Why Are Critics Afraid Of ‘Am I Racist?’

“Am I Racist?” isn’t a sequel, but there’s a distinct déjà vu feeling about it.

The Daily Wire film, featuring Matt Walsh interviewing DEI gurus, quickly became the year’s top-grossing documentary.

Its opening weekend haul could be as much as $5 million. That’s an impressive number given its theater count (roughly 1,500) and modest marketing muscle. One of those screens opted to cancel the movie following complaints from locals who hadn’t actually seen it.

Wow. Left wing activists are now bullying small movie theaters like Del Oro Theatre in Grass Valley, CA into dropping @MattWalshBlog’s new “Am I Racist?” film.

Another theatre owner told me that they’ve been told small theaters like this are being targeted with threats from left… pic.twitter.com/7X4Z1Fk3ZQ

— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 13, 2024

A quick look at Rotten Tomatoes shows only five official reviewers have tackled the anti-woke movie to date. (This critic is one of the five). YouTube offered a few more reviews, but the Rotten Tomatoes tally matters.

The platform is the de-facto home for movie criticism in the modern era. The average new release yields dozens of reviews from across the digital landscape.

Sometimes hundreds.

Major media outlets like Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times and Deadline.com have all opted against reviewing the docu-comedy.

So far.

Audiences are more open to the film, directed by “What Is a Woman?” alum Justin Folk. The Rotten Tomatoes audience score currently sits at 99 percent “fresh.” The movie’s CinemaScore? A healthy “A” rating.

This isn’t the first time movie critics have all but ignored a recent film. They did the same with “Lady Ballers,” the Daily Wire comedy about a male basketball team dressing as women to win a major prize. Some even bragged about avoiding it.

Walsh’s last film, “What Is a Woman?” also drew few official reviews.

All three hail from The Daily Wire, an openly conservative web site and streaming service.

Another film that critics aggressively ignored? “Screams Before Silence,” a harrowing documentary that let Israeli women describe the sexual torture they endured by Hamas terrorists during the Oct. 7 attacks.

That film came from Democratic fundraiser Sheryl Sandberg, hardly part of MAGA Nation. Critics also avoided “The Fall of Minneapolis,” a dazzling documentary exploding media narratives surrounding George Floyd’s death.

Why would critics refuse to consider these titles?

Movie studios both large and small rely on reviews to spread the word about a film. Yes, they prefer raves to pans, but any review is a gentle advertisement for the title.

This movie exists. Here’s an opinion on it. Perhaps you’d like to give it a try?

It’s why studio publicists send critics (like this one) screening links and passes.

Ignoring titles like “Am I Racist?” is equivalent to hoping no one learns about the film. Nothing to see here. Move along.

(This critic is an independent contributor to The Daily Wire but not officially part of the organization)

It’s akin to critics who may feel uncomfortable alerting readers about the Hamas atrocities. Sound harsh? Is there another explanation why so many refused to review “Screams Before Silence?” That film is just an hour long and available for free on YouTube. Plus, it tackles one of the most combustible topics in years.

What other excuse exists?

The impulse goes hand in hand with modern movie critics. They are overwhelmingly progressive, and it shows in their reportage. That isn’t restricted to liberal platforms like HuffPo or Slate. Their critics would understandably view movies from a progressive lens.

Readers would expect nothing less.

We’re talking about Variety … The Washington Post … CNN — platforms that pretend to be fair and balanced.

Hardly.

RELATED: HOW LIBERAL MEDIA BIAS EXTENDS TO ARTS COVERAGE

This avoidance strategy comes in two parts. The first? Ignore the title if it doesn’t align with the critic or platform’s worldview.

Part two? Attack the film in any manner possible. We saw this tactic when 2023’s smash “Sound of Freedom” hit theaters. The film was neither conservative nor faith-based, but film journalists framed it that way in order to savage it.

The movie made nearly $200 million in the U.S., so said mission failed miserably.

“Am I Racist?” is provocative, no doubt. It’s also skillfully assembled and tackles a topic in the minds of many Americans.

The filmmakers may have mishandled a hot-button issue. That’s for critics to decide and share with their readers.

Ignoring the film does the audience little good. In fact, it may spark a variation of the Streisand Effect, where covering up a subject draws more attention to ti.

Either way, it’s a dereliction of critical duty and a stain on the review community. Someone should make a movie about that.

Editor’s Note: It’s a brutal time to be an independent journalist, but it’s never been more necessary given the sorry state of the corporate press. If you’re enjoying Hollywood in Toto, I hope you’ll consider leaving a coin (or two) in our Tip Jar.

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