Slicko

Another cinematic summer Sunday night.

When you walk into a Michael Moore "documentary," you have to know what you expect to see. Indeed, his films never deviate from the standard format he adopted in "Roger and Me." He follows it to a tee, just as producers always used the same cookie cutter approach in the Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan series, the Charlie Chan mysteries, and every "Mickey and Judy Stage a Show in a Barn" musical.

Michael Moore always starts out with the point and summation that he wants to makes at the very end of the movie. Then, he spends the next two plus hours trying to stage a "factual" movie that gets to said point. He throws most logic out the window in doing so. He will get to that point, come Hell or high water. And what you wind up with as a film is certainly not a documentary, but more like a stunt. It's essentially "Jackass" with a brain.

Now, don't get me wrong. I have been generally entertained and borderline amused by his films. They frustrate me, because my moderate political views allow me to take issue with his argument against the government, while, at the same time, appreciating the objective of what he is setting out to do. With Moore, it's always the right idea and the stupidest execution. And I am very aware of the fact that he monkeys around with the editing in order to present his opinion, whether it is valid or not. I noticed this practice most in "Fahrenheit 9/11." If you recall, the final third of that film focuses on this Michigan (does he ever visit any other people?) mother who is this gung ho American spirit, proud to be sending her son to Iraq. Of course, as you would expect, the young man is killed there. When we once again reconnect with the mother's journey, she is extremely anti-war and regularly picketing the White House. Gee, what luck Moore had in finding a mother who would so seamlessly contribute to his story. Way too convenient. You could easily tell that parts of this episode were staged for maximum dramatic effect. And this, in my humble opinion, renders the whole movie as an "anti-documentary."

But, let's get to "Sicko." Who among us can't relate to being screwed at some point by a doctor or a health insurance organization? I've been pretty lucky myself, but I've heard horror stories among friends. One had toe surgery at an outpatient clinic with a very lofty Beverly Hills address. He went there becasue that's where his podiatrist sent him. However, the clinic ramped up the charges by about 200% because they probably equated their prominence to that of Neiman-Marcus down the block. His insurance would not pay this amount, since they (and rightfully so) felt that the clinic's costs were way overpriced. He never paid a dime, but he was forced to wage a war with a variety of parties for over a year to ensure that he would not have any out-of-pocket expenses. Among my other friends, similar stories abound

And Michael Moore has no problem finding other Americans who have their own axes to grind. He presents a myriad of sad stories from people with no health insurance or whose life savings were drained due to some catastrophic illness.

So far, so good. He pins much of the blame on the lack of socialized medicine in this country. Also skewered is the HMO concept of health coverage in this country, and he traces this back to Richard Nixon. That poor shlump now gets blamed for everything. It's a matter of time before they tie him into BALCO and Barry Bonds' steroids. But, I digress....

Here's where Mr. Moore's story starts to unravel badly. Moore takes his cameras to Canada, then England, and finally France. Allegedly, all three countries offer virtually free medical care. He interviews some transplanted Americans in those place, who revel in the medical coverage they receive there for little or no cost. One clinic apparently reimburses patients for transportation costs! It's the world that Moore espouses for America. But, you don't have to do much research to discover that the utopia universe he is presenting is very misleading. The free stuff offered is for the very basic medical care. There are similar horror stories. I have heard of one person in England who had to wait 9 months to have a MRI done. For Pete's sake, the injury could have healed naturally by then. But, of course, you heard none of that in Sicko. Unless they support his point, Michael Moore ignores certain facts that are easily retrieved. And that makes his style of "documentary" filmmaking nothing more than the same propaganda that he often ridicules the government of foisting on us.

Michael saves the worst grandstanding for last. He hooks up with three volunteers who were involved in the 9/11 recovery. These folks were not part of the official rescue team. Just basic Americans who were moved to help. I salute their passion. Nevertheless, they are now sick with pulmonary ailments, etc.. One guy has wore down his teeth due to night grinding brought on by 9/11 stress. (Hey, I've had the same problem for years. You don't need a lot of medical help solving that. Get a freakin' night guard.) Of course, because these folks are volunteers, their medical issues are not covered. I would challenge these folks that they should have known they were getting in over their heads, but, nevertheless, Michael strives to get them the medical coverage they need. He discovers that captured 9/11 conspirators, being held at Cuba's Guantanamo Naval Station, are getting excellent medical care. So, Moore loads his volunteers upon a boat that essentially sails into Guantanamo Bay. It is the type of cheap stunt that completely destroys what small points he has made successfully earlier in the film. The movie becomes as flawed as the health insurance industry he is trying to skewer.

As with all his movies, Michael Moore raises some valid questions, but never offers any solutions whatsoever. It is ultimately an empty experience. He's also an expert at weaving an audience into his passion, getting them riled up, and then leaving them flatfooted with nothing. The audience applauds wildly, but I doubt they understand just what they have embraced. Just like our government, Michael Moore plays the public for the saps they usually are.

I would tell you, by all means, to see Sicko. But, you should know that it's barely a ripple in the ocean when you're dealing with the real issues.

While it's a completely different topic, if you are hankering to see a true documentary, try "The Fog of War," which won the Oscar several years ago. It presents the most even-handed portrayal of a politician (Robert MacNamara) that I have ever seen. It should be a master class for Michael Moore.

Dinner last night: smoked bratwurst and salad.