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"America Should Be
Ashamed Of Itself" |
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Directed by Michael
Moore - Written by
Michael Moore
Starring Michael Moore
Distributed by Lions
Gate & The Weinstein Co. -
2007 - 116m - Rated PG |
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I was born with spina bifida.
As a result of this birth defect, I've faced over 50 surgeries in my
life on virtually every body part. While medical opinion cited my
survival potential as minimal at best, I've not only survived but
I've thrived. It was predicted I'd be dependent throughout my life,
developmentally disabled and, most likely, would die young.
Ummm. No, no, and no.
I grew up in a system that never expected me to live and, when I
actually did survive, had no idea how to handle me. I watched my
parents go bankrupt because of my medical bills and I myself spent
several months living in my car in my early 20's as I would lose two
feet and endure over a dozen surgeries following an injury that just
wouldn't heal.
Somehow, against almost insurmountable odds I survived spina bifida,
managed care and my unfathomable decision to go off disability when
I was 28-years-old and to try to work full-time and, even more
shocking, try to live on commercial insurance.
I am, unimaginably, almost debt free in terms of medical bills and,
yet, I cannot deny that I am terrified. I spend my life worrying
that each ache, each pain, each spasm, each unexplained illness
could be the death knell to my independence and send me back into
the healthcare downward spiral. I avoid doctors, I avoid tests, I
avoid treatment, I ignore pain, I ignore headaches and bleeding and
spasms and the everyday little things that would send most people
scurrying off to their family doctor or nearest emergency room. |
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So, it is with this
baggage that I entered the theatre to view Michael Moore's latest
film, "Sicko," a film that proclaims, with a surprising lack of bite
or edge, that the American healthcare system is in shambles and
needs reform.
Can anyone say "Duh?"
It has been well noted that "Sicko" is, in many ways, a kindler,
gentler and less self-centered Michael Moore. It is a good 25-30
minutes into "Sicko" before Moore himself appears, and when he does
he is clearly taking a back seat to the subjects in his film.
Unlike recent films such as "Bowling for Columbine" and "Fahrenheit
9/11," gone are the ambushes of politicians and industry leaders"
and the histrionic, staged stunts that made for good cinema but so
infuriated his critics.
Dare I say that "Sicko" actually gives us a more mature Michael
Moore?
Yep, I dare say it.
As much as it's remarkably refreshing to see Moore focus less on
himself and more on his subjects, it's equally as frustrating to see
Moore take what amounts to a hands-off approach to the healthcare
industry and/or the politicians. While he openly chides both
Republicans and Democrats and, of course, can't resist a few jabs at
current president George W. Bush, "Sicko" never actually connects
with these individuals...it merely references them.
While one could easily argue his in-your-face tactics backfired in
"Fahrenheit 9/11," in "Sicko" it almost seems as if Moore jumps from
pointing out the problem to exploring alternative solutions without
ever really saying "But, let's confront the problem."
A Moore film without the confrontation?
Wow.
With the exception of the executives for America's leading
healthcare companies and the legislators they own, very few people
would argue that America's healthcare system is broken. While the
powerful individual stories Moore uses to bring this fact home add a
tremendous emotional core to "Sicko," too often Moore seems to
settle for this emotional resonance at the expense of a critically
viable discussion on American healthcare.
Is there anything in this film that's really going to surprise
anyone? I seriously doubt it, with the possible exception of Moore's
expose of the shabby treatment of non-New York based 9/11 rescue
workers. While the stories here are dramatic and tragic, Moore
himself points out that he received over 25,000 letters following
his request for healthcare horror stories.
These stories are tragic, but they are the rule not the exception.
If Moore so embraces universal healthcare, why isn't he confronting
the legislators who sabotaged it during Bill Clinton's first term as
president? Why isn't he confronting Hillary Rodham Clinton, who
embraced universal healthcare then seemingly became bedfellows with
the healthcare industry?
Why isn't Moore truly going after managed care executives? He shares
the story of a medical director who denied claim after claim, but
then doesn't go after the people when she starts naming names. Why?
