The Doctor is...Out

Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore is a lot of things. Bombastic. Over the top. Sarcastic. But there's no doubt in my mind that he's also brave. He has to be- and maybe a little crazy- to take on the themes featured in his films. Massive layoffs in the auto industry in Roger and Me. Violence in America in Bowling for Columbine. The buildup to the Iraq invasion in Fahrenheit 9/11. Lighthearted themes these are not, though if you've seen a Moore film you know his approach often is. The latest offering from the Flint, Michigan native fits comfortably within the Moore cannon. Some critics have pointed out that this film is more subtle than previous offerings. Indeed, we don't actually see the scruffy Moore until halfway through Sicko . When he does make an appearance his demeanor is more sincere inquirer and less the trickster who pranked Charlton Heston so wonderfully in Bowling for Columbine. But while there may be more subtlety in the delivery, the theme- universal health care and insurance providers- could hardly be more explosive. With health care looming large in the minds of many Americans in the run-up to primary elections in 2008, Moore's timing is impeccable. I knew all this going into the theater. I was prepared for the humor, the sarcasm, the tug-at-the-heart narratives of regular American folks. I knew there was an agenda and was ready to watch with my bias-filter on full power. But halfway through the film none of that mattered. I was sucked in. Here's the thing: Michael Moore cares. Either that or he's a better actor than anything Hollywood has to offer. And it's not that often when I'm watching someone on the screen who really cares.

Moore gives us plenty of reasons to care. Over 54 million Americans are without health care coverage for at least part of the year. 18,000 Americans will die this year because they lacked access to health care. The US is currently ranked 37th in the world in health systems. And on it goes. And in case you're curious about where Moore gets his statistics he conveniently links to the government studies and agencies that publish the data. Handy.

The real genius of Sicko is the stories of very real Americans without health insurance that we follow throughout the film. These are folks that we can all relate to. Even more compelling are the stories of 9/11 volunteers who are suffering from the affects of the rescue operation but who have received little or no care since they were not on the government payroll. Rather than coming across as a Socialist for suggesting that every U.S. citizen deserves access to health care, the stories of the 9/11 volunteer make Moore seem like the ultimate patriot.

Not all will agree with my positive response to the film. For some, Moore will always be too liberal, too agenda-driven, too... But perhaps that is because we've grown accustomed to filmmakers who are detached from their subjects, or who at least appear to be. Perhaps we expect our storytellers to be mere observers who idealize objectivity in their art. Certainly by these standards a Moore film will always disappoint, or infuriate. My response to Sicko was neither of these. I left the theater thinking hard about health care in our country. I left feeling upset by the stories of my American neighbors who live without adequate access to medicine and health facilities. And I left chuckling at Moore's consistent humor despite the subject matter.

Here's hoping for the day when the doctor will be in for everyone. Perhaps Sicko brings us one step closer.