It's been a while since I've sat down and watched a Michael Moore movie. I think the last full film I saw was Fahrenheit 9/11. I never made it all the way through Sicko, and the opportunity never arose to see Capitalism: A Love Story.
But seeing Where to Invade Next made me remember what I loved most about Michael Moore's filmmaking style, his exploration of subjects, and his ability to entertain and make the audience question their own beliefs. Moore is brilliant at luring an audience in.
Like most of his movies, the film starts with more laughs than deep thinking. As an audience, we are taken to Italy first, land of abundant paid vacation time, happy travelers, and bosses that would rather give up profits to keep happy employees than see them sad. The segment is light, bubbly, and entertaining. We view montages of long lunch breaks and dozens of vacation photos from around the world. At no point does Michael dig too deep. Vacation time is something nearly every American can agree is in much need of reform. At the onset, Michael is luring us in, even those who usually doubt him.
As the movie progresses though (and this is his power as a filmmaker), he leads up towards topics that are dark. In Germany, it isn't exactly clear from the start what idea he will “claim” for America. But as the segment progresses, he takes us back to Nazi Germany. Moore highlights that German people do not turn their backs on their mutual history. Nazism and the Holocaust are a scar they examine, discuss, and all recognize. In doing so, they are accepting their sins and promising to move forward as a country having learned what not to do as a people.
This idea of understanding, atoning, and learning from history stands in juxtaposition with American history. Moore believes that we the people have not atoned for our sins, and neither do we discuss them as deeply as we should. We are a people with our own mass genocide in our past, yet genocide is not a word we use to describe the treatment of the Native Americans. Nor do we talk about how American prosperity is built on the backs of slave labor, murder, torture, and prejudice. In a dark segment, Moore makes us face our sins as a nation. If we do not do as Germany does, how can we move forward and be the beacon of freedom we all think we are.
Suddenly, the audience is no longer laughing. Rather, we are now subjected to images of the Holocaust juxtaposed against photos of America’s darker moments. These team up and begin blending with video of white guards harming and mistreating black inmates.
A moment like this makes me remember why I wanted to make documentaries in the first place. Facts and figures are nice, and many documentaries are designed to educate rather than entertain. But Moore's documentaries are often light on facts and figures. Instead, his power comes from juxtaposition and emotionally raw moments caught on camera.
It's a moment in the Norway segment that made me realize this fully. Moore has come to visit a prison. But it is unlike anything we have in the United States. Prisoners are allowed to roam the detention facility, cook their own food (and wield knives), and play video games. Moore plays naive as he talks about what he perceives as a lack of punishment. “Why on earth do you let these inmates carry weapons, ride bikes, and seemingly have a good time.”
The warden and the father of a murdered teenager both agree. Prison is about taking away the inmates' freedom, and not about treating them as less than human.
Moore retorts. Where on earth did they find such an idea.
In so many words, both men declare: “America. You gave us these ideas. ‘No cruel and unusual punishment’. You wrote those words.”
A moment like this gives you pause. If a father of a murdered child thinks a 22-year sentence for that crime is acceptable, you must stop and reflect. Have we lost our way as a society? Do we no longer know what freedom really is?
By no means is this the polished filmmaking of Bowling for Columbine. One example of this are the hammy "plants the flag" moments Michael uses to close out each segment. Often, these moments hang on Michael Moore for too long without music or dialogue as he lamely plants an American flag to signify victory.
Oh well. There's so much more here beyond a few bad edits or bad gags.
Moore has again made me think about the documentary form and the power of juxtaposition and emotional interviews. Yet again, I left feeling I needed to do my best to make the change we all deserve.
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