Sicko is probably Michael Moore's simplest film. It's streamlined, it stays on message, there's fewer gags, and despite being two hours long it feels short.

As a result of all that, I left Sicko less worked up than I left Bowling or Fahrenheit. Maybe it's apathy and the sense of defeat I felt after the 2004 election. Maybe it's my Buddhist practice and the lessons in not putting my faith in politics or the romantic idea that social change can end suffering. Either way, I left the movie a little down, with only a dim glimmer of hope that free national heath care was possible in this country in my lifetime.

The movie does a great job of hitting all the main arguing points, "national health care = communism," "the government decides your fate," "doctors won't make as much," "taxes!!!" etc, etc. Everything you've heard when the topic comes up is touched on by Moore. Nothing shocking or really new to me, but it's all very articulate and succinct and easy to pass on to people who might not know the ins and outs of the argument.

A lot of reviews seem happy to report that Michael Moore doesn't even show up in the movie until half way through. And then they refer to his inevitable appearance as the point where the movie goes downhill. I'm not sure what movie they expect to see when they go to a Michael Moore film, but I go to see Michael Moore. I like his persona, I enjoy his sense of humor, I even click with his brand of melodrama and manipulation. I think it's a shame that his critics (and even himself?) seem to believe that the topics he brings up can only be taken seriously when he's off camera. Or maybe they'd rather believe that even though they feel the same about American medicine, they don't want to face the thought of agreeing with Moore, and his presence ruins the illusion.

I know a lot of people can't stand Moore, and maybe this was his attempt to reach out to them by staying off camera and toning down his usual schtick. Which I guess worked in creating a very focused Sicko, but as a Michael Moore fan I couldn't help but feel like it was all a little gentle and watered down.

Perhaps after the Fahrenheit backlash (and overall conservative pendulum that swung back to win Bush a second term) Moore realized that his power was better used to simply bring the topic up for discussion rather than attack it with a megaphone.

I hope, similarly to Fahrenheit, Sicko gives a lot of small health care and pharmaceutical documentaries the chance for distribution in the coming year.

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It's funny that an online character generator creates a more accurate caricature of myself than I do.

Labels: critiqua