MOVIE REVIEW: Sicko

I like Michael Moore. He was kind enough to put my name on his first film, the flinty Roger and Me, which I enjoyed, except for the bunny scene. I also watched his television show, TV Nation and even own a video of it. The cartoon sequence in Bowling for Columbine I thought showed a fascinating breakdown about race in America. And, of course, there was Fahrenheit 9/11, which people particularly loved or hated.

When Carol and I were about to see his latest film, Sicko in late July, I mentioned this to a lunch buddy of mine, who is considerably more right-of-center than I (she voted for GWB twice more than I did, because "he's a Christian"). She replied, "HE (Moore) is a sicko!" I was reminded yet again what a polarizing character Michael Moore is for some people.

Yet, if she gave it a try, I think she might find the new movie Sicko compelling, in spite of herself. Certainly, I think Moore made a deft move by concentrating on the 250 million people who (allegedly) have health coverage, rather than the 50 million that don't. You'll laugh at the absurdity of the system we've been saddled with - one more thing to blame on Richard Nixon, I discovered. You'll cry with the insurance company official whose decision not to treat lead to a man's death (yes, I saw it in the previews, and it still got to me). You'll get more than a little ticked off. This is propaganda, of course, but persuasive propaganda.

Certainly, my view of the upcoming (ongoing) Presidential race has been colored by seeing this film. I want to see what solutions the candidates have to address a system that, it seems, can't be easily fixed by more money being poured into the pockets of the insurance industry.

I worked as a customer service rep for an insurance company back in the late 1980s, so I believe these horror stories. I will write on this soon.
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Lefty Brown's podcast on Sicko and our political process. And Gordon's podcast on Sicko.
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Video:
At the Variety screening of the docu "Sicko," director Michael Moore chats about bringing Americans together to fight a common enemy: the nation's declining health care system. (And if that link doesn't work, try this one).

More videos at Brightcove.com
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When Jane Wyatt died last year, a surprising number of people said to me, "I heard Ronald Reagan's first wife died." And I had to correct them.

NOW, Jane WYMAN, Ronald Reagan's first wife has died.

Incidentally, the location I found the picture indicated that it is in the public domain.
ROG