Capitalism: A Love Story ****½
He’s examined America’s gun culture in Bowling For Columbine, provided a witty look of post 9/11 America in Fahrenheit 9/11 and taken on the American health care system in Sicko but now controversial US documentary filmmaker Michael Moore has taken on the big enchilada – (a theme that has been present in pretty much all his films to date) the domination of corporations in American society. Michael Moore’s latest documentary film Capitalism: A Love Story is not one of his more popular efforts, having done rather poorly at the box office when compared with his last two efforts but this doesn’t mean that Moore has lost any of his impact when it comes to dealing with the big issues.
America’s most feared filmmaker remains as resolute as ever in exploring the big issues that affect his fellow citizens. However, underpinning many of Moore’s investigations is a common theme – the impact of corporate dominance on America (and thus, the rest of the world). In what he describes as “the biggest robbery in the history of this country”, namely the colossal transfer of US taxpayer’s money to private financial institutions, Moore once again takes a wry peak at dubious commercial and political goings-on. From Middle America to Wall Street’s epicentre and the halls of power in Washington, no one is spared Moore’s caustic humour and indignation as he asks, could it be that the American people are finally falling out of love with capitalism?
The opening of Capitalism: A Love Story bluntly and wittily states: “This picture, truly one of the most unusual ever filmed, contains scenes which under no circumstances should be viewed by anyone with a heart condition or anyone who is easily upset. We urgently recommend that if you are such a person or the parent of a young or impressionable child now in attendance that you and the child leave the auditorium.” This warning may come across as humorous – well, it is – but it is also very apt as some of the outcomes of Michael Moore’s investigations into the pitfalls and outright evils of capitalism in America are truly shocking and the revelations quite terrifying. It really could be quite depressing but for Moore’s trademark witty and satirical humour preventing the film from being completely unwatchable. He examines serious real world issues seriously and sensitively, ensuring that we can really can and do feel for the plight of the everyday American citizens who have lost everything that Moore interviews throughout the film, but the humour built around this complements rather than contradicts the serious and inherently unfunny things that he is investigating. Frequently hilarious and thoroughly thought provoking, Moore has crafted a film that amuses as much as it interests, successfully combining archive footage – clips from films and documentaries, new and old; news footage; political broadcasts; television advertisements – with interviews with people working for the banks, congress men and women, the people who are suffering at the hands of capitalism and some of the vultures (a particularly applicable wording given one of the persons interviewed) who are responsible for their suffering (although, as you may expect based on past films by Moore, the really power people are not interviewed – not for lacking of trying on Moore’s part though), and even some of Moore’s own childhood home movies, not forgetting, of course, Moore’s well known escapades. The mix works superbly in presenting the unabashed truth that the corporations don’t want you to know. “This is capitalism. A system of taking and giving. Mostly taking…That’s the point with capitalism. It allows you to get away with anything.” Of particular note is the way in which Moore compares American capitalism to the decaying Roman Empire, intercutting footage from film Life in Ancient Rome with scenes of everyday American life, a comparison which is surprisingly apt. What really makes the film though is, of course, is not so much the use of pre-recorded footage but rather the way in which Moore puts himself in the firing line with his escapades, clearly not afraid of what the consequences may be for himself. For example, when he goes around post-recession Wall Street banks with an armoured van and a bag with a dollar sign on it, demanding that banks return money to the taxpayers that had been given to them to bail them out, a poignant point is made and in truly hilarious fashion. The only problem with the film is that, while Moore is rousingly successful in putting across his argument, the argument tends to be very one sided. This, however, is likely due to the fact that Moore was unable to get interviews with the people holding the real power, as evidenced by his repeated attempts during the film to do just that, each ending in failure. This, however, is only a minor fault in a film that is extremely poignant and has much to say about a system that has become corrupt and broken. The system is evil but it stays alive because American citizens allow it to do because they have been programmed to believe in the American Dream. There is a huge contrast been the positive manner in which the rich and powerful attempt to portray capitalism and the way it actually is in the real world, something which Moore knows well and, after this seeing this film, you will too. Capitalism: A Love Story is a provocative piece of filmmaking and also a very entertaining one. And it perfectly sums up capitalism in three simple words: “Greed. Exploitation. Failure.”
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)
© BRWC 2010.
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