*** 1/2 out of five stars
Currently in wide release
Showing at AMC, Goodrich and Celebration! Cinema theaters
by Walter G. Tarrow
Last month, the month of August, I, being of open mind, and emboldened to brave the rhetoric of the archconservative documentarian Dinesh D’Souza, saw, and reviewed, his film Death of a Nation. I felt it was my obligation, my responsibility, as a fair minded American, to do so.
A month later, from the other end of the political spectrum, arrives Fahrenheit 11/9, Michael Moore’s (Roger & Me, Bowling for Columbine) look at the rise of Donald Trump to the presidency, the Flint water crisis, teachers striking in West Virginia, school shootings, and our nation’s response from our elected leaders and ordinary citizens to the chaotic and divisive times in which we live.
As a filmmaker, Moore is far more talented than D’Souza, and has produced award winning and box office successes for several decades. He has a talent for lightening up the proceedings with tongue-in-cheek, occasionally outrageous, humor. His opening sequence, as was D’Souza’s (his totally humorless), of news personalities laughing at the ridiculousness of a Trump win, then shocked when he does win, is accompanied humorously by the foreboding dread-filled main theme from The Omen. Moore makes clever use of musical choices throughout the film.
His humor also includes stunts like spraying the landscaping outside Governor Rick Snyder’s mansion from a tanker labeled “FLINT WATER.” Or, after an onscreen conversation with the Genesee County Sheriff, who calls Snyder a criminal, with handcuffs in hand, Moore visits the State Capital to make a citizen’s arrest.
His segments covering the Flint water crisis, and its continuing aftermath, are the best in the film. I would like to see a longer, more in-depth, detailed, standalone piece on that tragic story of a dying major Michigan city. I was unaware that President Obama approved the Pentagon’s war games in Flint where, unbeknownst to its predominantly black citizenry, abandoned buildings were attacked, bombed and destroyed. Many thought they were in the midst of a massive terrorist attack!
In Fahrenheit 11/9, Moore jumps from one topic to another, almost jarringly, painting a picture of a nation in turmoil, a nation angry and distraught at the injustices visited upon all people, all across the political landscape. Our democracy, our political parties, our institutions, all are broken and the political establishment, even his party, the Democrats, the liberal establishment, has failed its constituents.
Across numerous polls, the majority of Americans are in favor of gun control, believe immigration is good for our nation, want universal health care, support unions, are pro-choice, oppose building a border wall, disapprove of the current tax plan, favor legalizing marijuana, and, in general, disapprove of President Trump.
What? You don’t believe me?? Then, check out the comprehensive survey lists on www.pollingreport.com.
So, why, asks Michael Moore, are our representatives not following the will of the people? If we are a democracy, then why is the voice of the people not heard?
He is critical of Bill Clinton AND Barack Obama, and the Democratic Party establishment, and because of that, Moore pleads with all of us to advocate strongly for ourselves, not to slavishly follow political and party propaganda, but to demand what the demonstrated majority of us want as demonstrated by survey after survey. No more allowing the interests of the rich, the corporations, the established self-serving politicians and political machines to act against our best interests.
The largest political party, 100 million strong, is our nation’s non-voters. Many feel disenfranchised, have given up, and see no solutions, see no one to lead us out of this morass, the so-called swamp. Moore believes we, the voters, should turn our lonely eyes, not to the established political party candidates, but to grassroots candidates like Rashida Tlaib and a street-level union activist from West Virginia.
After viewing this film, I’m not sure if I should feel hopeful or hopeless, but I call on every citizen of this great nation, everyone who loves what America stands for, including the Republicans, the Conservatives, the Trump supporters, the Army Bobs, and the Ranger Ricks, to go see this movie. If I was responsible enough to see D’Souza’s film, shouldn’t you be responsible enough, true to yourself and your beliefs, to return the favor?
In the film A Few Good Men, Jack Nicholson’s Col. Jessup forcefully delivers the famous line, “You can’t handle the truth!”
Can you?
Walt, this column belongs in and outside of the film review. The message of the film, and your review of it, are of great consequence to the mid-term elections. The facts you raise from polling about the true will of the people should make some sit up and take notice, and perhaps influence who they choose to send to Washington as their representatives.
Anti-Trump feelings, I believe, are secondary to the will of the people. Trump supporters tend to blame Trump Derangement Syndrome for those of us who are dismayed by current administration policies. Take Trump out of the equation, and this administration is one of, if not the most, damaging to our country on all fronts, from education to the environment to foreign relations. Michael Moore holds up a mirror of America that our representatives won’t look into for the truth. They prefer the view from their bank balance sheets.
Mr. Tarrow,
Walter,
Sir, your words “If I was responsible enough to see D’Souza’s film, shouldn’t you be responsible enough, true to yourself and your beliefs, to return the favor?” Thank you for defining what we must do to be “responsible “and true to our beliefs however I feel Ranger Rick and I are responsible Americans, both being a former Field Grade Military Officer and Senior Noncommissioned Officer we may have picked up that responsible thing without going to a movie. We just may have picked it up in the real world in over our 28 years of combined service. We may have learned “responsibility” in six years of being deployed overseas.
The Town Broadcast needs more progressives, good for you. Did you mention to Mr. Bursa, Mrs. Mandeville and our Editor by name that they needed to see D’Souza’s film? I must have missed that column?
Thank you for taking an interest in our development and I for one am sorry you feel I am not ”responsible”. Twenty years in the Army and 27 years of service to the communities I lived in after retirement on boards, commissions and authorities have taught me nothing about responsibility, but a progressive two-hour movie will, go figure. A few truths: movies are not reality, Michel Moore is a partisan self-proclaimed Socialist, he is an entertainer, not a deity. Oh, Michel Moore is an uber rich capitalist who has been accused of abusing women.
I know you hate the President, but this is a bit over the top even for a Town Broadcast liberal.
Thanks again.