Michael Moore Hates America

Michael Wilson has a thesis and pretends he doesn't. The thesis is in the title. He sets out to prove it, locating people happy to get attention slamming Moore like Maysles and puts out the film just in time to cash in on the release of Sicko. Wilson figures his own deceptive practices can be excused by admitting them, but when you're out to slam someone else for doing the same thing, one should practice what one preaches. Moore should have granted the interview; the film would then have lasted about 10 minutes. There's nothing unique here that hasn't been done to death on numerous "Moore-watching" boards or the earlier film "Fahrenhype 911". This is about someone making a name for himself off Moore's career.

It's helpful that the film again reminds Moore to be more careful about errors and improve. But the film is not a work of note, just a work feeding off the creativity of others, namely that of Fahrenhype 911 and Moore. Wilson puts the spotlight on himself by showing us his family photos at the beginning and portraying himself as intrepid reporter on the beat throughout while complaining that Moore is making films about himself.

I know... you look at the title and cringe. Either you love the title because you hate the guy, or you hate the movie already because you respect MM.

But I had been following this kid (not really a kid - probably late 20s) for a while. He followed his dream - he wanted to make movies. He lost his job, spent all of his money - just to make the film.

So I did something I never do - I bought the movie without seeing it. Ebert and Roeper gave it two thumbs up, so I knew it wouldn't be a total waste. I was pleasantly surprised.

It wasn't an all out attack on Moore. It did criticize his methods (the more shady ones) and acknowledged his talent. The movie was more of a feel good story... he talks to real people and funny things happen. The director (Mike Wilson) is completely open and honest about himself and his shortcomings. It wasn't laugh out loud humor (although Penn Gillette, who's in quite a bit of it IS laugh out loud funny at parts).

The best part of this movie is that you are smiling at the end of it. It actually felt good to help this guy achieve his dream of making a movie and pocketing some coin. You just know he is a decent guy - at one point he sends an apology email to an interviewee because he feels badly about deceiving him.

This movie is worth your investment if you like a good story and want honest-to-goodness independent entertainment. I am a movie snob and I really recommend it to anyone who has a few bucks to spend after Christmas.

I have to say that I am not a fan of Michael Moore. He makes very entertaining films, he has a good sense of humor, but it is an insult to call him a true documentary filmmaker. His films are really propaganda pieces to promote him as a working class hero. He makes himself the story. This film is by Michael Wilson, a guy who wanted to give Moore a taste of his own medicine. This documentary follows Wilson's attempts to interview Moore, a la Moore's own film Roger and Me. He is avoided by Moore at every turn, at one point he attends a speech by Moore, and in an open question session tells Moore the title of his film, and Moore shouts him down. It is a tactic that Moore uses, but when Wilson puts him on the spot he lashes out. It is ironic that a man who has become a multi millionaire by confronting people hates when it is done to him. It was great to see Wilson interview Moore supporters after the incident, and disagree with the way Moore had treated him. They were Moore supporters but had no problem with someone that disagreed with them.

To be fair, Wilson borrows a lot from Moore's style, the film is very much like Moore's own work. The difference is the tone, it is obvious that Wilson is not a Moore fan, he views America with a more positive perspective, for some people that would mean that Wilson is some right wing nut. He makes no real political proclamations, his point is that we should be able to debate without being so shrill. Both sides have bomb throwers, Moore is really just that, a bomb thrower that wants to wallow in how bad it is in America without offering any solutions. The right has Ann Coulter, she is just as bad as Moore. This film is not scandalous or inflammatory in any way, it does point out that Moore has every right to say what he has to say, but it exposes how he slickly puts his films together to get his messages across. He seems to be a very savvy and cynical filmmaker. Michal Wilson chooses to view his country in a hopeful light, Moore sees it in a bad way. Does "Michael Moore Hate America"?, as the titles says, I don't know, but this film makes a pretty good argument. But what this film does is that it champions his right to think and say what he wants, and that is the way it should be.

Grade: B

I've seen three or four Michael Moore films. While I often hear people deride Moore, I can't deny his importance as a documentarian--he literally changed the face of documentary film-making, for good or ill. For example, "Super Size Me" or "Bigger, Stronger, Faster" would not have existed without Moore first. Having said that, there is much to criticize about Moore. I think only the most hardened partisan wouldn't realize that he plays fast and loose with the truth. This film exposes some of the problems with Moore's films. Should that disqualify Moore? No. But it should serve as a warning to all people that when they view a documentary they should be on their guard. All documentaries, no matter how objective they appear on the surface, have been manipulated. I will agree that there are levels of truthfulness, but no one can ever achieve complete objectivity, and you're naive if you think a documentary can be a window on the world. At least Moore doesn't hide that he has a perspective. (And I must tell you that I'm a conservative, so I don't generally care for his perspective.) As a final note, I think the title of this film is horrible: it's almost false advertising because Wilson's documentary is much milder. The title prepares you for a conservative hatchet job. I would have advised Wilson to come up with something different. ("Bowling for Michael"? I don't know.)

Michael Wilson's film is an attempt to demonstrate that Moore "hates America" because Moore allegedly unfairly criticizes America and does not acknowledge the ways in which individuals in America can achieve "the American dream" through ability, hard work, and ambition.

Wilson attempts to interview Moore in the same manner that Moore attempted to interview GM's Roger Smith in "Roger and Me," and achieves the same result: no interview takes place.

Wilson shows how Moore edits his films to strengthen the perspective Moore is presenting and in doing so sometimes takes liberties with literal facts. However, none of the editing Moore does undermines the accuracy of his principal points. Any documentary has a point of view and tries to present it as convincingly as possible.

Wilson's film could have used significantly better editing. It is not organized well and jumps around incoherently. It is far too long and could have been made as a decent 1-hour television program. As a 2-hour movie, it is boring.