MICHAEL MOORE PROVES LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE
SICKO |
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| In Theatres: | June 29, 2007 |
| On DVD: | TBA |
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| Reviewed by: | Louis B. |
| Official website: | www.michaelmoore.com/sicko |
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Sicko is Michael Moore’s best and most assured film to date.
He’s getting better at creating and editing his diatribes which makes them far more palpable and entertaining.
This time around Moore takes on the American health care system and, in particular, the private insurance companies.
If even one-tenth of what Moore presents as the strategies of these health insurance giants is true, the American health care system is very, very sick.
Moore has former doctors and employees of these insurance giants claiming they were hired to do everything possible and unethical to prevent people from getting the treatment and drugs they needed.
It’s a cause for outrage and boy does Moore fuel the fire of discontent and disbelief.
What makes Sicko work so well is its biting sense of humour.
Yes, it’s genuinely and purposely funny.
And no, Moore does not ask us to laugh at the tragedies of the little people.
He gets his laughs when he compares the American system to health systems in Britain, France and Canada.
Once again, Moore sings the praises of Canada.
It’s what he presents in Canada that makes his film a tad suspect.
He flies into Windsor to interview people in a hospital waiting room.
They claim they never have to wait more than 30 minutes to be seen by a doctor in Canada.
Hello Michael.
Come out to Alberta.
Drop in at any hospital emergency room and you’ll get a whole different answer.
We can match those 12 and 13 hour waits Americans bemoan minute for minute.
This is the system Klein built and it ain’t all that healthy either but you did get your laughs and that’s what you set out to do with your French, British and Canadian segments.
Moore does make a few scathing points.
He reveals that the terrorists behind the 9/11 bombings receive better health care than many of the people who worked the front lines of disaster relief in New York.
Moore’s little trip to Cuba with stricken 9/11 volunteers is a tear-jerker.
He also shows how the insurance companies buy the support of politicians.
