Capitalism: A Love Story

Capitalism: A Love Story is heartfelt documentary that unfortunately will not be seen by many of the people who really need to see it. I almost wish that Michael Moore had not made it. Since his name is attached to the film, many people will automatically be inclined to kick it. I have a feeling, though, that if audiences come in with an open mind, they might walk away eager to change America for the better, even if they don't necessarily agree with how Moore thinks it should be done.

"Capitalism: A Love Story" follows the stories of evicted families, laid-off workers, and angry members of Congress whose lives were changed by the down-turn of the economy. Several other subplots debate the morality of capitalism and uncover a questionable practice of major companies to take out life insurance policies on their employees.

Moore narrates the film throughout, but his documentary works best when he just lets his subjects tell their stories. There was the family who lost their mother only to find out that Wal-Mart made thousands of dollars off of their loss. Another family was being kicked out of their family home that had been in their family for generations. Workers at Republic Windows and Doors were told that they would not receive the money they were owed. Their stories violated my sense of justice, what I believe is right and fair.

There was some hope in the film, and surprisingly, Moore didn't find it in President Obama. I got the feeling that Moore is waiting to see what President Obama will do. Instead, he found his hope in his subjects. Republic Windows and Doors staged a sit-in and won the money that was owed them. A bread company is run entirely by the employees, and everyone gets a living wage without overpaying anyone. A sheriff refuses to evict anyone from their homes in his district. Moore decides to end the film with these stories, leaving his audience with the feeling that they can make a positive difference in their community.

Documentaries in general do not do well with American audiences, and with Moore's name attached, I'm not sure how well "Capitalism" will do at the box office. I wish some Americans could look past their biases against Michael Moore and give "Capitalism: A Love Story" a fair chance. They may not agree with Moore's solution to the problem, but I think they will hear these people's stories and say to themselves, "Something is wrong here."