sicko

the latest film from outspoken writer, director and producer michael moore
i'd seen the shorts, read the reviews, got the jist of it and placed it firmly on the maybe list
my impression was that this time his subject was way too specifically american
being the american health system come industry come debacle come disgrace
seemed kind of irrelevant to me in the land of oz where it's a lot better
but i had not forgotten an interview with michael moore by david stratton in cannes earlier this year
where m m said the film had relevance in australia if only to know what this country should not embrace
and knowing the wishes of our government and their love of all things america i heeded his words
tonight i scanned the list of films on and this came up the best option and on in walking distance also
the opening scenes introduce a few people who have had unfortunate mishaps requiring medical treatment
and the callous way in which the american health system shuts out such people with no medical insurance
but our narrator tells us the film is not about the 50 million or so americans with no insurance
the film apparantly is about the 200 million who do have such insurance
he then sets out to demonstrate how the insurance companies go about denying people what they should be entitled to
he pulls no punches explaining and demonstrating how they squirm their way out of coughing up
they have whole departments and investigators employed to do just that
and bonus schemes in place to encourage it
there's a bit of recent history that ties the current situation to one conversation in the oval office involving richard nixon
it's all kind of depressing stuff but then we're off travelling across the border into canada
with a young lady with cervical cancer who has been told by the system she's too young to have cervical cancer (yup)
seems they have a universal health system in place there that is free for everyone
m m has his acting skills on display also when he feigns surprise at learning this
and a bit of comedy starts creeping in when he talks to an elder gentleman who has had a major operation for free
seems tommy douglas the father of their system is more popular than fellow canadians wayne kretsky and celine dion
then we're off to england where m m almost genuinely seems overwhelmed by the national health system in place there
for me it was a relief to be out of america and he used his time in england to great effect
introduced people from all walks of life looking very happy and proud of their nhs
including very effectively a doctor on a modest government income very satisfied with his lifestyle
then we're across the channel and into france and the same deal there - free health care for their citizens
and more than that - education, child-care, and a government funded home laundry service
we see m m squeezing into a small nissan with a doctor making house calls
and in attendance at a dinner party with some ex-pat americans
talking about and almost embarrassed by the level and quality of free services in their new country
by now i'm very much enjoying the film as he has cleverly used the goodness of people to get his point across
then we're back in america and the tone of the film drops again with some more depresssing facts and figures
and the big climax of the film is introduced with some 9-11 workers from ground zero with various respiratory and mental health problems
lots of lip service is provided to these heroes but not much else particularly health care
he charters some boats and we head off to guantanomo bay to get the free treatment the same prsioners there receive
it's a very typical michael moore setup and one i was expecting and not that fussed about
but then that passes fairly quickly and instead we are on the streets in havana
and again finding out how the government in cuba provides free health services for the people
there are some genuinely touching moments here as our heroes are treated
and then honoured by their fellow rescue workers in a city fire station
this film is nearly 2 hours long but it didn't seem like it
i was actually very much taken in by it
if nothing else it shows the common goodness of the common people
but there is a lot more (boom boom)
it really is a nicely balanced film that educates and entertains
subversive film-making from the main man
glad i got to see it