Sicko

Fans of being shocked and outraged by the exposure of deep corruption and greed will undoubtedly become fans of Michael Moore's documentary on the state of American health care.

The film is filled with deeply touching and heartbreaking moments. The story of a man having to choose which finger is going to be reattached: the middle finger, which will cost $60,000, or the ring finger, which will cost only $12,000. A mother, whose infant is refused treatment from a hospital because her insurance company wants her to go to a company-owned hospital. Even rescue workers from 9/11 who haven't received proper medical treatment because they don't have the money and the government isn't convinced that they spent sufficient time at ground zero to receive government funds.

The effect of these stories, told by the people who lived them, is overwhelming. They will challenge your assumptions about health insurance companies and the free health care of other countries.

"Sicko" claims that free health insurance actually works. None of the Canadians or French citizens interviewed had ever had to wait all night in the hospital lobby before receiving care. The doctors who get money from the government instead of patients live quite well.

Do the citizens of Cuba get free health care? Take a guess.

Moore demonstrates his usual flaws in "Sicko," with the obvious bias and his habit of using anecdotal evidence to present his case. Statistics are used sparingly, and never sourced, and the narration is infused with mockery and sarcasm. But it wouldn't be a Michael Moore film without these qualities. Plus, the sarcastic commentary is hilarious.

"Sicko" shows a softer side of Moore, compared to his other films, as he relies more on the sad stories of the Americans who can't afford health insurance than his own anger to get the point across. It works well, making the claims more believable. The extra humor helps as well. Even those who don't believe a word Moore says will end up laughing at his antics in this movie.

Unless you truly hate Michael Moore, it's unlikely that "Sicko" will fail to stir you up and have you marching around with your fists in the air for the next couple of days. Some say it's propaganda, but at least it's a different kind of propaganda. And what really makes the film worthwhile is the fact that it entertains. It's well made. If you're expecting unbiased, hard facts from a Michael Moore movie, you might be sick.