America’s most controversial documentarian, Michael Moore, reveals his latest labor of love in “Sicko,” a close and sensational look at the state of health care in the U.S. This documentary does have an agenda - thinly veiled by Moore - as he compares the American health care system to the national systems of Canada, Great Britain and France. But you have to consider that if even half of what Moore presents is 100 percent true, and the other half undoubtedly has a certain spin, it still speaks poorly of the American system as compared to those of other western industrialized countries. This film is not just for those who are unhappy with the state of their current health care or who don’t have health insurance, but also for all of us who may be one major sickness away from a loss in coverage.
Moore uses “Sicko” to shine the spotlight on the not-so-closely guarded secrets of the health insurance industry, while presenting us with several hard luck stories of those that have fallen between the bureaucratic cracks. The people chosen for the film are working, middle-class folks, some of whom could easily be your relatives or friends.
Moore emphasizes entertainment and emotion over the dry facts and figures found in a standard documentary, but the humor is sorely lacking in this film compared to his others, including “Bowling for Columbine” and “Fahrenheit 9/11.” Whether it was the subject matter itself or a change in Moore’s style, a good laugh could have helped lighten an otherwise grim topic.
A trip to Guantanamo Bay and Cuba may be the most controversial aspect of the film, where many of the Americans he interviewed receive free medical care they aren’t able to afford in the U.S. This has the feeling of a publicity stunt rather than hard fact gathering and a legitimate comparison of the systems. Even so, the Cuban doctors seem very competent and compassionate in their care of these foreigners.
Moore is a master at shocking and getting his audience to think and question those things we take for granted, and though “Sicko” may be a hard pill to swallow compared to his other documentaries, it’s still worthy of the Michael Moore label.
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language
