Me too! It was funny, when the houselights came up in the theatre, I was the only one applauding…and a bunch of 20 somethings stared at me with this weird expression, because I could tell they’d enjoyed the film too and were wrecked trying to decide if that was okay or not. Poor unfortunate souls.
Thanks for this review Jamie - I've been with you since your first posts - you are an important voice of sanity and art to so many of us - we are scattered but appreciative. Someday we'll all gather in a warm NY bar to toast you ...!
james, have you seen his other film "what is a woman?" i haven't seen this new one yet but from your description, he has found his style. in "woman" he just let these idiots talk and they all hung themselves. he asked them deadpan earnest questions which they "answered" with their large meaningless vocabularies of canned woke phrases. they were doctors, college professors and politicians and they all revealed in their own words the insincere fraudulence at their core.
finally, he visited a tribe of africans who know exactly what a woman is, what a man is and how they are different.
OK well I don't want to be *that* person but I think you are. And I say that in total allyship (to use a currently vogue phrase) with your views. I say this in the sense of "Be prepared."
I think your advice is wise! I think there is something to the fact that people are increasingly able to speak out and push back…but perhaps I’m just a cockeyed optimist…
That is great. But the actual institutionalization of the forces of "woke" continue apace. Soon states will be able to take mentally ill children away from parents to mutilate them.
Unlike Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and John Oliver who cannot bear to poke fun at the foibles of the left, Ricky Gervais, Bill Maher and Dave Chappelle are equal opportunity comedians. That’s why they are consistently funny and the others are not.
Excellent review. I’ve only seen the trailer and not the full film, but I would like to point out that in the clip with DiAngelo, Walsh introduces himself to her as his real name Matt and not the pseudonym. Yet she still didn’t get that she was being played until after.
I guarantee you, she didn’t know Matt Walsh, disguised or not. This is why he was able to gain access, I’m sure. People like Diangelo only listen to themselves and other cult members.
Thanks, James, for the scouting report. I was reluctant to plunk down the bucks, but based on your endorsement, it sounds like it’s a worthy investment. I head to Europe in a few days and will spend a month finishing a stage script at an Artists’ community. Although I detect whiffs of DEI nonsense in online resident profiles, I’m most grateful the selection committee invited an old white American guy such as I. If they insist I share my pronouns, I’ll have to hide out in my bedroom, the local woods, and the Finnish sauna!
So glad you jumped right in by watching the opening and writing this excellent review.
The Rotten Tomatoes side of the roll out of this film is the tell.
My adult children are all struggling from one degree to another with this swill.
My oldest son who just turned thirty has had to navigate this DEI hellscape at the University of Michigan where he is finishing up his PhD in Computational Chemistry.
His final semester just began and I encouraged him to end with a “sprint”.
U of M has more DEI Staff on payroll than any other school.
He has handled all of the many pressures with kindness and grace, but I am peeved that he even had to deal with the toxic environment at his school while working diligently to care for his wife and two children.
I had so much respect for all of the white males who have navigated the equity grift at school, work, and in the business world.
You’ll be able to cope with the douchy, especially since he’s so smart…and no one on the planet is douchier than Saira Rao, so she wins biggest douche in this film!!
We were astonished to find Am I Racist playing in San Francisco theaters since we had to go to Bakersfield to watch the incredible documentary on Clarence Thomas. We had already enjoyed What is a Woman and agree with one of your posters that Matt Walsh may indeed have found his method.
I, too, am saddened that those who most need to have their eyes opened to the endless grift these people are perpetuating won’t see it. I’m also stunned by the level of self-hatred from these terribly sad people who have allowed real haters to define them as shameful based on their skin color.
The bikers and the black community were incredible, honest moments as well.
We have a long way to go. Professional critics refuse to review the film, even though it finished it’s opening weekend in the top 5 at the box office, exceeding its production budget in ticket sales.
