To say Michael Moore isn’t the most popular public figure in the media is probably an understatement. That beings said, the man apparently has knack for documentary filmmaking and knows exactly how to further his political agenda and spread his beliefs utilizing film. I’m very familiar with his persona and heavy handed liberal views but, until I screened his new documentary Where to Invade Next, I actually hadn’t seen any of his films to truly understand the type of filmmaker he actually is.
A comedic and provocative documentary, Where to Invade Next follows Michael Moore around Europe as he hunts down existing solutions to America’s biggest problems in an attempt to conquer and steal them. He visits a handful of European nations including Germany, Portugal , Slovenia and Italy, meeting with local residents, teachers, politicians and business executives to learn and observe their best practices and see how they’ve impacted their societies. Topics covered include the importance of vacation, the separation of work and home life, drug laws, education reform including a focus on healthy lunches, issues with standardized tests, and the problem with student loans.
I don’t like to talk politics and I don’t think it is right to discuss my political views in a review, but this type of film requires it. I consider myself a moderate, I have views that are both liberal and conservative which makes it difficult for me to choose a party in a country that’s dominated by a two party system. It should also be noted that I’m particularly fond of many of the practices that European countries have in place, particularly the separation of work time and personal time.. That being said, I want to see our country become better, not through discriminatory practices and isolation, but by making the necessary adjustments to improve life at home which, in turn, will help our image abroad. I mention this because while Mr. Moore’s film is in your face about what changes we should implement, he has a fair point. This movie is about humanity and is essentially an instructional video on the various ways in which America can both return to its roots and use other nations’ best practices as a way to improve the society as a whole. Yes, most people would see many of the best practices here as liberal, but I’d rather think of it as progressive and a requirement if we want the nation to grow together rather than as fragmented pieces.
The issues Moore’s film focuses on are excellent choices because they’re the ones that matter the most, within our borders, to the average American and families living in this country. What makes the impact of each chapter so strong is that Moore interviews people all over the spectrum, factory workers, teachers, business executives and high-profile politicians including the President of Slovenia. Hearing regular folk and high-profile people speak about the importance of the practices they have in place help offer up a relatable perspective for everyone here and hopefully will inspire some change.
There were two aspects of the film I didn’t like. Firstly, I felt like Moore spent too much time on certain topics, failing to edit certain interviews down or adding additional scenes that didn’t add much to the chapter. Secondly, Moore himself came off pretty cheesy and rather annoying whenever he was speaking. It’s one thing to be comedic and provocative, it’s another to show insincere amazement. He clearly knows what each country is doing that the US is not but in his interviews he acts like he’s surprised and in disbelief of certain practices. The only time it feels like he’s genuinely expressing real surprise is when the subjects of his interviews show their astonishment and comment on what America is doing differently. The most notable example is in the beginning when an Italian couple expresses an interest in moving to the US and then learn from Moore that their nearly two months of vacation time would be cut down to roughly two to three weeks if they did move. It was hilarious to see their dreams dissipate in an instant, but also a little sad.
Overall, no matter your political stance on issues in this country, Where to Invade Next is an important film to see. Very funny but with an undertone of complete seriousness, Michael Moore’s film offers up fantastic solutions that could translate well to the US with a little bit of work and an open mind. In fact, many of the solutions were inspired by past US practices which would lead me to believe that any rational individual with an inclination to better our society could see why our country could benefit from the many solutions offered up in the film. If you have a chance to see this film, take it, digest it, and hopefully it’ll inspire the necessary changes we need to make within the US that can only result in positivity for the nation.
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