Kinder? Gentler? Sure, that's great. But, the powerful stories and
the powerful ideas being presented here were screaming out for a
more defined, more emphatic response. Unfortunately, in "Sicko" it
just never arrives.
Along with pointing out the failures of certain legislators and
dramatically presenting American interpretations of socialized
medicine, Moore takes us on a rose-colored tour of healthcare in
other countries...
In England, Moore gives us a picture of a national health system in
which all expenses are covered and they even reimburse bus expenses.
While the American view of the national healthcare concept is
undoubtedly tainted and askew, Moore here also continues his
tendency to leave out the challenges in such a system including the
very basic challenge of the government actually paying for it. It is
rather delightful when Moore addresses the American stereotype of
doctors in a national system living in poverty themselves by
interviewing a British physician who has had quite the opposite
experience.
Moore takes the same anecdotal approach in France, Canada and, as is
well publicized, in Cuba. Moore's examples are powerful, emotional
and entertaining...but, without hardcore facts and a bit more
research it's hard to determine if Moore is truly presenting an
accurate picture or, again, just picking out the cases that support
his own arguments.
The Cuba case, in particular, borders on propaganda as it's
unfathomable that the Cuban hospital in question didn't know who
they were dealing with when Michael Moore entered the room with a
camera...Was it still noble and wonderful to see these Americans
treated so wonderfully? Absolutely. These scenes are the most
heartwrenching in "Sicko," among several that should leave you
infuriated at a system that can be so remarkably cruel.
"Sicko" is an enjoyable film that will likely trigger conversation
and, perhaps, may even serve to motivate those of us, including
myself, who do support the idea of universal healthcare. Yet,
"Sicko" lacks the urgency of Moore's previous films and it's
seriously doubtful that anyone will leave the film thinking "I have
to change the system."
I believe it was in France that someone pointed out the difference
between America and France. In France, he stated "the government is
afraid of the people, but in America the people are afraid of the
government."
A film such as "Sicko" should be the sort of film that sparks
protests outside healthcare headquarters and legislative offices.
Instead, however, the vast majority who leave "Sicko" will simply
become very afraid of the very system that is supposedly designed to
protect them.
Moore takes a simpler approach to production design this time
around, with very few gimmicky graphics, camera tricks or production
set-ups. While Moore does utilize his usual use of music to set the
tone for his scenes, he chooses a primarily straightforward
photographic style and design that, again, takes the emphasis off
gimmicks and puts it on his subjects.
"Sicko" offers us a more mature Michael Moore, but it lacks the
brazen in-your-face stylings of his other recent films. It's a good
film that will hopefully add fuel to the fire for change in American
healthcare, but "Sicko" also left me wanting something more of the
Michael Moore we've grown to love and hate and wanting a film that
would not so much ask for change but would have the balls to demand
it. |
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© Written by Richard Propes -
Email Me! |
TC Candler's Comment
Here is
another film that should be mandatory viewing
for all high-school Americans.
I was struck
by a few things while watching this film -- not
the least of which was the obscenity of a
medical system run for profit??? Surely
this is the root of the problem. And yet,
some Americans are unaware that this is even
remotely an odd concept.
Note to
Americans -- THE REST OF THE WORLD IS LAUGHING
AT YOU!!!
Moore
probably glorifies the Canadian system and the
French system too much. He definitely
makes the pathetic English system look far
better than it actually is. However, ANY
system would be better than the one America
currently uses.
We need to
get rid of insurance companies -- they are
completely evil and are utterly unnecessary.
We need to
bankrupt all the pharmaceutical companies who
have been raping Americans for years with their
obscene prices.
We need to
socialize medicine like we have done with
schools and fire departments and police
departments and libraries.
We need to
raise taxes on the rich to pay for this.
And finally,
we need to all realize that this is never going
to happen because no one will ever complain loud
enough or with enough support from the passive
public to overcome the stranglehold that
insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies
have on Washington DC.
Where is the
outrage? Where is the fucking outrage?
People are
probably too busy watching "American Idol".
No one in
America does anything until it affects them or
their family personally. That is the most
shameful aspect of modern American culture.
Jacob Hall's
Comment
n/a
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