message in the movies By Rev. Bruce Batchelor Glader

                        
Fahrenheit 9/11    Rated R
Directed by Michael Moore. Documentary

Photo © Lions Gate Films
I went to see Fahrenheit 9/11 on Independence Day, and it is truly a testimony to freedom of speech that a full-length documentary urging the ouster of the incumbent President of the United States is enjoying a widespread release at this time.  Michael Moore is an outspoken champion of the average American and feels that George W. Bush has betrayed America’s trust and engaged this country in an unnecessary war.  To be sure, the world changed forever on September 11, 2001 (the destruction of the Twin Towers are not shown in this film, but we hear the sounds of explosions accompanied by a dark screen).  Moore suggests that President Bush has exploited the fear and unease of the nation to advance a number of personal agendas.  As a nonstop polemic Fahrenheit 9/11 is a mixed bag, making some decent (and not particularly original) criticisms, taking some arguably cheap shots (implying that Bush didn’t look appropriately concerned when first told about the 9/11 attacks), and hitting about .500 with personal testimonies (from former Bush allies and longtime Bush opponents).  Fans of Dubya will be irritated and critics encouraged by this film, as a nation prepares itself for one of the most partisan presidential races ever.  And yet, this is only half of the movie.  The second hour of the film is a sobering and moving depiction of the current conflict in Iraq, sharing moving stories of patriotic American soldiers who continue to place themselves in harm’s way for love of God and country.  I will not soon forget Lila Lipscomb, a woman from Flint, Michigan, who encourages her son to join the armed forces and then suffers the pain and doubt of the meaning of it all when he is killed on his tour of duty.  This is a fever dream of a film, dealing with the hard moral choices and unanswerable questions that are a part of a world that still has much to learn about the things that would make for peace.  I continue to be entertained, provoked and disturbed by the films of Michael Moore.  May he continue to care enough about America to keep making them.

Halo and Pitchfork Rating: Four halos. (While some of its answers may be suspect, this film of moral outrage knows how to ask a lot of the right questions.)  Three pitchforks. (Extreme scenes of war violence; brief strong language.)

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