SICKO

US, 2007, 122 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Michael Moore.

Michael Moore may not be a White House favourite, but he certainly is at Cannes.

To criticise him as partisan is not really relevant. Being partisan is the point. Moore has the talent to be both serious and funny in his polemic. He offers anecdotal evidence in moving stories, interviews and telling television footage of targeted politicians and business leaders.

He is on surer ground in Sicko. Any visitor to the US knows that they must not get sick there without insurance as ill-health and hospital cost the earth. Moore wants to show that the US health insurance system can be detrimental to sick Americans with its policy of scrutinising contracts to avoid payouts – sometimes with dire results.

Moore visits Canada, the UK and France (very flattering to France!) to examine how the national health schemes work well (despite local complaints). He also takes a group of ‘victims’ of the US policy to Cuba because of propaganda about the good health conditions of Guantanomo Bay prisoners. They are well received and helped by the friendly Cubans.

He may be annoying or intrusive, but American needs Michael Moore and his films.

1.Michael Moore and his achievement, in film, television? His partisan approach? A crusader? The challenge to him about the truth, his challenge for people to find errors in his films?

2.Moore’s ability to keep audience interest, local stories, a narrative, his own voice, presence, humour? Sardonic, the critique of the powers-that-be?

3.The issues of the film, clear for all, especially for non-Americans going to America and frightened by hospital bills? The political background of the medical system, Richard Nixon, the tapes, the lobbies? The bribes, the jobs with companies afterwards? Hillary Clinton and her attempt at reform, everybody opposed to her? The pressures? The system devised – for profits, capitalism, the insurance agencies and their aim to make money and to refuse people, the procedures?

4.Most fifty million Americans not insured, the initial stories of those not insured and the difficulties, the severing of fingers and the choice of which finger to repair? The elderly couple with heart attacks and cancer having to move in with their children?

5.The Americans who are insured, the various firms, naming and shaming them? The clauses, the decisions to stop the money being given to those in need? The evidence of those who worked for the companies, the open confessions? Feeling bad? The government presentation and the signing of the bill by President Bush, the congratulations all round?

6.Moore’s visit to Canada, his cousins, their getting insurance even for one day, his discussions, discoveries about the Canadian system – and the collage of American media representations of socialism in Canada? The visit to the United Kingdom, Hammersmith Hospital, the facilities, the National Health, the cashier giving out money for fares, the doctors and their wages, comfortable living? The visit to France, American animosity towards France, the health system, the French complaining, the services available? The expatriates in each country commenting favourably?

7.The conclusions to be drawn about American health – the further stories, the hospitals, the pathos of the stories of deaths needlessly caused – by refusal of help to the man with the bone marrow and the companies calling it experimental? The little child who died?

8.The visit to Cuba, the US media representing the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay as having the best medical care? Moore and his decision to take everybody to Cuba, to share in this? Sailing to Cuba?

9.The background of the prisoners in Guantanamo and their treatment and the contrast with the non-registered volunteers for 9/11 and the subsequent illnesses and the lack of support?

10.Havana, the hospitals, the people being taken in, diagnosis, medication? The treatment, the bonding of the firemen? The film’s comment on the forty-five years’ criticism of Castro?

11.The conclusions of the film – especially about America, justice, health for all, capitalism – and Americans going into other countries – but not learning from them?