Movie Review: SiCKO

Regardless of anyone's politics this movie is, at the very least, thought provoking.  And, unless you have a deep hatred of Michael Moore's films, it is a very entertaining movie.  At times I was moved to tears but much of the time I was laughing at a truly depressing subject.  It's a gift to be able to make such a film and Michael Moore is gifted.  If you hate Michael Moore himself and won't see his films on principle then one, I doubt you'd be reading this review and two, you would hate it but you're missing out (on the movie that is, not my review).

No, this is not fair and balanced and nor does it pretend to be.  Moore is not presenting the evening news or a piece of investigative journalism in a newspaper.  If you see the film and you're put off by the one-sidedness then let that motivate you to do some research on your own and decide where you stand on the American health care system, if it needs reform and if so, how it should be reformed.  Let it motivate you to find out where the candidates for president and your state and local offices stand on the issue so you can guide your vote accordingly.  Moore's job is not to neutrally educate you, it is to entertain you and he does so from a highly biased, populist point of view.  And if you are very partisan on either side of the aisle, he's got some bloody red meat to toss you taking Nixon, Bush, Hillary Clinton to task and even taking a minor swipe at Kennedy.

Although there are quibbles one can make - a couple that I've read repeatedly and agree with are that underscoring Linda Peeno's testimony with Barber's Adagio for Strings (you might remember it from Platoon) is the height of cheesiness and that Moore's tour of universal health care around the world and his disingenuous "shocked, just shocked I tell ya" reaction shtick wears a bit thin.  But it is hard to disagree with Moore's fundamental question: what does this say about a nation that would treat it's citizens this way?  Even if you don't share Moore's (and my) perspective that what is wrong with the system is that the need for insurance and other health industry companies to make a profit leads to lack of access and care for tens of millions of people, how many would say that the system we have is not broken?  Even if you are outraged that Moore didn't show the problems with the Canadian, French, British and Cuban systems would you still say ours couldn't be better?  And if you agree it is broken then, even if it works for you now (and it does for the majority of Americans), how do you propose we fix it?

I know my answer: federally HR 676 and in California SB840.  And if you're not optimistic about passing legislation to fix things, stay for the credits and find out (among the several tidbits sprinkled throughout) how you can marry a Canadian for the healthcare.