Thank you for the review. It sounds hilarious. And yes there have been 'right wing' comedians in the past, for example Bob Hope I believe one could argue was Establishment. They did fall out of favour in the 1980s/90s and people forgot that the young are not naturally left or right, but do have a tendency to be anti-establishment.
It is just that DEI has reached such a sacred cow status for such a long time. It shows in many ways that DEI/ anti-racist is no longer counter-culture but establishment and thus fair game. I think the reaction shows that the high priests and priestesses lack a certain sense of humour, but then they are fanatics. One bit of advice I remember from a talk Madeline L'Engle gave back when I was at college in the early 80s was -- never argue with toddlers or terrorists (aka fanatics). They are best treated in the same way. The advice formed part of my parenting and held me in good stead (or at least I think as my lot as gainfully employed in careers of their choosing)
You say in this exceptional post that you're of the left, and that the Daily Wire guys are douchy. I get that to a point (Shapiro's delivery grates on my nerves for example, but he speaks the truth) so what's wrong with promoting traditional values? Seems we need more of that, and less of a Biden appointed Supreme Court Justice that can't define what a woman is even though that's exactly half the reason she's on that bench in the first place and the Department of Ed re-writing (illegally as we shall find out) Title IX to make room for boys in girls sports. What's up with that?
I laughed out loud in the theater! So did everyone else.
Me too! It was funny, when the houselights came up in the theatre, I was the only one applauding…and a bunch of 20 somethings stared at me with this weird expression, because I could tell they’d enjoyed the film too and were wrecked trying to decide if that was okay or not. Poor unfortunate souls.
There was a coupe sitting next to me drinking red wine during the movie.
Hey, did you stay after the credits to see the funny bookstore skit?
No, and I’m furious that I missed it!! I will definitely see the film again.
Me too!
Thanks for this review Jamie - I've been with you since your first posts - you are an important voice of sanity and art to so many of us - we are scattered but appreciative. Someday we'll all gather in a warm NY bar to toast you ...!
YES PLEASE! Thank you Dex!
james, have you seen his other film "what is a woman?" i haven't seen this new one yet but from your description, he has found his style. in "woman" he just let these idiots talk and they all hung themselves. he asked them deadpan earnest questions which they "answered" with their large meaningless vocabularies of canned woke phrases. they were doctors, college professors and politicians and they all revealed in their own words the insincere fraudulence at their core.
finally, he visited a tribe of africans who know exactly what a woman is, what a man is and how they are different.
If you think we've reached peak woke you're wrong.
We ain't seen nothing yet.
Maybe it's wishful thinking.
OK well I don't want to be *that* person but I think you are. And I say that in total allyship (to use a currently vogue phrase) with your views. I say this in the sense of "Be prepared."
I think your advice is wise! I think there is something to the fact that people are increasingly able to speak out and push back…but perhaps I’m just a cockeyed optimist…
That is great. But the actual institutionalization of the forces of "woke" continue apace. Soon states will be able to take mentally ill children away from parents to mutilate them.
Unlike Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and John Oliver who cannot bear to poke fun at the foibles of the left, Ricky Gervais, Bill Maher and Dave Chappelle are equal opportunity comedians. That’s why they are consistently funny and the others are not.
Agreed!!
Excellent review. I’ve only seen the trailer and not the full film, but I would like to point out that in the clip with DiAngelo, Walsh introduces himself to her as his real name Matt and not the pseudonym. Yet she still didn’t get that she was being played until after.
I guarantee you, she didn’t know Matt Walsh, disguised or not. This is why he was able to gain access, I’m sure. People like Diangelo only listen to themselves and other cult members.
Thanks, James, for the scouting report. I was reluctant to plunk down the bucks, but based on your endorsement, it sounds like it’s a worthy investment. I head to Europe in a few days and will spend a month finishing a stage script at an Artists’ community. Although I detect whiffs of DEI nonsense in online resident profiles, I’m most grateful the selection committee invited an old white American guy such as I. If they insist I share my pronouns, I’ll have to hide out in my bedroom, the local woods, and the Finnish sauna!
