Review by Jon Donnis
Am I Racist? is one of those films that's almost impossible to describe without laughing, shaking your head, or doing both at the same time. Matt Walsh, conservative commentator turned unlikely DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) "expert," dives headfirst into the anti-racism industry to see if it really holds up or if it's become as bloated and performative as some suspect. Directed by Justin Folk and produced by The Daily Wire, the film mixes documentary and mockumentary styles into sharp satire, aimed squarely at what Walsh sees as the absurdities of the DEI world.
The setup is ridiculous in the best way possible. Walsh pretends to be a DEI trainee who doesn't quite get it, bumbling his way through anti-racism workshops and consultations, letting his interviewees' own words expose contradictions and over-the-top attitudes within the industry. He keeps a totally straight face, which only makes the satire hit harder. At one point, he's trying to get people to sign a petition to rename the Washington Monument the "George Floyd Monument," paint it black, and raise it by 30 percent. Somehow, he actually manages to get people to go along with it, making the scene both hilarious and a bit unsettling.
There's another moment where he stages a "Do the Work Workshop," and his deadpan performance reaches new heights. Walsh, in character, "confesses" about his uncle Frank's questionable joke from years ago as though it's some deep, ongoing moral crisis. He uses this mock guilt to poke fun at the extremes of performative accountability that some workshops encourage, which makes it both cringe-worthy and funny to watch. It's these smaller moments where he drops a satirical mirror in front of the DEI industry that really give the film its edge.
One thing Walsh does well is ask these simple, slightly clueless-sounding questions, which somehow lead people into either exposing strange contradictions or looking a bit ridiculous themselves. The editing does a lot here, cutting at just the right moments to amplify the awkwardness without making it seem too forced. The satire's tight, and even when the humour gets uncomfortable, it's still entertaining. The only part that didn't sit quite right was an interview with a man who investigates hate crime hoaxes. Given the seriousness of the topic, this part might've worked better if Walsh had dropped the character and gone for a more straightforward discussion.
Interestingly, mainstream critics have mostly ignored Am I Racist?, which tells you a lot about its target audience. It's definitely made for people who are frustrated or sceptical of how far DEI has gone in public life, from corporate boardrooms to classrooms. And while it's not quite as punchy as his previous film What is a Woman?, it still has that same provocative feel that's bound to get people talking.
Am I Racist? will make you laugh, maybe make you cringe, and definitely make you think a bit. It's a film that's guaranteed to annoy all the "right" people, which is half the fun. I'd give it a solid 9 out of 10. Walsh pulls no punches, and love him or hate him, he's fearless when it comes to calling out the absurd.
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