The business of misogyny: Louis Theroux unmasks the ‘Manosphere’ and its viral influencers

There’s a certain level of confidence you need to sit in front of a camera and casually explain why women should be controlled, ranked, or reduced to a talking point.

"Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere" is filled with that exact energy, and it’s a lot to take in.

The documentary drops straight into the world of online “manfluencers”, men who have built entire careers off selling masculinity as a lifestyle.

Not just gym routines and money talk, but a very specific kind of power dynamic where they’re always on top, and women are somewhere far below that. It’s not hidden, it’s not subtle, and no one seems embarrassed about it.

That’s what makes it uncomfortable in a very real way.

Theroux does what he always does. Calm voice, slightly awkward posture, asking questions that sound simple but land just enough to get people talking.  And these men love to talk.

They explain their views with full confidence, like they’re sharing life advice instead of pushing something deeply problematic.

At first, it almost feels ridiculous. The flashy lifestyles, the obsession with status, the constant need to prove dominance. It reads like performance. But sit with it for a bit, and it stops being funny (it never was). Because behind all that performance is a system that’s working very well for them.

This is business. There’s a clear formula. Pull people in with something relatable - confidence, money, discipline then slowly introduce ideas about control, gender roles, and power. By the time it gets extreme, it’s already wrapped in something that looks aspirational.

There’s something I’ll never understand, and that’s the idolising of other humans, especially the so-called TikTok gurus and “inspirational” figures who are really just polished frauds.

These people sell confidence, success, and motivation like it’s a product, but when you scratch the surface, it’s all smoke and mirrors.

They thrive because we let them. We cheer them on, share their content, and treat curated highlight reels as life lessons. But who are the enablers here? Why do we keep giving attention to garbage?

The truth is, these personalities feed off negative energy, insecurity and obsession. The only way to win is to stop playing along, ignore them, scroll past, and avoid giving them the satisfaction of any engagement at all

What also stands out is how normal it all feels in their world. No hesitation, no second-guessing. Just straight delivery. That’s where the real discomfort sits. Not in the statements themselves, but in how easily they’re said.

At the same time, there are moments when more pressure is needed. Theroux lets conversations breathe, which works in getting people to reveal themselves, but there are points where a stronger push would have added weight. 

Some of these men are very aware of the camera and very good at turning attention into content. It shows. And it's appalling. 

There’s a fine line between observing and giving someone a platform, and this documentary moves between the two.

Still, it paints a clear picture of how big this space has become. This isn’t some niche corner of the internet. It’s polished, algorithm-friendly, and constantly feeding into itself. Young men are watching this content, engaging with it, and building their understanding of relationships and identity around it.

Watching it feels repetitive at times. The same talking points, the same recycled ideas about what it means to be a man. But that repetition says a lot. This isn’t new thinking; it’s just been rebranded and sold better.

There’s also a noticeable gap in how the impact is explored. The focus stays heavily on the men, their lifestyles, and their beliefs, but less time is spent unpacking what all of this means for the people affected by it. Given how intense some of the messaging is, that absence stands out.

Even with that, the documentary doesn’t need to do too much to make its point. The material carries itself. The access, the conversations, the confidence on display, it’s enough to leave an impression.

Nothing is softened, nothing sugar-coated. It’s just… there. Watch it or don’t. But fair warning: it might spike your blood pressure, and you can bet the same guys on screen would probably blame your diet for it. Just saying.

Rating: *** solid and enjoyable, though not groundbreaking.