoiding stinking of ham and cheese.

The audience laughed throughout the entire movie and were never faced with repeat bits and themes which would cause it to drag. A satirical documentary can’t do much better than Am I Racist in entertainment value. 

Does it have intellectual/artistic value? 

Rating: Well thought, well produced, well performed 

The production quality of Am I Racist? seems well above its lower budget price tag. At $3 million, the movie is likely to make far more in 1,500 theaters nationwide and then with a life on DailyWire+. The team attached to Am I Racist? is full of veterans. Variety (the only mainstream media fairly covering the film) reported that Dallas Sonnier was producing the film and can also be credited with launching the career of Academy Award winner and box office buster Greta Gerwig (who ironically is behind Barbie which Walsh’s colleague at Daily Wire, Ben Shapiro, so famously hated). 

With these industry heavy hitters, Am I Racist? was thoughtfully made and well performed. Walsh clearly spent a lot of time building his character and has either genius instincts in on-the-fly comedy or spent a lot of time preparing for all different kinds of scenarios he may face. The film does a great job juxtaposing the liberal, absurd antiracist notions against core and widely held American values. The elitist, wealthy, polished world of the liberal antiracists is set against the working class, rugged backgrounds of America’s true character and backbone. It’s visual storytelling at its finest. 

Without having to come right out and pose these questions, Am I Racist? challenges viewers to consider how faith and class play a role in views on racism and how we approach those who are a different race. And it does it while joking the whole way. 

The only weak spot of Am I Racist? is a couple of the individuals featured in the gags. While by and large the target of the film’s mockery were highly educated gluttons for controversy and drama who deserve every laugh they get, a couple seemed to just be living their life. Notably the bookstore worker who was assisting Walsh early in the film. While this bookstore worker was not remotely portrayed in a bad light, its hard not to feel a little sympathy for a girl who very likely is not experienced in reading media contracts and is just trying to sell some books. However, there are inevitable casualties in these kinds of films and Am I Racist? Did keep the fire away from the innocents better than almost any film of its genre. 

Is it liberal propaganda? 

Rating: Haha no

Obviously Am I Racist was made for Matt Walsh’s core viewers and Daily Wire subscribers. It is a right wing movie with conservative values. 

That being said, it is surprising that so many of the film’s subjects have left social media. Mostly, Walsh just molded himself into a person who seemed to be credibly seeking answers about antiracism and DEI. While he tried to make the elite antiracists as uncomfortable as possible, never were they pushed into a place where they said anything I don’t think they would say in any TV interview. It seemed that they were presenting their genuine beliefs and ideas in a format that they often share those beliefs and ideas. If they’re embarrassed now, it would seem that they should always be embarrassed. If anything, Walsh and the Daily Wire has amplified the point of view to which they so passionately subscribe. 

To that point, Am I Racist? Is also a movie inherently about free speech. In a time where so many on the right are criticizing the use of “platform” to amplify different voices that may have challenging or even bad ideas and views, Am I Racist dares to bravely allow these deeply liberal beliefs to be projected through their film and trusts its audience to decide whether they sound like good ideas or are laughably ridiculous. 

Conclusion 

Am I Racist? Is a great movie which will almost certainly succeed in its ambitious theatrical run. Go buy a ticket and see it!