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Sicko (2007)

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9 reviews

Synopsis

Loud-mouthed provocateur Michael Moore’s exposé of the US healthcare industry has been in the works for almost three years now. ‘I don’t think the country needs a movie that tells you that HMOs and the pharmaceutical companies suck,’ Moore said last year. ‘I’d like to show you some things you don’t know.’ No clues yet on what they might be, but 19,000 letters from members of the public about their medical experiences formed part of the research.

Movie review

From Time Out London

British viewers can only witness – and not fully appreciate – Michael Moore’s ‘Sicko’, so strongly is his latest slice of peppy agitprop intended for folk in his own land. This can’t be stressed too much. For if anyone in these isles mistook Moore’s new film for a balanced, erudite essay on the American healthcare system , they could rightly accuse Moore of distortion, self-aggrandisement, emotional blackmail and all the other qualities that we’ve come to know – and love – from Moore’s particular brand of filmmaking. As it is, you suspect that ‘Sicko’ has all these elements in droves, yet still you’re glad that the film exists and may even find yourself cheering or shedding a tear at its more demagogic moments. It’s only later, when you emerge into the light, that you find yourself hurriedly adjusting your trousers and a small amount of guilt starts to flow.

‘Sicko’ is a quieter, more focused and less feral beast than its predecessor, ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’, but that’s not saying much. Moore takes 50 minutes to lumber into view, which, on a first viewing of the film, I took for a new modesty. Most probably, though, Moore’s early absence – the voiceover is very much his own – is for other reasons; he must find it more difficult to film in public these days.

One also wonders: has he come to depend more heavily now on other interviewers and researchers than his own legwork? Whatever the methods, the point of the film is a strong one, well-made: the profit-motive of American health insurance is killing people. Moore sidesteps the issue of millions of Americans not even being able to afford proper insurance and instead fires unease straight into the heart of employed, financially comfortable, secure middle-America. Moore presents case after case of those who have suffered from insurance companies finding ways to wriggle out of the deal. He’s good on the underlying values of the system too, offering an amusing episode in which he traces the roots of the reds-under-the-bed fears against ‘socialised medicine’, even tracking down a 12-inch record that Ronald Reagan made to help the cause.

It’s when Moore crosses the pond and starts to compare the American situation with the perceived Nirvana of the British and French systems that any European viewer will have to start biting their tongue and chanting: this is meant for less-intelligent Americans, less-intelligent Americans, less-intelligent Americans . . . for whom the entire concept of ‘free healthcare’ was always demonised as a Soviet method of mind-control. Of course, as we know, our NHS has its own problems, but they’re not Moore’s concern: why ruin a good rant? Mostly, Moore keeps to his simple, but important, task of comparing the benefits of government-run healthcare with that operated by private enterprise and destroying some popular myths about ‘socialised medicine’. The film’s worst chapters come at the end with two very stupid stunts, one involving a trip to Cuba and another involving Moore footing the medical bill for the wife of a vocal critic.So familiar now is Moore’s heavy-handed style of persuasion that when a film called ‘Manufacturing Dissent’ arrived in our cinemas last week and accused him of distorting one of the central thrusts of ‘Roger & Me’, his film about unemployment in Flint, most critics were willing to shrug their shoulders with a resounding, ‘Aw, shucks.’ We shouldn’t be so complacent: a good cause doesn’t justify iffy means. Yet you would have to be very naive to watch Moore’s films, this one included (which is less obviously wild and hysterical), and not see through his methods. In fact, that’s part of the pleasure; a groan here, a heartfelt nod there. And, for us Brits at least, ‘Sicko’ is worth it just for the sight of Moore wandering around Hammersmith Hospital looking for the cash till.

Author: Dave Calhoun

Time Out London Issue 1940: October 23-29 2007

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User reviews of this film

Bill Wilson said...

Posted on Oct 31 2007 08:24 Michael Moore, a hero that must be revered across the swathe of Liberal USA that might still exist. The Film obviously uses some effects to pass over the message, but I know it reflects reality in the USA. The land where only money matters! My wife suffered Cancer for 3 years and we were in and out of hospital dozens of times it cost us nothing as we are EU citizens. She is now dead and I have no doubt that if I had had the misfortune to be American I would have no house and no business now! From a very personal viewpoint I have to say the film brought to me the massive importance of universal healthcare, we are so lucky despite the so called weaknesses of the NHS, which to be honest I have never noticed having always without exception recieved first class treatment.
I can also say how lucky we are to live in the EU. Back in August I took a holiday in Lanzerote (part of Spain and therefore the EU) Like many pale skinned Brits I got sunburned, badly enough to warrent a visit to the local Hospital. Flash the EU medical card and an hour or so later out and treated absolutely free. The same across 27 countries in our union.
I feel so sorry for the American people. How can anything change when massive corruption takes place. How can anything change when HMO,s are pepared to dump millions of dollars into the pockets of the neo cons and indeed directly into the pocket of the worlds most dangerous terrorist George W Bush himself.
I would have liked to see Michael Moore link some public spending issues with US healthcare. Just some references to how universal healthcare could be entirely funded if the US stepped back from military terrorisation of the world. Here in Scotland we are about to get free prescription charges, how can that be done budgetwise? Well according to the First Minister, if Scotland had the right to self determination 5 billion would have never been wasted on Iraq and countless billions would not be wasted on the replacement of Trident, a revolting mass murder system. End of story! Moore you could have thrown these such issues into the pot.
How amusing it was to see how Americans had been led by their predominantly right wing media to believe even the idea of socialised healthcare is anti American and even, yes that word to strike mortal fear into the American heart, communist!
A great film and a pleasant attempt at a balance to the tripe that is trotted out on Fox News and CNN.
Long live Micheal Moore.

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nick said...

Posted on Oct 30 2007 19:40 love it but a bit wordy

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eugene said...

Posted on Oct 30 2007 13:42 forgive my spelling - multi tasking ain't my bag ...

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eugene huston said...

Posted on Oct 30 2007 13:40 My partner is Doctor that has worked in the USA ... She states that she will never work there gaian - because it is so corrupt - and all about the money made'saved by 'managed care' systems.
For the richest country on earth to not even have basic health care for all is a travesty.
For Amercians to actually argue that somehow this is evil socialism - just shows the extend of the double think and brain washing by the power elite over decades.

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Will said...

Posted on Oct 28 2007 19:28 Excellent film “Sicko”. The message is valuable and the methods are no worse than the conservative right, any other political organisation or media outlet (including Time Out) with a goal to win the hearts, minds and dollars of the masses. So if you do not like the film it probably tells us a lot about your moral standing / political bent. I think a US-based revolution caused by Moore et al would be a welcome addition to a complacent Western World. "Fight the Power!"

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Kellie said...

Posted on Oct 28 2007 15:51 Amen Lucy........thought the title made the film look intresting....read the review and what a crock of shit!! what the fuck is the review or the director of this film for that matter going on about!

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Chris said...

Posted on Oct 28 2007 11:54 Moore takes viewers on a basic and emotional ride as he plays with the audiences fealing of sadness and anger, although he lingers on certain points for too long and does tend to over simplify things. One of the main points is the insuranse companies making money out of the people and how bad they are but wake up, that is insurance companies and we know they don't want or like to give out any money. He does reminds us of the simple fact that America is a nation buit around fear and their f*%k yeah tight American community is all a false pretense.

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michael said...

Posted on Oct 28 2007 09:43 It is a bit wordy but if you can't even spell absolute or honest, what hope do you have!

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