I’ve decided that my new response, if asked for pronouns, is “that’s for me to know and you to find out!”
Oh, I cannot wait to see this Jaime!
So glad you jumped right in by watching the opening and writing this excellent review.
The Rotten Tomatoes side of the roll out of this film is the tell.
My adult children are all struggling from one degree to another with this swill.
My oldest son who just turned thirty has had to navigate this DEI hellscape at the University of Michigan where he is finishing up his PhD in Computational Chemistry.
His final semester just began and I encouraged him to end with a “sprint”.
U of M has more DEI Staff on payroll than any other school.
He has handled all of the many pressures with kindness and grace, but I am peeved that he even had to deal with the toxic environment at his school while working diligently to care for his wife and two children.
I had so much respect for all of the white males who have navigated the equity grift at school, work, and in the business world.
May the diversity Gods die an inglorious death!
Jenny Hatch
Article just came out verifying the insanity at U of Michigan.
https://www.campusreform.org/article/university-michigan-use-500000-anti-racism-projects-/26299
I grew up about thirty minutes from Ann Arbor, so this is so difficult to see in my home state.
Mostly what has put me off is the douchiness you refer to, but I’m more willing to give it a try now.
You’ll be able to cope with the douchy, especially since he’s so smart…and no one on the planet is douchier than Saira Rao, so she wins biggest douche in this film!!
We were astonished to find Am I Racist playing in San Francisco theaters since we had to go to Bakersfield to watch the incredible documentary on Clarence Thomas. We had already enjoyed What is a Woman and agree with one of your posters that Matt Walsh may indeed have found his method.
I, too, am saddened that those who most need to have their eyes opened to the endless grift these people are perpetuating won’t see it. I’m also stunned by the level of self-hatred from these terribly sad people who have allowed real haters to define them as shameful based on their skin color.
The bikers and the black community were incredible, honest moments as well.
Thanks for your review!
The emperor’s nakedness is exposed, now hopefully people will start to call it out as clearly as you and this film.
We have a long way to go. Professional critics refuse to review the film, even though it finished it’s opening weekend in the top 5 at the box office, exceeding its production budget in ticket sales.
Thank you for the review. It sounds hilarious. And yes there have been 'right wing' comedians in the past, for example Bob Hope I believe one could argue was Establishment. They did fall out of favour in the 1980s/90s and people forgot that the young are not naturally left or right, but do have a tendency to be anti-establishment.
It is just that DEI has reached such a sacred cow status for such a long time. It shows in many ways that DEI/ anti-racist is no longer counter-culture but establishment and thus fair game. I think the reaction shows that the high priests and priestesses lack a certain sense of humour, but then they are fanatics. One bit of advice I remember from a talk Madeline L'Engle gave back when I was at college in the early 80s was -- never argue with toddlers or terrorists (aka fanatics). They are best treated in the same way. The advice formed part of my parenting and held me in good stead (or at least I think as my lot as gainfully employed in careers of their choosing)
I can't wait to see it but it's funny-not-funny for me since the so called anti-racist grift has dominated the last 3 years of my work life.
I feel you, Brigid! Trust me, it will be cathartic.
What is a Woman is also excellent. here's the trailer: https://www.dailywire.com/clips/what-is-a-woman-official-trailer
You say in this exceptional post that you're of the left, and that the Daily Wire guys are douchy. I get that to a point (Shapiro's delivery grates on my nerves for example, but he speaks the truth) so what's wrong with promoting traditional values? Seems we need more of that, and less of a Biden appointed Supreme Court Justice that can't define what a woman is even though that's exactly half the reason she's on that bench in the first place and the Department of Ed re-writing (illegally as we shall find out) Title IX to make room for boys in girls sports. What's up with that?