The Daily Wire went Hollywood, but most movie critics wish it didn’t.
The conservative media company’s 2022 documentary, “What is a Woman?” drew just eight certified reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s despite the film’s zeitgeist-grabbing concept and extensive exposure on X, Elon Musk’s social media platform. The 2022 western “Terror on the Prairie” generated just six reviews on the site.
It’s happening again with “Lady Ballers.”
DailyWire+’s new ribald comedy, about a men’s basketball team that pretends to be women to compete in a major event, is a smash. The company says the film’s release drew the most subscriptions in a single day for the company, co-founded by the film’s director, co-writer and star Jeremy Boreing.
Rotten Tomatoes also listed “Lady Ballers” as the top streaming title earlier this week. The comedy remains in the top spot through Dec. 9. The film’s YouTube trailer has more than 14 million views in just 11 days.
Yet only four certified film critics posted their reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, arguably the biggest critical aggregator site. That means there aren’t enough official reviews to get the film a Tomatometer Score – fresh or rotten.
Audience reviews are overwhelmingly positive, coming in at 91 percent “fresh.”
One film critic suggested why her fellow reviewers are blacklisting the title.
Katie Walsh, who reviews movies for The Los Angeles Times and the Tribune Content Agency according to her X profile, shared a message she sent to the Daily Wire’s PR department recently on X.
The company offered Walsh a screening link of “Lady Ballers” for review purposes. Walsh posted her response to her X account, bragging that she refused due to the immoral nature of a film she hadn’t yet watched. The critic also demanded The Daily Wire remove her name from its media list so she wouldn’t receive updates on any future projects.
Note: This reporter/critic is a contributor to The Daily Wire.
Sasha Stone, founder of Awards Daily, shared Walsh’s rant with her followers.
I remember when we had journalists who would cover things regardless of their "morals." A dying/dead breed. https://t.co/v9g8O7s8En
— Sasha Stone at Awards Daily (@AwardsDaily) December 7, 2023
Walsh apparently had a change of heart and deleted the Tweet.
YouTube-based critics have partially filled the void. Pop Culture Crisis, Paul Chato and The Critical Drinker all weighed in “Lady Ballers,” providing their followers with their nuanced takes on the film.
None are Rotten Tomatoes certified, but all decided to give the movie a fair share.
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