Michael Moore is brilliant at what he does, in that the viewer can be entertained and moved by his documentaries while disagreeing with him on almost every topic he presents. He does whatever it takes to bring out a laugh, such as driving up to Goldman-Sachs in an armored truck to ask for $70 billion of the taxpayers' money to be returned. He can also present serious cases that will surprise even the most knowledgeable of viewers, such as one about many of the nation's top corporations profiting from their employees' deaths. In "Capitalism," Moore seems to be bound by neither morals nor laws. He unabashedly exposes some real nastiness caused by capitalism's drive for personal gain. At times, I felt as if I, too, should re-evaluate the everyone-for-themselves society in which we live.
But Michael Moore is also a hypocrite. As always, he accuses corporate America and the government of brainwashing the American public with pro-capitalist propaganda. Yet Moore himself isn't afraid to stretch the truth in his favor. For example, a priest in Flint, Mich., answered "No" when Michael Moore asked, "If Jesus were alive today, would he support the current capitalist system?" The interview was presented, however, as if the priest's opinion represented the entire faith. Moore did not consider at all the possible bias of the preacher - Flint is one of the towns hit hardest by the economic downturn, and the preacher was possibly just sympathetic to his congregation.
Moore has always been liberal and has always made liberal films, but this one goes too far. His proclamation of the end of social mobility and the extinction of the middle class are extreme and unsubstantiated. His Marxist calls for a workers' rebellion are plain fantasy. By proposing that we revisit Franklin Roosevelt's proposal that has the right to a job, well, I hope that he realizes that there are always more job seekers than jobs in our imperfect society. His ultra-biased attempt at shutting down capitalism ultimately breaks down.
An annoying voice warns at the film's start that the movie is not for the lighthearted. I agree. If you like to turn your brain off during a movie and just sit back and relax, this is is not for you. Michael Moore forces you to think. He makes sure that you either join him in harmony or laugh at him in ridicule. He has the power to control your emotions, and he is not afraid to use it. "Capitalism" is not in any way refined, nor will it win the Oscar for best cinematography anytime soon. It is a stripped-down look at the American economy through Michael Moore's eyes, and he makes for a highly amusing host. Simply said, you don't have to agree with him; you just have to see him.
Pros: Just watching Moore is entertaining on its own, and he highlights some interesting loopholes of capitalism.
Cons: As usual, Moore's analysis is one-sided and overly simplistic.
3 PAWS
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