Sicko (2007) Review

The poster of the movie (http://www.canmag.com/images/front/movies20073/sickoposter2.jpg)

The United States of America in considered as one of the most democratic country in the world. However, as can be from many cases in films and literature, brighter light casts darker shadow. Sicko (2007), directed and narrated by Michael Moore reveals such shadow upon countless problems of USA’s healthcare system. Throughout the 127 minutes of the runtime, Moore interviews some of the 250 million Americans who have/had health insurance but despite ended up with devastated lives.
As the film is a documentary film, all actors played themselves in interviews or narration. Most of the shots were taken with hand-held cameras, such as when Moore narrates over his car-ride to his next interviewee. Some of the interesting editing included bits of cut-out clips from George’s public speeches and members of his congress promoting baby toys. Lots of close-up shots were used when interviewing, especially when the interviewees start crying or grew passionate in sharing their ideas which helped to emphasize the misery and emotional hardships they faced. The lightings used were mostly natural and soft lighting, except for some scenes that were shot inside buildings. The most memorable scene from the movie for me was where Moore was shot from behind climbing up the stairs to the White House carrying a bucket of laundry, narrating “In the mean time, I’m going to get the government to do my laundry,” after he flies over to France and realizes that the French government not only supplies absolutely free healthcare to its citizens but even supports free household maids for new mothers among them.
Watching this film gave me a lot of thoughts. What frustrated me throughout the film was that no system, whether it be democracy or socialism, could be perfect. Numerous doctors in the United States who gave honest and realistic prescription to their patients were looked down upon by the whole HMO system, when those who rejected their patients on the behalf of their company’s financial savings were in safe rankings of the society, bragging their million-dollar yearly incomes. I mean, is it really fair that you have to be rich yourself in order to live in a wealthy society? Michael Moore just assigned me another homework to solve.