Michael Moore

by MovieMaker Staff | Published June 24, 2007

He has been an elected official (at the budding age of 18 no less), executive editor of Mother Jones magazine and a would-be priest. Now, as a video journalist and moviemaker, Michael Moore is conquering his next mountain: The U.S. healthcare system. In SiCKO, out in early release from The Weinstein Company on June 22, Moore documents the drawbacks and inconsistencies in the privatized system while promoting an elimination of private health insurance and a regulation of pharmaceutical companies. “One thing I said to my coworkers when we started was that we donâ€(tm)t need to spend a lot of time in the film telling the audience how bad the system is, because they already know,” Moore says. “That would be like making a movie now and pointing out that Bush is a lousy president.” Wait, didnâ€(tm)t he already do that?

In 2004 the moviemaker caused a worldwide stir when his scathing critique on the Bush administration, Fahrenheit 9/11, hit theaters sans support of its Disney distribution label. With the mouse house out of the picture, the Weinstein brothers, Lionsgate and IFC Films stepped up to promote and distribute what became the highest grossing documentary in box office history.

Moore, no stranger to controversy, has become synonymous with sociopolitical calls to action since first raising a popular ruckus with the release of 1989â€(tm)s Roger & Me. His attempts at meeting with General Motors CEO Roger Smith raised many an eye to the economic fate of Mooreâ€(tm)s hometown of Flint, Michigan. His next documentary, the Academy Award-winning Bowling for Columbine, expanded its scope to the nationâ€(tm)s gun control laws (or, rather, leniency) after the shooting rampage at Columbine High School. Its screening at Cannes marked the first documentary to be shown at the festival in 46 years and came home with the 55th Anniversary Prize.

“Ignorance is never a healthy thing,” Moore observes. “You canâ€(tm)t make the best decisions without having all of the information. Thatâ€(tm)s true in our daily life, and thatâ€(tm)s true in our political life.” Which is probably why we look to this passionate moviemaker to challenge us every few years.

Sound Off: Michael Moore confronts issues in his movies often by revealing only one side of the argument, explaining that the other side is what the public is bombarded with day in and day out. Some people find this deceitful while others find it necessary. What’s your view? Tell us what you think in our comments section!

COMMENTS | POST A COMMENT

Comment by pantelis panteloglou on 6/25/07 at 2:18 am

I wonder why you’re not mentioning his second film, “the big one” along with “Roger & me”. Those first two films reflect on the consuquences of free movement of factors of production on everyday life. Based on the experience of his hometown, Flint, Michigan, he casts his ironic eye on mainstream America, on the one hand, while on the other he shows how difficult it is to lead a life with dignity if you’re unlucky enough to have been born a worker.

His later movies, although interesting, do tend to become sentimental (remember the Charlton Heston sequence on “Columbine"), something that does not help his arguments.

As he is telling his opinion, I think he has no obligation to repeat the mainstream arguments - we’ve heard enough of them.
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Comment by mayra on 6/25/07 at 2:16 pm

The system could work if they had medicines and the hospitals or clinics were clean.  As a cuban raised in a communist country and believing in social justice this is all I have to say to Mr. Moore.  A good movi, but missing the entire picture.
As a naturalized american citizen I see all the faults in this system.

Comment by Gustavo on 6/25/07 at 7:57 pm

I’ve travelled to Cuba many times to visit relatives and what Mr. Moore presents in Sicko is not what every day Cubans receive health care wise. THey fear going to hospitals because they say the conditions are deplorable lacking sheets, pillow, light bulbs, all types of medicines, etc.  Cubans laugh saying, “you go in sick and come out dead.” The few good hospitals they have are for the government officials, diplomats, tourists and foreign businessmen who must pay in dollars or Euros..

I personally visited a doctor in 2002 in a town just outside of Havana called El Cotorro. He is responsible for 250 people in his area and complained he rarely had medicines to give them for the most common of ailments. He wanted to defect or work abroad in order to then defect like so many of his doctor friends had done. THe following year when I went to visit him his sister told me he had been shipped off to Venezuela against his will. Doctors in Cuba have to serve where ever the government sends them.

I’ve enjoyed Michael Moore’s other documentaries but he made a terrible miscalculation choosing the Cuban model in order to uncover the failings of our rediculous health care system. “Michael, you didn’t do your homework!”

Comment by Trespatines on 6/25/07 at 8:11 pm

Michael Moore is obsessed with the concept “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Hoa pathetic and misguided. I will not patronize this biased propaganda.

