Sicko
I was expecting Sicko to be predictable without informing me of anything that I don't already know. My assumption is that it would feature a bunch of emotionally taxing sob stories of people without insurance and then tell us that we need universal health care. I'm happy to say that I was completely wrong.
The reviews and anti-Moore editorials I've read highlighted the number of uninsured in America. But, as Michael Moore states in the first five minutes, Sicko is about people who already have insurance.
Moore makes a powerful argument that America's health care problem will never be resolved until we eliminate the dysfunctional health insurance system that profits by denying people the medical care they need. Any plan for universal health care that relies on the private insurance industry will be fundamentally inadequate.
Sicko, like all of Moore's movies, is most interesting when he uses the subject matter to make broader observations about American society and politics. The topics of how Americans relate to our government as compared to other nations, and methods of controlling the public, were some of the most fascinating moments in the movie.
Moore debunks the most popular arguments against universal health care, including some of the arguments I've seen in anti-Moore reviews and editorials. Its odd that Moore's critics would use the same old arguments that he thoroughly refutes in the film but the goal of most conservative commentators isn't to argue with Moore. Their goal is to ensure that people don't see the movie.
Moore knew what was coming after the massive propaganda campaign to attack and discredit him after the release of Farenhiet 911. That's why he released a book confirming the facts contained in his last film and was careful to back every claim in his new one. The wall of sound from talk radio and insurance industry-backed editorialists started early for Sicko but most of their work was completed when they convinced much of the conservative public to not expose themselves to competing ideas by going to any Michael Moore movie. All I can do is laugh when I hear a familiar rant about how wrong Moore is repeated almost word for word by people who have never seen his movies.
Whether you're a conservative opposed to "socialized medicine", a liberal who thinks you already know the issue, or you don't have much of an opinion either way, Sicko will make you look at the issue in a new light and be entertaining at the same time. I can't say its my favorite Michael Moore movie, but for me that's like saying a woman isn't my favorite tree-hugging supermodel. There aren't very many and I'm just happy if I get to spend two hours with one.
Just go see it.