“Sicko” (Lionsgate/The Weinstein Company)
A Fair and Balanced Michael Moore
Michael Moore has made quite a name for himself with his documentaries. From “Roger & Me” to “Fahrenheit 9/11” Mr. Moore has piqued the public’s interest in his causes. In some of these movies he has not always been thought to be fair and balanced. Some might have even called him slanted towards the liberal side. Still in his new movie “Sicko” Moore seems to have the public interest at heart and is not aiming his barbs at any specific political group.
“Sicko” takes a piercing look at the state of health care in America today. He examines the problems of those with health insurance and those without it. He takes aim at HMO’s and provides information about the way in which they do business. His main concern is that these organizations are out to make money, rather than to provide the best health care possible.
Moore also heads north to examine the health care provided in Canada. He determines it is amazing. It seems the Canadians get every treatment, every medication, every health need for virtually nothing. Then he heads across the ocean to England to study their health care system. Again it is almost perfect and virtually free. Next comes France. Same story or even possibly better.
The last place he visits is Cuba and he takes some of his sick friends with him. They find a hospital and are treated to medical care and free medicine. The point is that even Cuba has better health care than we do in America.
This is where the doubt creeps in. If everything is so great in Canada, England, France and Cuba why don’t more Americans flock there Surely the health care system in those countries has some kind of flaws. Could it be they pay astronomical taxes to support this “free insurance” Or maybe the care is substandard to that offered in the United States.
Still it has to be acknowledged that Moore raises some good questions and offers some good arguments in favor of Universal Health Care. He gives enough information to start a solid dialogue among people of all parties, ages and genders. That is the benefit of his movie and the reason it should be seen.
In “Sicko” Michael Moore comes across as a caring person. His heart is in the right place and so is his foot. It is not in his mouth as it has been in the past. “Sicko” is his most fair and balanced movie yet and one that should be of interest to every person in this country. Health care coverage is a problem to all of us. Maybe some solutions can be found in this film.
I scored “Sicko” a well 6 out of 10.
