Capitalism: A Love Story
What?
Michael Moore takes a look at the ideology of Capitalism, its history and the effects it has had over the years on ordinary folk. He asks if free enterprise is the best way, or if it is a recipe for the rich to get richer, and the poor to get shafted. Along the way he speaks to those who have been directly, or indirectly, affected by big business making big profits at their expense, and in true Michael Moore style, he rocks up to the headquarters of several large corporations with his megaphone to the general annoyance of security.
I like Michael Moore generally, and even though I know that with stats and judicial editing you can tell any story you wish to with a documentary, I can let is slide where Moore is concerned, because in the main he is taking pot shots at the big guys in the name of the little fella. Bowling for Columbine really did make people in America look at gun culture, and if his haranguing of a bemused and aging Charlton Heston (National Rifle Association bigwig at the time) felt a little mean, it could be forgiven because the message was right. Fahrenheit 9/11 could be picked to pieces by anyone with more than a general knowledge of current affairs and a penchant for News Week, and targeting Bush Jnr was akin to shooting fish in a barrel, but again his agenda and view was one that was shared by many. With Capitalism - A Love Story, Moore once again tackles a subject very much in the spotlight, what with the 'current economic climate' and nobody can really argue with the evidence and the specific cases that he centres on, which in some instances are tragic, or the mega corporations he takes aim at, which unsurprisingly are unscrupulous and ruthless in their efforts to maximise profit margin at any expense. Moore's argument is typically one sided with little screen time given over to the alternatives - there is a ten minute piece on a factory set up where all the employees are effectively directors and all profit equally, but that’s it. Moore keeps things informative and light, with his sardonic quipping and use of retro stock footage, this time round though the message is a little harder to swallow coming, as it does, from a multi millionaire. Moore, of course, cannot help the fact that he has become rich as a filmmaker and writer, but he is not the same Moore, the one that was one of us, that you could route for in his early efforts - Roger and Me, or his TV show TV Nation.
Optics:
The image is generally good, but as lots of different sources are utilised it is, as expected, a little bit of a mixed bag at times. Grainy stock film is mixed with digital video and also Moore's previous films, but at no time did it detract from the experience.
Sonics:
The soundtrack is flat and from the front, but it is clear and completely adequate for the material.
Extras:
There is a wealth of supplementary material that all supports the main feature very well, as rather than revealing how the documentary has been made, or Moore’s interview or editing or research techniques, it is essentially an extension of it.
Well?
Perhaps not as polemic as some of his other efforts, and maybe not as humorous, but Moore's latest offering gives us more of the little man socking it to the big guys, except these days Michael Moore is not so little in terms of reputation, wealth or indeed size, which does dampen the overall effect somewhat - still worth a rental though.
Kris Williams
Michael Moore takes a look at the ideology of Capitalism, its history and the effects it has had over the years on ordinary folk. He asks if free enterprise is the best way, or if it is a recipe for the rich to get richer, and the poor to get shafted. Along the way he speaks to those who have been directly, or indirectly, affected by big business making big profits at their expense, and in true Michael Moore style, he rocks up to the headquarters of several large corporations with his megaphone to the general annoyance of security.
I like Michael Moore generally, and even though I know that with stats and judicial editing you can tell any story you wish to with a documentary, I can let is slide where Moore is concerned, because in the main he is taking pot shots at the big guys in the name of the little fella. Bowling for Columbine really did make people in America look at gun culture, and if his haranguing of a bemused and aging Charlton Heston (National Rifle Association bigwig at the time) felt a little mean, it could be forgiven because the message was right. Fahrenheit 9/11 could be picked to pieces by anyone with more than a general knowledge of current affairs and a penchant for News Week, and targeting Bush Jnr was akin to shooting fish in a barrel, but again his agenda and view was one that was shared by many. With Capitalism - A Love Story, Moore once again tackles a subject very much in the spotlight, what with the 'current economic climate' and nobody can really argue with the evidence and the specific cases that he centres on, which in some instances are tragic, or the mega corporations he takes aim at, which unsurprisingly are unscrupulous and ruthless in their efforts to maximise profit margin at any expense. Moore's argument is typically one sided with little screen time given over to the alternatives - there is a ten minute piece on a factory set up where all the employees are effectively directors and all profit equally, but that’s it. Moore keeps things informative and light, with his sardonic quipping and use of retro stock footage, this time round though the message is a little harder to swallow coming, as it does, from a multi millionaire. Moore, of course, cannot help the fact that he has become rich as a filmmaker and writer, but he is not the same Moore, the one that was one of us, that you could route for in his early efforts - Roger and Me, or his TV show TV Nation.
Optics:
The image is generally good, but as lots of different sources are utilised it is, as expected, a little bit of a mixed bag at times. Grainy stock film is mixed with digital video and also Moore's previous films, but at no time did it detract from the experience.
Sonics:
The soundtrack is flat and from the front, but it is clear and completely adequate for the material.
Extras:
There is a wealth of supplementary material that all supports the main feature very well, as rather than revealing how the documentary has been made, or Moore’s interview or editing or research techniques, it is essentially an extension of it.
Well?
Perhaps not as polemic as some of his other efforts, and maybe not as humorous, but Moore's latest offering gives us more of the little man socking it to the big guys, except these days Michael Moore is not so little in terms of reputation, wealth or indeed size, which does dampen the overall effect somewhat - still worth a rental though.
Kris Williams
Director:
Michael Moore
Starring:
Michael Moore
Best line:
Tagline:
Description:
Paramount
Region 2
Rated 18
2Hr 2 Mins
1.78:1
(Anamorphic)
Dolby Digital 5.1
Making of documentary
Ratings: (Out of 5)
Film 3.0
Optics 2.0
Sonics 1.0
Extras 4.0
Overall 3.0
