THEY CALL ME DR MIAMI

Canada, 2020, 78 minutes, Colour.
Michael Salzhauer.
Directed by Jean Simon Chartier..

Florida and plastic surgery enhancement? Okay? Florida, plastic surgery amendment, social media entertainment promotion? Okay. Florida, plastic surgery amendment, social media entertainment promotion and Orthodox Judaism? Say that again!

But, that is what this cheery documentary is about. A word of caution for those who have second thoughts about this kind of plastic surgery: there are quite a number of close-ups of incisions, cutting, like the suction… And, while the thrust of the film is in support of the procedures, the screenplay does include a number of warnings about the dangers of such plastic surgery, a warning about deaths in surgery, some critiques of the desire for this kind of enhancement, Vanity experiences, in a comment about contemporary life as a series of spectacles.

And who is Dr Miami? Actually, the film indicates that a number of rap artists including caption at Dog include references to him in their rap performances. He is Michael’s Salzhauer, from Miami, nearing 50 at the time of filming but full of exuberance, commitment to his profession, and a star of social media.

Dr Miami believes in his profession and is qualified (the film having a number of references to unqualified practitioners of this kind of plastic surgery, then not being registered, responsible for deaths, especially for plastic surgery tourists from over the world). In his own life, he has been married for 24 years at this stage, the film including interviews with his wife who seems a very sensible person, understanding a husband well, able to talk to camera interestingly about him as a person and as a showbiz phenomenon. He has four children – with his oldest daughter disagreeing completely with him about plastic surgery enhancement.

Throughout the film there are interviews with various women, giving their reasons for surgery, generally explaining that they wanted to be their true selves and that the enhancement would make them feel free. There are also some comments about falls beauty standards and decisions about surgery because of conformism. There are also, of course, a great number of close-ups of breasts and bottoms, presurgery and after surgery.

Dr Miami got caught up in social media, instant brand, Snapchat, leading to his creating quite a persona, extroverted, comic, in all kinds of extravagant situations (only in America?). And there are plenty of clips of these throughout the film. And, he is also interviewed sitting on a throne.

And, not forgetting the Judaism which is an essential part of his life. He and his wife were not practising Jews but he had a conversion experience, and Orthodox Judaism has been part of his and his family’s life for a long time. There are quite a number of sequences where he explains his religious faith, many sequences where he is seen practice and practice, discussions with Rabbi, prayer shawl and prayer books, visits to the synagogue. Practice is important for himself and his children – and the older daughter, who disapproves, draws on her experience of her Orthodox face faith to explain her stances.

Only an hour and a quarter, but a lot of information, more about plastic surgery and then most of us needed to know, a whole lot of razzmatazz promotion, and, underlying it all, Dr Miami is faith.