“Capitalism: A Love Story”
Starring Michael Moore
Released: Oct. 2, 2009

WATCH THE TRAILER

As usual, Moore has failed to impress me.

I'M NO FAN of Michael Moore. Like, really.

His film "Sicko" drove me up the wall.

While I am all for socialized health care, I did not approve of his depiction of the European health care system. Moore made France seem to have the perfect health care system, which he claimed was entirely free.

Well, not exactly.

What Moore failed to report is that about 90 percent of French citizens have private health insurance as well as the state provided one. Interesting, eh? Why have private insurance if the state one is too good to be true?

Not to mention that Moore has probably never had first-hand experience with socialized health care.

Trust me, if you can avoid it, you should!

In order to cut costs, the medication prescribed in Europe is sometimes half of that in the United States. I have experienced this first hand. When I asked the doctors about having received so little medication upon my first visit, I was answered with: "Why waste medicine? If you need more, you come back."

Admittedly, Michael Moore brings to light important issues. But, everything he says should be taken with a grain of salt.

He does not report all the facts, and he overdramatizes just about everything. This is especially the case with his latest film, "Capitalism: A Love Story."

In Moore's documentary, he questions the recent financial crisis and the recovery stimulus. He claims Wall Street has a "casino mentality," that Goldman Sachs has too much influence over Washington, D.C., and that "runaway greed" is essentially destroying the U.S.

Moore talks about a Second Bill of Rights that Franklin D. Roosevelt tried (and failed) to pass. In a speech addressed to the nation, FDR said that all Americans were entitled to the following:

• The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
• The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
• The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return that will give him and his family a decent living;
• The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination from monopolies at home or abroad;
• The right of every family to a decent home;
• The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
• The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
• The right to a good education.

Moore goes on to reminisce about how sad it is that this bill did not pass. And really, this was the only strong point of the film. This was the only part that was not over the top and limit pushing.

But my respect was totally lost at Moore's humor.

There is a slight religious element in which Moore questions if capitalism is a sin, and if it is, would Jesus have been a capitalist sinner? He jokes about whether Jesus would belong to a hedge fund or "sell short."

While I am an atheist, and took no offense to this, I felt that Moore's failed attempt at humor made him seem like a bigot. He took older films showing Jesus' crucifixion and cure of a blind man, and changed them. He spoke over them and made jokes about money. I was not amused.

I would also like to point out, isn't it interesting that Mr. Moore, who is valued to have an eight-figure income, made a multimillion-dollar box office film about how bad capitalism is?

Oh, Michael, you may hail from a once-thriving industrial city in Michigan. I'm sorry that the recent downturn has ruined your hometown.

But if you really feel so strongly about helping towns like Flint and Peoria, why don't you donate some of your money instead of encouraging us to "rebel" against Wall Street and evil corporations?

I'm highly unimpressed by this movie, and by you, Mr. Moore. I think you're a hypocrite.

"Capitalism: A Love Story" is playing at the Goodrich Savoy 16, 232 W. Burwash, Savoy, the Carmike Beverly 18, 910 Meijer Drive, Champaign, and Boardman's Art Theatre, 126 W. Church Street, Champaign.

"Capitalism: A Love Story" AT A GLANCE

• Starring: Michael Moore
• Directed by: Michael Moore
• Written by: Michael Moore
• Genre: Documentary
• Rated: R
• Runtime: 127 min.
• Release date: October 2, 2009
• Summary (from Apple Movie Trailers): Michael Moore's new documentary explores the root causes of the global economic meltdown and takes a comical look at the corporate and political shenanigans that culminated in what Moore describes as "the biggest robbery in the history of this country" — the massive transfer of U.S. taxpayer money to private financial institutions.