I was telling a friend the hardest thing about reviewing a Michael Moore documentary is that I agree with so much of what he says, if not everything. As a result I find myself nodding my head at all the right moments and throwing my hands up in disgust at equally affecting turns. Does this mean he's fashioned a film of quality or just one that appeals to my sensibilities? To me that's a hard question to answer, especially considering we are talking about serious societal issues when it comes to Moore's docs.
As far as Capitalism: A Love Story is concerned I look at it as a return to the likes of Roger and Me and Bowling for Columbine, and this is without a doubt in my mind the unofficial sequel to Roger and Me simply on a much grander scope. However, it's this grander scope that seems to have some people already looking at it as a bit disjointed, something I also attribute to the rushed production schedule as there are moments in this film that were filmed in June 2009 following the sad demise of an elderly farming family and their property. With the first screening of Capitalism being this past September in Venice that didn't leave Michael Moore much time for editing and tweaking. But he's put something together that works
My biggest complaint with Moore, and something Sicko suffered severely from, is his insistence on grand statements without telling the whole story. In Sicko it was the proposed idea that healthcare in some countries is 100% free and that even some hospitals just give you money. In Capitalism you have Moore saying there was a time when the richest of the rich Americans saw 90% of their income taxed. Of course, what isn't mentioned is that this was from 1950 to 1963 and it's income over $200,000 that was taxed at a higher rate and not the entire amount. Granted, Moore offers these facts on his website, but when they are the types of numbers people are sure to remember shouldn't it be made clear in the film itself? Otherwise isn't it a little misleading?
However, where Capitalism gets it right is in watching Moore chase down folks in an attempt to learn what a "derivative" is along with other attempts to find out what exactly was the cause of the recent global economic meltdown. What happened? What does this mean? And perhaps the best question he asks one Wall Street bigwig, "Do you have any advice?" The answer: "Yeah, stop making movies." It's good for a quick laugh, but at the same time I think it speaks to the truth Moore is getting at and one these people are afraid of. It's almost as if Moore is becoming the Borat or Bruno of the documentary world, his face is so recognizable to this point the folks that would prefer to dodge his every question are wise to his shenanigans, and as this film details, he isn't having an easy go at getting face time with the names we want to hear from.
Outside of all of this, and something any reasonable person is going to come away from Capitalism: A Love Story with — if they look at it with an open mind and without an agenda to hate Michael Moore — is you are going to come away sad. Sad for where our country has ended up, especially based on where it once wasThe moment sure to have the largest impact on many audience members is an archived look at Franklin Delano Roosevelt reading off a list of what he referred to as his Second Bill of Rights. This bill was to guarantee everyone had a job with a living wage, the freedom from unfair competition and monopolies, a home, medical care, education and recreation. It's touching and for someone that wouldn't open his eyes for another 33 years, it's something unheard of. Is there any chance we get back to a world where human priorities become more important than financial priorities? I doubt it, but in the past few years my pessimism has grown by leaps and bounds..
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