Where To Invade Next (Michael Moore) [Archive]

Henry Gale

09-02-2016, 10:07 PM

I think this really would've worked wonders both culturally and formally if its same content was designed as a 6-episode cable docu-series, since as entertaining as it very often it, it's also kind of exhaustive as a 2-hour movie. But I only say that thinking what it does contain is mostly very good stuff, just maybe not packaged the perfect way.

It's the first of Moore's work I've seen since Sicko so I can't speak to whether or not it's any more of a return to a level of quality for the stylistic form he so fully defined in the medium before or after that, but I will say with my general indifference to seeing his stuff in the last decade it was nice to see him once again make such a thoughtful, refreshing piece, if characteristically containing the sort of simplistic, semi-corny, wide-eyed, sentimental idealism he often uses to get his points across the most immediately on display here as much as ever.

Once again though, even as a Canadian, I find the way it deconstructs and starkly contrasts clear issues that the US government has in the way they've shaped conversations regarding basic human rights as political-aligning issues at all (with examples of severe humane consequence as a result) pretty gutting to watch, and has been so with documentaries focused on these sort of things -- Moore's and otherwise -- ever since I was a kid. As much as I realize Moore often eschews nuance or details less clearly conducive to his arguments, you can't really deny he's always coming from a good place in terms of him simply feeling helpless and wanting to fight for those without the voice he only has with films like these to express what's necessary.

And even if you can see where it's all heading as a big shiny thesis statement well before Moore says it directly through his narration that all of these "radical" implementations that have allowed foreign countries to thrive have all stemmed from or been inspired by things that began as American ones or their idea of chasing how they view The American Dream overseas it's very effective. Still not convinced that theatrical documentaries are still the most effective venue for Moore (as much as he's likely one of more reliable people keeping them financially sustainable there), but hey, watch this in segments on Netflix and you'll likely not realize its greatest weakness is its pace and structure.