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It’s been a big year for controversial films. So far, we’ve seen Art the Clown brutally killing kids in “Terrifier 3” and Donald Trump portrayed in a disturbing storyline with Ivana in “The Apprentice”. But one film that truly stirred the pot upon release was “Am I Racist?”, created by conservative political commentator Matt Walsh. Nearly no mainstream reviewers took the time to cover this mockumentary. Only YouTube critic Jeremy Jahns offered a balanced review, sparking backlash from the cancel-culture crowd.
“Am I Racist?” is a 2024 American satirical documentary comedy film starring Matt Walsh, which satirizes the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) movement. Directed by Justin Folk for The Daily Wire, the film follows Walsh as he poses as an inept DEI trainee, using undercover tactics to interview experts and attend anti-racism workshops. Styled as a mockumentary similar to “Borat”, the film blends humor with satire to critique DEI initiatives.
One thing Walsh nails in “Am I Racist?” is exposing what he sees as the money-driven side of the DEI industry. Every interviewee or workshop host he encounters is shown with a caption indicating their fee—often staggeringly high. Robin DiAngelo, for instance, reportedly commands no less than $30,000 just for an interview. While there’s likely a rationale that they’re participating in a commercial documentary and deserve compensation, the sheer amounts tied to promoting their ideology can’t help but feel uncomfortable.
Ironically, the biggest issue with “Am I Racist?” is Walsh himself. While he can be incisive in conversation, he lacks the comedic timing needed for this kind of satire, and many of his attempts at humor fall flat. He’s no Sacha Baron Cohen. As a conservative commentator from The Daily Wire, Walsh stands on the opposite side of the ideological spectrum, which ultimately makes this documentary feel like the Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man meme. Although he successfully exposes the financial motivations in DEI, he’s arguably doing something similar—where DEI sells guilt to white people, the conservative movement sells the idea that white people are the ones being oppressed. Walsh essentially trades in manufactured outrage.
This mockumentary could have benefited from an actual comedian taking on the role of a fake DEI trainee and coach—someone more neutral in the political discourse around DEI. A comedic approach with less overt bias might have made the satire sharper and more widely appealing. However, with Walsh now two-for-two in producing financially successful documentaries, starting with “What Is a Woman?”, it’s likely he’ll continue to be the face of these kinds of projects.
The people Walsh exposes in “Am I Racist?” are indeed shown in an unflattering light based on the footage. However, given that this is produced by a team who profits from stirring outrage and amplifying issues, it raises the question of whether these examples represent widespread concerns. If a middle-aged white woman feels guilty about arguing with her Black husband and pays a substantial fee to have someone confirm her perceived bias, that’s ultimately her prerogative. It’s eye-opening to see that such scenarios exist, but it’s hard to believe they reflect a significant portion of the population.
The best part of the movie comes when Walsh launches his own DEI course, “Do The Work,” which he hilariously manages to pitch on local morning TV shows. In the final act, he actually teaches this course to a small group. With each absurd new exercise, participants start walking out—but it’s surprising to see how far some are willing to go. One young woman, displaying several stereotypical leftist traits, is easily goaded into screaming at an elderly man in a wheelchair, posing as Walsh’s uncle, over a supposed racist joke from a decade ago. By the end, a few are even open to self-flagellation.
If you’re MAGA, this movie is probably hilarious; if you’re on the opposite side, it’s likely to offend, much like other conservative content. For those in the political center, “Am I Racist?” might deliver a mix of mild laughs and a few moments that raise an eyebrow.
