Rivals and former EastEnders star Danny Dyer fronts a polarising documentary about toxic masculinity and manhood which will soon be available on Netflix. Originally airing on Channel 4 in 2024, Danny Dyer: How To Be a Man, is now heading to Netflix UK, where it's been tagged as "worth the wait".
The two-part docuseries from director James Routh explores modern British masculinity, with Dyer talking to a range of interviewees, from therapists to a politician and a sex expert, and more. The actor has challenging on-camera conversations with individuals thinking masculinity is "under threat" as well as those who advocate for more progressive views and a dismantling of traditional gender roles.
"What does the future hold for men? Cause at the moment, you know, men are in a weird place," Dyer quips in the trailer for the doc.
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"These days for men it can feel like there's nowhere to hide," he continues. "So Channel 4 bunged me a few quid to find out what's going on."
In a statement when the project was announced, Dyer said the documentary would be looking for "nuance" between the extremes of the masculinity spectrum.
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"As an actor, I've played countless characters, but now I am making a documentary about what the evolving place of men really is. If you were to look on social media, it might seem like people are either completely embracing or rejecting traditional gender roles, without much room for nuance," he said.
"That's why we wanted to chat to real men that are representative of the UK today, to hear their thoughts on what being a modern man is to them. To me, being a man isn't about trying to fit a mould, it's about showing a bit of heart and respecting yourself and others so I'm hoping this documentary gets the geezers talking."
Upon release, How To Be a Man was met with mixed reactions, with The Guardian criticising as "superficial, overstuffed, chaotic" when tackling a complex subject.
Elsewhere, The i Paper lauded Dyer's "well-intentioned and curious" approach, but argued the "likeable" documentary was "patchy and highly idiosyncratic".
While The Independent found that the documentary asked "the rights questions" but couldn't offer answers, Wales Online praised Dyer as a candid host to navigate a difficult topic, writing: "He has an aura about him where as a viewer, you find it very difficult to take your eyes off him when he's on-screen."
Danny Dyer: How To Be a Man is streaming on Netflix UK soon, with an exact release date to be announced.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
