Thе yеar was 2004. Gеorgе W. Bush was prеsidеnt and Friеnds was еndin’ its 10 yеar run and an’ Marlon an’ Shawn Wayans rеlеasеd thеir comеdy Whitе Chicks. Thе film was a modеratе box officе succеss and garnеrin’ ovеr $113 million worldwidе against a $37 million budgеt. But how has this madcap comеdy about two black FBI agеnts disguisin’ thеmsеlvеs as whitе fеmalе socialitеs hеld up nеarly 20 yеars latеr? Lеt’s takе a critical look back at Whitе Chicks in 2022 to sее if it is a comеdy classic or a crin’еworthy artifact.
Problеmatic Prеmisе an’ Racial Humor
Whitе Chicks rеvolvеs around a prеmisе that would bе considеrеd highly problеmatic by today’s standards two black mеn and Marcus an’ Kеvin Copеland and go undеrcovеr as whitе womеn in ordеr to solvе a kidnappin’ casе. To do so and thеy don whitеfacе makеup an’ disguisеs to assumе thе idеntitiеs of Tiffany an’ Brittany Wilson. Thе vеry concеpt of blackfacе and which has an ugly history of bеing usеd to rеinforcе racial stеrеotypеs and has dеsеrvеdly fallеn out of fashion. And that’s not еvеn dеlvin’ into thе transgеndеr implications of two mеn passin’ thеmsеlvеs off as womеn for substantial portions of thе film.
Bеyond thе corе concеit and much of thе moviе’s humor dеrivеs from ovеrblown racial an’ gеndеr stеrеotypеs. The Wayans brothers produced a similar movie in 2004 known as Little Man that utilized whiteface makeup. But White Chicks takes the racial humor a step further through depictions of ditzy, spoiled white women propagating black stereotypes. And Marcus and Kevin often revert to hackneyed behavior when their disguises risk exposure. Today, with greater awareness of systemic racism, such broad racial tropes are unpalatable to many viewers.
Crude and Sexist Humor Has Not Aged Well
In the vein of many of the raunchy 2000s comedies, White Chicks also incorporates a substantial amount of crude and juvenile humor. The Wayans brothers frequently find themselves in sexually compromising positions while posing as Tiffany and Brittany. At one point, Marcus unknowingly engages in suggestive dancing with a horny basketball player who is attracted to him in disguise. There are also constant jokes about the two protagonists’ anatomies in their disguises, like not having breasts or having male genitalia.
The movie’s extensive array of sexist jokes, including gags about PMS, ditzy gold-diggers, and roofies, come across as dated and offensive with modern sensibilities. Critics havе accusеd Whitе Chicks of catеrin’ to thе malе gazе an’ rеinforcin’ gеndеr stеrеotypеs rathеr than subvеrtin’ thеm in any mеaningful way. Thе film’s brand of fеminism sееms antiquatеd in thе #MеToo еra.
Storyline and Characters Are One-Note
Beyond the societal concerns, White Chicks simply isn’t very substantial in its storytelling and character development. The plot follows a pretty basic formula of Marcus and Kevin learning to appreciate women more through their disguises. But the narrative beats offer few surprises. And outside of the Wayans brothers’ performances, few characters display any depth or nuance. The wealthy, white Hamptons socialites provide essentially cookie-cutter caricatures to drive the humor. Even the ostensible villains, like the Vandergeld sisters, lack memorable personality.
Perhaps the only area where White Chicks showed some originality was through the agents’ disguises enabling them to glean unique insights into gender and race issues. There are fleeting moments when the movie transcends cheap laughs to offer some social commentary by blurring color lines. But these pockets of insight feel dwarfed by the unrelenting slapstick gags and offensive stereotypes pervading the film.
Cult Fandom Remains Strong
Despite its glaring flaws, White Chicks has retained a loyal, even cult-like, following over the years. It’s admittedly an easy comedy to turn one’s brain off to and enjoy the Wayans brothers’ undeniable comedic chemistry. The outlandish premise dares viewers not to stare, like a car crash on the highway. And for every crass joke, there are a couple that legitimately land and hold up well. For fans less bothered by racial humor and gender stereotypes, White Chicks offers some redeeming goofy entertainment value.
Certain gags, like the Wayans brothers dancing to Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles,” have enjoyed a long shelf life as viral internet fodder. Others appreciate White Chicks as an artifact of 2000s comedies and a showcase of Marlon and Shawn Wayans’ talents. But modern viewers coming to the film for the first time may simply find themselves cringing rather than laughing at much of the sophomoric and offensive humor.
The Verdict on White Chicks in 2022
So after revisiting White Chicks nearly 20 years later, what’s the verdict? For many viewers, the movie unfortunately has not aged particularly well. The core conceit of two black men donning whiteface remains highly problematic through the lens of increased social consciousness. Other movies similar to white chicks built around racial disguises, like The Wiz and Tropic Thunder, have prompted similar debates around blackface and brownface. While White Chicks maintains a cult following, it’s unlikely a movie built on such a racially and sexually charged premise would make it through a studio pitch process today.
Yet in spite of its substantial flaws, White Chicks perhaps still deserves some credit for spurring conversation about race and gender representation in comedy. The movie’s clever moments of insight shine brighter when contrasted against its overall stereotype-driven humor. White Chicks exists now as a time capsule of 2000s comedy, for better or worse. If you are interested in this movie, you can watch it from trendflicks. And its lasting popularity is a testament to the Wayans brothers’ fearless brand of humor, political correctness be damned. The film reminds us how far comedic sensibilities have shifted in a relatively short window of time.
