Film review: Sicko

Michael Moore explains why the US health system needs some serious surgery

In Sicko, Moore, famous for his controversial documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, turns his entertaining, shocking and – some may argue – biased investigation to the US health system. In an intriguing opening we are told the film does not focus on the millions of Americans who have no medical insurance; it focuses on the plight of the millions who are insured. This is a successful directional decision, one that avoids highlighting the more obvious shortcomings of the US health system, by uncovering the far more disturbing ones.

Never has the NHS received so much praise – it is refreshing to see how it is regarded through foreign eyes

Moore begins with a series of patient accounts. Thoroughly compelling and skilfully emotive, these accounts are shocking at best and chilling at worst. No time is wasted in identifying the film’s main villains – the medical insurance business, pharmaceutical companies and America’s own government. Moore’s liberal ideals and dislike for big business are evident and there is little counter-argument.

However, the evidence he presents for the continuing profiteering, fear mongering, and the unethical behaviour by those in power, is hard to ignore. Moore doesn’t spend all his time finger pointing; he moves to lighter territory when he looks at the “much-feared” socialist medicine. Never has the NHS received so much praise – it is refreshing to see how it is regarded through foreign eyes. Here he includes a sensational interview from Tony Benn – it makes you proud to be British. The final scenes are the weakest – Moore’s publicity stunt, where he visits Guantanamo Bay, fails to resonate as strongly as the rest of the film. But in spite of this, Sicko remains a hugely enjoyable and poignant film.

When Moore was questioned about the recent US healthcare changes he said they did not go far enough. Watching Sicko it is easy to see why. With Sicko, Moore achieves a potent and emotive piece of film that manages to remain more documentary than propaganda, just.