Michael Moore Stirs the Pot

Posted on June 25, 2004

Well, after all the press and hype about Michael Moore's Palme D'Or-winning documentary, Fahrenheit 911, I had to see for myself what all the fuss was about, so I took in a showing this afternoon. Ok, the real reason I felt compelled to see it instead of The Stepford Wives or even The Chronicles of Riddick, was that so many people were telling me that I can't see it.

I think that conservatives are making a big mistake, tactically speaking. Their approach to this film has been a scorched earth approach: letter-writing campaigns to the theaters telling them not to carry the movie, saying that Mr. Moore is anti-American, denunciations of the film to any reporter who will listen etc. But as Michael Moore told John Stewart on The Daily Show last night, all this hyperbole is simply great publicity for the film. A much better approach would be that taken by one Republican Senator I saw on CNN this morning. He said that it was a film that everyone should see. He said that the hype was overdone and that it really wasn't that damaging to the current administration at all. This is much better spin, in my opinion: to agree that the film has some valid points, but point out things favorable to the current administration. The Democrats are winning the spin on this one, no question.

So, I saw it and was impressed. Moore has stated that this is not a balanced film, and it's not. He has used real footage of the war and of political figures, and edited it in such a way to present his point of view. It is somewhat uneven as a film and could have used some shortening, but there is no question that it is an effective piece of film: e.g., it clearly and effectively communicates Mr. Moore's opinions about the reasons for the war in Iraq and the ability of President Bush to lead the country. I was surprised at how funny it was. And how sad it was. And how disturbing it was, for a number of reasons.

But what I found most interesting about the film was that what you see in the film will surely be seen through a lens of your preconceived political beliefs. The theater I saw the film in had a mixed crowd: Whites, Latinos, Blacks and Asians were all represented. There was a mix of ages, too. I even saw one snowy-haired grandfather taking his 15-year old grandson with him. They were both loaded down with treats and looked to be having a grand time. (I just hope they weren't trying to see Harry Potter and landed in Fahrenheit 911 by mistake.) I did see one group of 30-somethings who walked out about halfway through. But everyone else stayed and applauded wildly at the end.

I think the most important thing about this film is something that no one has really mentioned yet: this is the moment in history when documentaries become major political tools. Mark my words, conservative filmmakers are wasting no time. According to Matt Drudge, there is a film festival being planned for the fall in Dallas, Texas which will showcase films that are the polar opposite of Fahrenheit 911. Believe me, this is the beginning of a wonderful time for documentary makers.

With the plethora of political books on the bookshelves, you can read works by Anne Coulter or Al Franken, Bill O'Reilly or Bill Clinton, Sean Hannity or Richard Clarke. There's something for everyone. I know the nation is polarized now. But at least with all the books and films being made which discuss important political issues, people are becoming more involved in the world around them and joining in the discussion. And that seems like a good thing to me.