Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.

I’m working on my own review of this one, having finally had a chance to see it. I think it’s going to cause some pretty strong reactions, and I think it’s very much of a piece with Moore’s work. I think it’s closer to his earlier work like TV NATION than it is to his last few films, and I’ll leave it to you to decide if that’s a good or a bad thing.

For now, here’s BoboVision with his take on it. He’s been a steady contributor recently, and this is another solid review from him:

Hey Moriarty,

Bobo_Vision here. Well, this weekend Michael Moore's documentary about the American health care system, "Sicko", premiered a week early at the Lincoln Theater in Manhattan, and your man Bobo_Vision was there to check it out. (Seriously, when are you guys gonna start payin' me?) I've been interested in seeing this for a while because I'm going into the health-care profession, and being a Canadian, born and raised, I've seen the vast differences between the Canadian and American health care system first-hand after living in New York for the past two years.

As a Canadian, I tend to stand to the left of the political spectrum in my beliefs, but even I have cringed at times during some of Michael Moore's heavy-handed techniques in some previous films to get his views across. He doesn't hold back in this film and his use of humour and emotion to make statements is employed once again, but its much more even-handed, and he's even critical of Hillary Clinton's lack of follow through towards her pursuit of universal health care coverage. This is not a film about politics; its a film about people. Its a return of the Michael Moore of old who champions the little guy against powerful self-interested corporations and goverment, only in this case the little guy is most of America. This is something we have yet to see in America on a grand scale such as this, and this is what Michael Moore does best.

We are introduced to many Americans who suddenly, without notice, are burdened with an illness. Then we see how insurance companies kick these people while they're down by using a variety of tactics to avoid paying their medical costs, and even jack up their insurance, or cancel it altogether. The victims are people from all walks of life who never thought it could happen to them. We are even taken through the history of how HMOs began, with excerpts played from the Nixon Whitehouse tapes where then President Nixon is informed that the main purpose of these new organizations is to provide less care to the sick, and more profit for these organizations. This is met with his approval, and follows with his public national endorsement of those organizations as quality providers of health care.

Michael Moore travels to Canada, the UK, and France to do a comparative study of how socialized health care is possible in these countries, and what the drawbacks are. Socialism has long been a dirty word in America, and scare tactics have been used to convince Americans that socialized medicine would be a slippery slope and the downfall of democracy. Yet, its all unfounded. Many socialized services are provided by the government such as free service from the police, firemen, libraries, etc., but why not free health care? As these questions are explored in Europe, the answeres are not drawn out or forced, because it simply makes sense. Is anyone going to argue that they would rather pay out of their pocket than have the government pay health care?

The answer I always hear in response to those questions is that taxes are really high in those countries. Taxes are higher, but you know what, they live pretty well in those countries, Canada included. This is something that some people who have never travelled outside of the U.S. don't understand, and Moore does a good job of illustrating this with his travels. Most people are not living in squalor in Canada, France, and the UK. Its a health care system based on humanity, instead of trying to shaft people for as much money as you can, even when they're sick. And they are still able to afford all the luxuries they want in life, and to live quite happily. It seems that those who fear higher taxes seem to think that socialized medicine will prevent them from achieving their dream of a big pimpin' lifestyle with a mansion and numerous sports cars, when the reality is that these people are usually slaves to jobs they don't like and are often afraid of leaving them for fear of losing their health benefits.

Another concern is that in socialized health care systems there are enormous waits and line-ups to see doctors. This isn't the case either. Anyone who thinks they can see a doctor quickly in an American emergency room probably has never been to the E.R. Since many Americans don't have coverage, they often treat the E.R. like their primary care doctor since the E.R. has to see them. Its true there are less MRI and CT machines in those other countries, but they rely more on their clinical skills. The reason so many MRIs and CTs are ordered in America is because there is so much litigation in the U.S. that doctors often feel they need to cover their ass by ordering them. Some people are quick to believe the lies they are fed by politicians and corporations, even from the very same ones that are trying to fuck them.

Part of the movie's conclusion plays in the trailer, where Moore takes a group of sick 9/11 workers to Guantanamo Bay to get socialized health care like the prisoners get. I worried about how this would play out, because no doubt about it, this is one of Moore's grandiose theatrical devices to get his point across. But when turned away from the prison, they go to Cuba and are treated humanely and given treatment in what turns out to be one of the more heartwarming parts of the movie. People whose livelihoods had crumbled because they were overwhelmed by medical bills and tossed aside like garbage by their own country are given treatment in Cuba, a country the US government considers an enemy. They even met with Cuban firefighters who greeted them warmly and were eager to give their regards and tell them that they wanted to help with the clean-up after 9/11 but were denied by the US government.

This movie drives home so many points which should be clear as day to everyone, yet are clouded by self-interested groups in America. This film is not necessarily critical of America, and is not trying to claim that these other countries are better countries, or anything of the sort which would make anyone question their own patriotism. It simply makes people question why they would be content with a health care system which does not value them or their fellow citizens as much as it values the almighty dollar. People cheered and applauded during moments in this movie, it was poignant and moving at times, and funny at others. I cannot recommend this movie enough. Every American MUST see this movie!

This will be my last review for a while because as of this weekend I'm going to be travelling in Europe for the summer. So unless I stumble across an early film release while I'm there (which is possible) I'll see you again in a couple months. Peace, and have a great summer.

Bobo_Vision