Michael Moore’s Sicko: A Must See Film for Everyone
Posted in Latest Stories & Articles by H.L., Main Blog (All Posts) on July 5th, 2007 8:23 am by HL
This time Michael Moore makes a movie to unite us, instead of divide us
I saw Michael Moore’s Sicko on Tuesday, and all I can say is WOW. This is one of the hardest hitting movies I have ever seen, and clearly one of Mike’s best. Forget best Oscar for a documentary, this movie deserves to win the Oscar for best picture of the year. There was so much good, and entertaining yet devastating and heartbreaking information in this movie, it’s hard to find a place to start.
As you probably already know the movie centers on the Health care industry in The US, or should I say big business, a.k.a the insurance companies taking over the US health care industry to the tune of billions in profits while the people who pay those huge premiums every month get screwed to the core whenever they actually need to use the coverage they pay so dearly for.
The movie starts out with a couple of stories about the 50 Million of us who have no health insurance. One is the story you may have already heard about, where a guy cuts off the tips of two of his fingers, and can only have one of them reattached because he cannot afford to get them both sewn on. The other story, (and I will try not to give too much away) shows a guy stitching up his own deep laceration on his leg. Then Moore tells us, “But this is not a movie about the people who have no health insurance, it is a movie about the 250 Million Americans who have health insurance, (or think they do)
Mike then proceeds to tell story after story about people who thought they were covered, only to find out that their coverage was denied, often for the most ridiculous reasons. Mike interviews a guy who used to work for one of the big health insurance companies. His job was to go over people’s applications after they make a claim on the insurance and find any reason he can possibly come up with to deny coverage, and he does a very good job.
One particular story out of many was of a 22 year woman who comes down with Cervical Cancer. She is denied coverage from her Insurance company because she is too young and should not be getting Cervical Cancer at her age. The stories get more and more ridiculous.
Moore traces back how the country got into this huge mess, and pinpoints the actual day that our whole system went bad, once again I don’t want to give too much away but it started with a very unpopular President that was in office a while back, This President used to tape a lot of conversations and Moore got a hold of one of these tapes in which one of the Presidents advisors is explaining to him about this new type of health insurance that Edgar Kaiser (of Kaiser Permanente) wants to start. The advisor explains that under this new system health Insurance companies and not Doctors decide what treatment that patients receive. He explains to the President that the purpose of this is to give as little coverage as possible thereby saving all the money for the insurance companies, The President smiles and says “I like it.” The next day he makes a speech not unlike speeches our current President might make where he says the opposite of the truth in a very blatant manner. He tells the American people about this new kind of health plan that will ensure that all Americans have the best possible coverage, because we are after all, the greatest nation on earth.
The other part of the movie is Michael traveling to Canada, England, and France to find out what they have and we don’t, and there is plenty. He interviews people in these countries where he finds out that their health care is completely free, and the patients get the finest possible care. In Paris Mike sits down with a group of US ex-pats who explain to him the differences between France, and the US, and not just in health care but in all areas of life, at one Point Mike is so taken aback by the stories that he finally puts his hands up and says “enough I can’t take anymore.” He then comments “No wonder our media and government want us to hate France so much”
A former member of the British Parliament tells Moore that if their Government ever tried to take away the free national health care, there would be revolution in the streets. He also learns that in France the government is afraid of the people instead of the other way around as it is here.
This is a movie for everyone, not just democrats, not just liberals; because all of us our in this boat together. I know there will be a lot of Moore haters who will refuse, and will openly mock him. All I can say is, give this movie a chance then decide. We all have relatives or friends that need the healthcare industry to help them, and not bankrupt them as they are currently doing, and one day we will need that same healthcare. If everyone in the country were to see this film then changes would have to be made, the government would have no choice because the people would not accept anything less. In the end this movie is not just about fixing healthcare it is about fixing what is wrong with us as a country that allows the Government (both democrat and republican) to run roughshod over us, while they get ever more richer.
See This Movie, tell your friends to see it. If you have anti-moore friends who refuse, offer to pay for their ticket. No one who sees this will come away feeling apathetic, it’s just not possible. I plan on seeing it again soon, it’s that good.
July 5th, 2007 at 10:00 am
I saw the movie too, and I also found it to be quite moving. I am a successful freelancec artist, and i have no health insurance- for the very reasons outlined in the film and in your review. Leaving the theater, I couldn’t help thinking: how quickly can I arrange to emigrate to England or France? and how crazy it is to have to think this way. I wonder if it has occurred to anyone to organize a giant strike against the national health care system. If all the nations hospitals, HMO’s, insurance and drug companies could effectively be boycotted for long enough, maybe it could ultimately have a positive effect.
July 5th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
“History is to man, what nature is to things.”
Socialized health care. I love the sound of it. It makes me tingle, all the way from my toes to the tips of my ears. Just think- healthiness for ALL, no matter what. Hopefully, all of us will see the day of it. I hope it isn’t forceful though. Man, you see, is a timorous beast- which becomes, in turn, drive for success. Are we ready to have this fear taken away?
July 5th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Great rationale Bill! If you’re on the street laying shot, we’ll just let you bleed and die to save a buck.
July 5th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
By the way, LA, emergency room visits don’t require insurance.
July 5th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
They shouldn’t. But if insurance is needed, as a taxpayer I’d rather not have to pay for his sorry ass!
But Bill could always carry a note in his wallet that says: “Do not resuscitate.”
July 6th, 2007 at 12:43 am
My problem with Michael Moore is that he’s a fake. A fraud.
July 6th, 2007 at 4:21 am
Oh, and in what way is he a fraud?
July 6th, 2007 at 6:42 am
[…] Michael Moore’s Sicko: A Must See Film for Everyone […]
July 6th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Q: What will change if the government takes over health care?
A: Your coverage will have the efficiency of the Post Office and the bedside manner of the Internal Revenue Service.
just thought i’ld throw in a little funny
July 7th, 2007 at 2:59 am
If you are seriously ill, you need all your resources to single-mindedly go into the fight for recovery. To make such patients fight for referrals, for denied procedures, to impose on top of physical ailment the mental anxiety and uncertainty that you will be covered, etc. is sick, inhumane, and sadistic. This is what our private insurance model does.
July 7th, 2007 at 10:38 am
HL it must realy suck that your boss won’t let you work on this sit when you are at work that is the nice thing about Bill and me our bosses don’t care what we do as long as we get our job done for exsample we can take break any time we want . and we still make well over 140,000 yearly. so please keep deleteing it gives us something to keep us out of trouble, we enjoy the entertainment
July 7th, 2007 at 10:43 am
oh i forgot thats $140,000 each, together we make $280,000 yearly
July 10th, 2007 at 10:06 am
HL ==> Fahrenheit 911 concludes that US foreign policy is based on Bush’s relationship with the Saudis and the bin Laden family. Which is all true, however, he clearly ignores the other major player in US Middle East foreign policy: Israel.
Moore has not followed up with any new Middle East projects since F911. I don’t know if anything else is in the works.
I call him a fraud because I think he did a good job of focusing attention on the Arabs as the entire reason the WTC was attacked. He avoided mentioning Israel in any context as to the US invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. I don’t recall if he even mentions the Israeli land grab of Palestinian lands.
I have a problem when even FOX news reported about the Israelis who were arrested in New Jersey immediately after the jets hit the WTC. They were witnessed merrily filming themselves with the burning WTC as a backdrop. Hundreds of Israelis were arrested and information about that has remained “classified.”
I think that the Israeli connection is a key to the puzzle which Moore ignores. Moore is an expert at making documentaries. But you must question his intent and agenda.