Rating of
4/4
Where Moore Started
Franz Patrick - wrote on 10/28/08
Watching this documentary is like reading an extremely well-written essay. It starts off with a general but brief history of Flint, Michigan but it quickly got to the point: the effects of the layoffs of more than 30,000 people due to Roger Smith’s (and those of power) decision to shut down a General Motors (GM) factory there. One of the reasons why I love Michael Moore’s films is that they are able to give audiences various emotions despite Moore’s questionable techniques. This one is definitey one of the angriest and saddest documentaries I’ve seen but it also has its moments of genuine (if not bittersweet) laughs. Moore is able to present a problem in a clear-cut way, provide several reasons on why a particular issue is a problem, and what the citizens of Flint have done to resolve it (inviting celebrities, building hotels, shopping centers…). The director does this in several fifteen- to twenty-minute segments and it’s efficient because he’s able to cover a lot of ground. I liked the way Moore established the downward spiral of laying off people and the increasing of crime rates, all the while juggling the scenes between the sheriff and the citizens of Flint being evicted from their homes. I also found Moore’s use of contrast impressive: one minute the audience is looking at luxury/brightness, the next minute they’re looking at poverty/bleakness. It’s a basic technique but it’s very effective, especially if one wants to get the point across. It’s gotten so bad in Flint to the point where people are willing to breed rabbits, sell them as pets or as food. (There’s one horrifying scene when Moore actually continues to record a woman killing, beheading, skinning, and gutting a rabbit! As shocked as I was, I couldn’t find myself to look away.) Ultimately, this is a very revealing documentary that critiques corporations, not just GM. But at the same time I think Moore wants to teach us to question his own techniques and arguments in order to become better analytical thinkers.
