Sicko - Movie Review

Before delving into this movie review, I must provide a little disclosure that may have some influence on my review. First, I do lean right on a number of social issues. Second, I have a brain that I occasionally use. Onto the review.

Overall, this was an important movie, just like all of Michael Moore's other films that discussed a subject that will hopefully lead to intelligent discourse and hopefully some change for the better. My biggest problem with Michael Moore and his movies is that he is so overly one-sided that he is either preaching to the converted or he is considered a hack. The key to getting the middle of the road people to come to your side and see your point is if you are fair and balanced. It is not illegal to say that there are things that are right about the healthcare system. Further, it is a shame what happened to many of the people that were focused on in the movie, but there are millions and millions more people that are perfectly satisfied with their healthcare and insurance. Let's be honest, the people who are satisfied with their health insurance are not going to want a radical change that may have potential side effects including longer wait times to see a doctor or substandard care. The universal healthcare the movie discussed in other countries is all well and good when you only look at bits and pieces of it. I am sure a filmmaker of similar talents can find similar extreme cases of neglect and poor healthcare in any regulatory environment including those in England, France and Cuba. And seriously, if things were so great in Cuba, why do thousands of Cubans risk their lives everyday to swim/raft to Florida? Mere generalizations and shocking stories about certain outliers are not what this discourse needs. Unfortunately, this is the breadth of Michael Moore's argument. Is the healthcare industry in the US perfect? Hell no, but neither are any of the other ones that were discussed in the movie. There is no doubt that Michael Moore makes good movies that discuss important issues, but by only discussing the extremes, Moore fails in his quest to bring people over to his side. Liberals will absolutely love this movie, while staunch Republicans will blow it off as simple hogwash. I only wish a real filmmaker would tackle the same subject and provide the objective analysis that the American people would need to make an informed decision.

I truly felt the discussions I had with some of my colleagues who I went to the movie with were more engaging than the movie itself, so in that respect Michael Moore continues his role as an important player in politics even if I don't personally agree with him. I truly hope that Mr. Moore uses a percentage of the profits on this film to help those people he showed in the film and the many others who have been screwed over by the industry.

3.5 out of 6 beers.