The premise of Michael Moore’s (Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine) latest documentary is straightforward enough, namely what could America do better? … and the results are often hilarious.
Moore plays the role of “invader”, visiting several countries to see what they are doing differently and the impact that difference is having on their populace. He primarily journeys to European nations, but also ventures to Africa. Along the way he speaks with workers and bosses, school and university students, police, prison officers, a prosecutor and prisoners, along with powerful women and country leaders. So you have an expansive and subversive comedy written, directed, co-produced and starring Moore.
There are a series of single take interviews. In other words, if what comes out of their mouths and his (Moore’s) is funny, so be it. If not, but if it still sheds light on new or different ways of seeing things, that is fine too. Some of the best sequences come from a couple of thirty something Italians who have far more holidays than the Americans … and workers who look forward to a beautiful home cooked meal every lunchtime. Then there are school children whose food variety is a gastronomic delight, while the thought of trying a black liquid (Coca Cola) is a turn off. My high point though was the eloquence and impact of an African radio journalist, who implored Americans to be more engaged with the outside world.
The genesis of the project was Moore as a 19-year-old. He had just dropped out of college and secured a Eurail pass and a youth hostel card before spending a couple of months traveling around Europe. He was in Sweden when he broke his toe and once he received treatment he went to pay the bill but found out that he didn’t have to stump up anything. If the same thing had happened in America it would have been a different story and he couldn’t understand why one country did something so differently to another. In other words, there was a vast divergence between healthcare systems. All through Europe Moore kept running into things like that and thought, “that’s such a good idea – why don’t we (USA) do that?” So, he wanted to take the best of breed from around the world and bring it back home.
While I was watching Where to Invade Next, engaged, entertained and chuckling away, I kept thinking there was a randomness to the countries Moore had chosen to invade. Wherever he went, he made a point of staking his claim by “planting” the American flag. Of course, you can reasonably argue that he could have gone to many, many places and found something worthwhile that the US wasn’t doing or wasn’t doing as well as it could have done. Moore virtually acknowledges that when he says that part of what he did was simply to get out of the US – that is he traveled and paid attention.
He says a few years ago he was on a street corner in Washington DC when a woman told him that the country she came from was number one in education. She was Finland’s education minister and handed Moore a book about Finland that outlined 100 things the country did right. Included amongst them was the fact that Finnish schools got rid of homework.
Before Moore and his field producers and crew left to shoot the documentary they had a production meeting where there was acceptance that most of the things included in the film they didn’t know. Moore figured that if it was that way for his staff it would also be fresh for an audience … and I must admit there are some rather unconventional notions canvassed that are mainstays in the places visited. It is those that make Where to Invade Next such an easy watch.
By and large the time passed quickly, although I felt it became bogged down towards the end. Only in the last half hour or so did it tend to drag and by the time the final credits rolled it had gone on for too long. For instance, I wasn’t convinced that a sequence involving Moore and one of his oldest friends (and one of the film’s executive producers) reminiscing at the site of the Berlin Wall was really necessary.
In large measure though, the randomness of it not withstanding, Where to Invade Next is one of Moore’s most optimistic offerings to date. It is largely fun, but still manages to make a point.
Rated M, it scores a 7 out of 10.
Director: Michael Moore
Cast: Michael Moore, Krista Kiuru, Tim Walker
Release Date: 7 April 2016
Rating: M
Alex First
David Edwards is the editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television