Sicko (Michael Moore, 2007)

If you had asked me five years ago what I thought of Michael Moore, I wouldn't have been so complimentary. I would have said (and would still say most of it) that he's a pompus, pig-headed, blowhard who won't listen to a word against him. Five years later, with the administration as it is, the fallout from the war in Iraq and countless other scandals, and the advent of Fox Noise Channel (thank you Keith Olbermann), Michael Moore is nowhere near as revolting as his counterparts on the other side, and I appreciate his existence in stirring the pot. His new film Sicko deals with an issue I am incredibly passionate about, the American health care system, and, in particular, the for-profit insurance industry. There are countless testimonials from people who have been screwed over by insurance companies; Moore put out a call for such stories on his website and got all sides of the story, from people working for the companies to those who have been ill or have had families members become ill. The most interesting part of Moore's process, to me, was the fact that he didn't make the film about the uninsured, but rather the people who, if you asked, would say they have good insurance, and are happy with their lots in life. The middle-class, those who think they have achieved the American Dream. It's impressive the way that Moore attempts to shake us violently out of our middle-class rut, and while many of the stories are absolutely infuriating and heart-wrenching, it's not a complete success. After the film, I was in a bad mood and sent rambling text messages to a few friends along the lines of "How can we treat people this way?!", and while I still am angry about the issue, Moore gives little to no solutions. Perhaps that isn't his role; he is just delivering the message and leaving it up to the audience to change things for themselves. But that role leaves the audience depressed and angry leaving the theater - I could have used a bit of hope along with hearing about how great Canada, France, and Cuba's systems are. I'm still not a Moore acolyte, and I definitely think this film has major problems, but it redeems itself in my eyes by taking on an industry that is protected in this country today; even the more liberal politicians (Hillary Clinton) have taken money from the insurance industry. Now, all we need is to do something about it.

Stumble It!