Director: Michael Moore

Running time: Michael Moore…..oh no, 2 hours. 

Cast: Michael Moore

I became aware of Michael Moore in 2007 when BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE was getting good reviews. The man himself seemed to be this force of nature for good. But subsequent films of his painted him as a bit of a token trouble causer just trying to find another hit. He’s a professional nuisance, a fly in the ointment by trade who has become the face of the supposed hidden truths of America. But what I do like about him is that I come away from his films having learnt so much in a relatively short space of time. I knew nothing of the USA health service until SICKO for example. 

This latest offering of his has a somewhat misleading title. Where Moore normally has his documentary style of filmmaking put him at the feet of unfair business giants as he barks up their trouser legs, this one seems to have him grabbing at straws. He has no real flag to wave over anything in particular. But I felt that was a strength actually. The basis for this movie, rather than highlighting everything which is wrong with America, is to travel the world and showcase the things which other countries do really really well, in the hope of claiming the idea as his own and taking it home to implement there. It’s a positive feeling movie which is joyous in tone and yet still open our eyed what else is going on in the world. Again I learnt some have amazing stuff along the way in a concise and well edited two hours. There’s no through point as such but it’s still entertaining to be taught how other places run so differently. 

Moore, looking older and tired, seems to be enjoying this new positive exploration too and it’s got a good balance of the dark history of the states and the bright futures of the foreign lands he visits. There’s his dry delivery over the top of course, guiding you through the facts and representing them with handy animations and graphs so as not to lose you as we are dealt facts which seem too good to be actually true. 

This is a breezy lesson In how much of the world has its head screwed on better than we do. It’s all about priority amongst humans and not capitalism. I was surprised about how much levity there www to be had at the heads of Michael Moore and I welcome more light hearted work from him in the future. 

C Whitehouse. 2016