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Movie Review by:
Jim "Good Old JR:" Rutkowski |
Written,
Directed & Starring:
Michael Moore |
Running time:
127 minutes
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Released:
10/02/09 |
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Rated R
for some
language. |
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" ...works skillfully as a battle cry, and while the fatigue shows, the
feature presents a subject matter that needs to addressed and exhaustively
discussed as much as humanly possible."
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For his seventh feature film, Michael Moore assumes
his prominent position of government watchdog, gathering fragments of corruption
and humiliation to mold his latest attack on the powers that be in, “Capitalism:
A Love Story.” Obviously there’s plenty of maddening evidence to work with, and
while the picture comes off as overstuffed and unfinished, it still squeezes out
incredibly forceful points on the diseased state of the union. Whatever it lacks
in a red-target focal point, it’s still Moore doing what he does best: chipping
away the layers of fraud that have calcified America, hoping to inspire others
to storm the streets and question authority.
The topic here is capitalism, that ivory spine of the American Dream, helping to
build a strong and prosperous country. But what if capitalism soured? What if
the very concept turned from something intended to benefit the many into a
private gold mine for the few? Fueled by the fallout that shadowed the financial
collapse of the last year, Moore found his curiosity piqued by the unnerving
nationwide turbulence that greeted the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of
2008 and various other financial indignities. The divide between the rich and
poor was growing wider, leaving Moore to question just what was running the
Washington machine, the politicians or Wall Street.
Before the torches are lit and the anti-Moore matter is poked into a rage, keep
in mind that “Love Story” is a comedy, bred in the same fashion as the rest of
the director’s filmography. It’s the infotainment he’s built a brand name upon,
and the mix of finger-pointing, streetwise shenanigans, and cooing pander makes
for terrific cinema. “Love Story” deviates from previous Moore carnivals with
its timely fashion, hoping to lasso an argument and an explanation for current
financial woes while the griddle still burns, tapping into the rage that’s
seeping into the national conversation. It’s a smart play by Moore, but it
blunts his body blows some, scattering his arguments in so many directions, it’s
hard to keep up. Of course the confusion is appropriate, what with a convoluted
financial system built to exclude the masses (creating a “plutonomy,” much to
the delight of the money men), but it makes for a long 127 minute sit when
previous Moore films have flown by with exquisite fluidity. However, on the plus
side, given that the film is a “comedy”, there's a simmering anger here that
hasn't been present since Moore first burst upon the cinematic world with "Roger
and Me". Moore seems to be invigorated by his current topic.
Opening with the juxtaposition of ancient Rome with modern America, “Love Story”
seeks to explore the rise of capitalism, from its peak in the 1960s to its
current bloodied state today. What was once a semi-golden ride of prosperity and
middle-class unity hit some rocky road in the late 1970s, but the tires blew out
in the ‘80s, and Moore aims his crosshairs at the man responsible: Ronald
Reagan. A president who bonded financial control to Wall Street tycoons, “Love
Story” starts tugging at a thread that snakes through the Clinton administration
and ends up tied to the doorstep of Bush Jr. It’s a blizzard of secretive plans,
corrupt politicians bought off to encourage deregulation, and fear mongering
that set most of America up for failure, but not before unreasonable
profiteering could be carried out. It’s capitalism unleashed, with humanity, or
even the slightest bit of compassion, bled out of a system increasingly loyal
only to a select few, not the necessary many.
Moore has always developed his finest points by reducing hysteria to focus on
the common man. “Love Story” is ripe with heartland emotion, and while the
numerous shots of teary eyed men and women read as a step too manipulative, the
salient points remain. Caught in the web of greed and predatory promises,
families are losing their houses, low-paying jobs, and faith in government. It’s
an epidemic, reducing human beings to piles of cash for the plundering. Moore is
careful to underline the invasive practices, including one pungent subplot that
exposes major corporations taking life insurance policies out on their
employees, making them profitable even in death.
Moore looks to end on a beat of hope, though even he seems tired of the war. As
always, Moore hopes to challenge viewers with his vision of deception, using
broad comedy to sweeten the poison (the director runs around Wall Street asking
for the bailout money back and quizzes employees on the purposely complex
financial system), but he ultimately aims to rile up the masses. “Capitalism: A
Love Story” works skillfully as a battle cry, and while the fatigue shows, the
feature presents a subject matter that needs to addressed and exhaustively
discussed as much as humanly possible. |
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CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY ©
Overture Films, Paramount Vantage
All Rights Reserved
Review © 2009 Alternate Reality, Inc.
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