Comment by Rosario on 6/25/07 at 8:43 pm

Michael Moore’s journalistic work has always impressed me and it will probably continue to do so, because his politics and mine and very similar. “Sicko’ is no different than his prior works. Choosing the Cuban model is a big mistake, because in Cuba government officials are in charge of American celebrities. They are shown exactly what the government wants them to see and often they stage situations to impact these guests. Unfortunately, the Cuban propaganda machine is outstanding, especially when it comes to impress foreign visitors, and if they are from the USA even more.

Part of Cuba’s propagandistic strategy is to offer help, particularly in the areas of health and education, to American minorities. This has earned the Cuban revolution the support and admiration of people like Harry Belafonte, Danny Glover, Jessie Jackson etc. I guess Michael Moore is the “new” star being astutely courted the Cubans. He probably doesn’t speak Spanish and relied on the guides “attending” to him. “Attending (del verbo atender) is the word used by the government when they assign intelligence personnel to take care of a guest, probably a guide from the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (Instituto cubano de amistad con los pueblos). If Michael Moore returns to Cuba, he should spontaneously and without an assigned guide to “attend” him, visit the Calixto García Hospital, or any hospital in Havana, except for the Cira García or Cimec. The first one is strictly for foreigners and the second one is for he high hierarchy of the government. Michael: Just go to any medical facility like the Hospital de Emergencia, or la Covadonga, Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras, Maternidad, or just any hospital for the everyday Cuban in Havana. You will find many ill-timed surprises, but your work will be complete.

Comment by pantelis panteloglou on 6/26/07 at 2:35 am

haven’t seen sicko yet, but the points made by fellow cubans seem correct. it’s true that the enemy of the enemy is not a friend, but on the other hand one should take in account the whole embargo situation against Cuba.

Oh, and Michael Moore’s interview by Larry King on CNN was postponed today, because Larry has to interview Paris Hilton on her jail experience. How about a movie “24 days in jail with Paris”?

Comment by Carmen Pelaez on 6/26/07 at 2:12 pm

Tourist always get great treatment in Cuba--that is nothing new.  By Mr. Moore propagating a dictatorship’s propaganda he severely undercuts the noble quest to improve our health care system here in the states. 

When my friend had a baby in Cuba-we had to take the sheets, the supplies, the cleaning products to disinfect her bed-everything.  The shared bathroom was covered in human excrement, bloodied paper towels, feminine hygine products and vomit.  When we returned the next day-they confiscated our camera.

It’s a shame.  Once again an American’s best effort is diminished by his immense ego. And once again it isn’t Americans that pay the price but innocent people that suffer the daily oppression of a sadistic dictator.

Comment by gavelect on 2/25/09 at 6:33 am

I look forward to seeing this when it comes out, I have a big view on the private medical insurance systems in the USA, where I think they should be there I also think there should be an equal system for all provided by the government.

Comment by Felicia Nelson on 9/16/09 at 4:25 am

Dear Michael, My name is Felicia Nelson and i lived in Flint michigan in 1981-1982 and the daughter of Conny E Nelson who was the Chancellor of U of M Flint at that time. I am writing because i am thinking you might not remember but you and your camera crew came to our door wanting to interview my Dad about renovations done at the Flint University house. My Dad died of pancreatic cancer that year and i have watched you devote your life to truth in advertising and I don’t know if you will remember the conversation you had with him. You showed up and from what i can remember were looking for a story. You all left with good intentions and had hand shakes and i never saw a bad article concerning my Father so i could only assume it went well. But I have always wondered what transpired in that meeting. After all these years i still struggle with my Fathers death. Just curious if you remember him and if you could fill me in on what transpired.I would apprecite a response to what or if you remember. Crazy as it might be for some reason it has been on my mind. Thank you if you find the time to respond. I know it was a long time ago but has been on my mind.....

Felicia Nelson
5404 E Cortland Blvd 227
Flagstaff, Az 86004

928-255-9750

Comment by Supplement on 10/19/09 at 1:30 am

Why does public health care fit the criteria to be considered an issue?
Supplement

Comment by baba on 11/25/09 at 6:16 am

Public health has wide area today. Even i am studying public health.

Regards

Comment by Interior Design Ideas on 1/25/10 at 3:38 am

Public health issues should be handled in a correct way. Youth like him are needed.

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Comment by Types of Cancer on 12/29/10 at 1:02 pm

Public health is really wide area and we should have to aware about it. If we want to care our loved ones so first get awareness is compulsory part.
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Comment by Health Insurance on 9/14/11 at 5:11 am

The healthcare system in the US really needs reformed, it’s a shame it’s causing so much political infighting. Make me glad we have the NHS in the UK

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Comment by ROBERT ALAN LEE on 10/12/11 at 11:06 pm

you must read my expose on a suject thats never been done before i wrotr a book about it it’s in printing right now robert alan lee

Comment by robert alan lee on 10/12/11 at 11:11 pm

anyone interested in reading about fires that destroy flea markets

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