Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The grip that the manosphere has on today's young men is disturbing, and Theroux deserves credit for bringing these odious figures to light. Their virulent misogyny has real world consequences, and Theroux artfully exposes the men who hide behind this masculine bravado. This film, however, could have done more to highlight the real-world violence that women suffer as a result of this male supremacist ideology, and the absence of women voices, while fitting, nevertheless feels like an oversight.
Establishment-critical narrative
Young men are turning to the "manosphere" as part of a reaction against decades of anti-masculine ideology. These concerns are not paranoid or unfounded, and the denigration of strong masculinity has driven men to these influencers — many of whom grew up in fatherless homes. The subjects of the interview were candid and open, while Theroux could barely mask his sneering condemnation of anything that dares object to the liberal feminist orthodoxy.
Cynical narrative
The documentary highlights the weakness of legacy media confronting internet-native culture. Theroux visits a world built on livestreams, viral clips and online communities, but a one-off documentary cannot compete with creators who shape their audiences' thinking every day. Critics will applaud it, supporters will dismiss it, and those in-between are unlikely to see anything they haven't already encountered online.
