A controversial film from conservative media site The Daily Wire reached a 97 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes after viewers flooded its reviews with 5-star ratings, before the movie was even released.
Daily Wire creator and co-CEO Jeremy Boreing produced, wrote, and starred in Lady Ballers, a sports comedy that has been accused of mocking transgender athletes.
Boreing’s character forms a basketball team of men who dress up as women to compete in the women’s league.
“In a world where women’s sports is being trans-formed. The Daily Wire calls ‘foul’ with the most triggering comedy of the year,” the trailer for Lady Ballers says. “If you can beat them, join them.”
The film even features appearances from conservative Senator Ted Cruz and right-wing political commentator Ben Shapiro, who has been an outspoken critic of trans rights.
The movie was flooded with 5-star reviews after users tried to review bomb the film before its premiere. Its release sparked backlash from the LGBTQ+ community, as it comes at a time of much debate regarding transgender women competing in sports with cisgender women.
Film critic Christian Toto wrote on X, “Users tried to review bomb #LadyBallers … Rotten Tomatoes, to its credit, just wiped out those reviews knowing the film isn’t available yet for streaming.”
Some reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes praised the movie’s comedy and likened it to Dodgeball and Billy Madison, while others wrote that it was “pathetic.”
Decider’s own John Serba slammed the movie in his review of the film, writing, “Anyone looking for a coherent and logical conservative point of view on transgender issues won’t find it here. The movie is an enraged, disdainful and mean-spirited free-for-all that flips all the same old worn-out lib-triggers in an attempt to put progressives in a foamy rage.”
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, over 500 anti-LGBTQ bills have recently been proposed in an attempt to weaken anti-discrimination laws and target transgender people.
The Human Rights Campaign called the 2023 legislative session the “worst year on record,” and declared a “state of emergency.”
As Out magazine wrote, “[Lady Ballers] takes the false idea that anywhere at any time a cis man can claim he is a woman and enter any women’s sporting event… There are many barriers in place for trans athletes , including hormone testing, time since coming out, and legal recognition of gender.”
