Those of us who admire his work acknowledge that he's disgusted. His detractors merely find him disgusting. That's the love-him-or-hate-him provocateur, Michael Moore.
Say what you will about documentary writer-director Moore -- deride his showboating stunts, his grandstanding gestures, his self-aggrandizing impishness, his dismissive sarcasm, his bully tactics, his problematic oversimplification, his manipulative editing, his dubious documentation, and/or his on-his-sleeve politics -- but try to deny his cinematic uniqueness.
He's explored corporate malfeasance (Roger & Me), terrorism (Fahrenheit 9/11), gun control (Bowling for Columbine), and health care (Sicko). So it stands to reason in these perilous times that at some point he would tackle the latest hot-button issue: our global -- but especially national -- economic crisis.
And this rambling cinematic essay, Capitalism: A Love Story, is about as serious-minded as comedies (a comedy is certainly what he considers his latest offering) get, as it examines and probes our free-market economy and financial meltdown, and indicts Wall Street greed and corruption as well as outrageous inequities in not only the the banking and financial-services industries but also the airline, real estate, and life insurance industries.
To say nothing of the White House, Congress, and our system of jurisprudence.
Capitalism: A Love Story is just as much a war story; that is, it's an examination of what the director lays out as a form of class warfare, with the few "haves" exploiting the many "have-nots": the rich robbing the poor.
And he's very good at humanizing statistics and the consequences of the financial exploitation of victims.
The fascinating case that Moore makes, whether you agree with it or not, is the essential difference between democracy and capitalism, which he reminds us are not the same thing. Perhaps one, he suggests, corrupts the other.
If you don't find it brilliantly persuasive, as some of us do, then discount some or even most of it. But you can't dismiss all of it.
And that's what makes it an important "entertainment," a valuable document, and a crucial component of our national dialogue. For that, its excesses can easily be forgiven.
Some of it is funny, some of it is chilling, some of it is poignant, some of it is overblown, some of it is silly. But all of it is engrossing.
Sure, his film is as inflammatory as it is informative. But that rabble-rouser Moore doesn't have definitive solutions to the problems he details doesn't lessen the impact of his plaintive plea, "How could this happen?" Hypocrisy and injustice are certainly worthy targets for his puckish indignation.
That love story referred to in the subtitle is what the director sees as our abusive relationship with capitalism, as the richest one percent of our population exploits the other ninety-nine percent. He may not convince you of everything, but he'll get and hold your attention, and reward the attention you pay.
And he even finds a way to end on an optimistic note. Well played, MM.
So we'll capitalize on 3½ stars out of 4 for muckraker Michael Moore's dazzling and disturbing documentary, Capitalism: A Love Story. With yet another trademark provoc-doc, Moore is anything but less.
Movie Reviews - Week of 11/16/09
KYW movie critic Bill Wine gives his thoughts on the movies "Planet 51," "New Moon," and "The Blind Side." (3:02)
Movie Reviews - Week of 11/9/09
KYW movie critic Bill Wine gives his thoughts on the movies "Precious," "2012," and "Pirate Radio." (3:02)
Yada Yada Movies - Weekend of 11/13/09
This week KYW's Steve Nikazy and KYW movie critic Bill Wine take a look at the drama "Precious," the adventure disaster "2012," and the comedy "Pirate Radio." (17:24)
Yada Yada Movies - Weekend of 11/06/09
This week KYW's Steve Nikazy and KYW movie critic Bill Wine look at the comedy-war film, "The Men Who Stare at Goats," the animated re-make, "A Christmas Carol," and the horror-mystery-thriller "The Fourth Kind." (18:45)
Movie Reviews - Week of 11/2/09
KYW movie critic Bill Wine gives his thoughts on the movies "The Men Who Stare at Goats", "A Christmas Carol" and "The Fourth Kind". (3:01)
Yada Yada Movies - Weekend of 10/30/09
KYW's Steve Nikazy and KYW movie critic Bill Wine take a look at the Chris Rock documentary, "Good Hair," Michael Jackson's "This is It," and the action-crime-drama "The Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day." (17:43)
Movie Reviews - Week of 10/26/09
KYW movie critic Bill Wine gives his thoughts on the movies "Good Hair", "This Is It" and "Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day". (3:00)
Yada Yada Movies - Weekend of 10/23/09
KYW's Steve Nikazy and KYW movie critic Bill Wine take a look at the animated adventure "Astro Boy," the bio-drama"Amelia," and the action-adventure-comedy "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant." (17:20)
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And this rambling cinematic essay, Capitalism: A Love Story, is about as serious-minded as comedies (a comedy is certainly what he considers his latest offering) get, as it examines and probes our free-market economy and financial meltdown, and indicts Wall Street greed and corruption as well as outrageous inequities in not only the the banking and financial-services industries but also the airline, real estate, and life insurance industries.
