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==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
{{plot}}
''Sicko'' deals with the problems that Moore perceives in the American for-profit [[health insurance]] and [[pharmaceutical industries]]. Its main message is that [[publicly-funded health care]] is a better all-round model than the present U.S. health-care system because the present system is designed to maximize profit by minimizing the care delivered to patients.
''Sicko'' deals with the problems that Moore perceives in the American for-profit [[health insurance]] and [[pharmaceutical industries]]. Its main message is that [[publicly-funded health care]] is a better all-round model than the present U.S. health-care system because the present system is designed to maximize profit by minimizing the care delivered to patients.


At one point in the film Moore cites a [[World Health Organization]] report: "And the United States slipped to 37 in health care around the world, just slightly ahead of [[Slovenia]]."<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11208212]Masters, Kim, article/news segment titled "Michael Moore's 'Sicko' Flogs U.S. Health Care", Web site of [[National Public Radio]], dated [[June 20]] [[2007]], accessed [[June 24]] [[2007]]</ref>
At one point in the film Moore cites a [[World Health Organization]] report: "And the United States slipped to 37 in health care around the world, just slightly ahead of [[Slovenia]]."<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11208212]Masters, Kim, article/news segment titled "Michael Moore's 'Sicko' Flogs U.S. Health Care", Web site of [[National Public Radio]], dated [[June 20]] [[2007]], accessed [[June 24]] [[2007]]</ref>


⚫
The movie begins with the retelling of the stories of people who were denied health care, either because they did not have health insurance or because the insurance companies denied their request for coverage for a particular ailment, due to specious reasons. Some repentant former employees of insurance companies are also interviewed, and describe dubious practices of their former employers, such as considering the best doctor in their employ to be the one who could deny the most treatments.
===U.S. health-care system===
====Anecdotes of people denied care====
⚫
The movie begins with the retelling of the stories of people who were denied health care, either because they did not have health insurance or because the insurance companies denied their request for coverage for a particular ailment, due to specious reasons. (On [[February 3]] [[2006]], Moore requested, via his [[blog]], that people send "Health Care Horror Stories" in an effort to share his view on the health care industry.<ref name="horror">{{cite journal
| first =Michael
| last =Moore
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| year = 2006
| month =February 3rd
| title =Send Me Your Health Care Horror Stories... an appeal from Michael Moore
| journal =michaelmoore.com
| volume =
| issue =
| pages =
| id =
| url =http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2006-02-03
}} </ref>)

The examples shown include:

* Doug Noe's insurance provider, [[CIGNA|Cigna Healthcare]], approved a [[Cochlear implant|cochlear ear implant]] for only the left ear of Noe's toddler daughter, Annette, who was born with an acute hearing disability. Cigna argued that a two-ear operation was "experimental." (After Noe alerted Cigna that Moore was making a movie about the US Healthcare system, and that Noe's case would be featured in it, Noe was contacted by Cigna, and they agreed to approve the second implant.<ref name=mcm>[http://reason.com/news/show/120998.html]Moynihan, Michael C., "Michael Moore's Shticko:
His [[health care]] [[jeremiad]] won't win any converts", article at ''ReasonOnline'' Web site of ''[[Reason (magazine)|Reason]]'' magazine (it is unclear from the Web site whether the article is in the magazine, [[June 22]], [[2007]], accessed same day</ref> This occurred before Moore had actually heard of Noe's case, so Noe acted independently of Moore.)

*A woman gets stuck with the ambulance bill after a [[car accident]] because she didn't clear the charge with her insurer before requesting the ambulance; the accident had immediately rendered her unconscious and unable to request approval.<ref name=jcohn/>

*Also shown is the widow of Tracy Pierce, who died from kidney cancer after his insurer denied numerous treatments recommended by his doctor, including a possibly life-saving [[Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation|bone-marrow transplant]].<ref name=jcohn/>

*Homeless patients, still in hospital gowns and some with IV tubes in their arms, were [[Homeless dumping|abandoned]] at homeless shelters by [[Los Angeles]] hospitals after they had received some medical treatment. (In May 2007, [[Kaiser Permanente]], a large nonprofit health insurer, settled criminal and civil lawsuits by agreeing to establish new rules for discharging homeless patients. They paid $55,000 in fines, covered the city attorney’s investigative costs; and agreed to spend $500,000 on the homeless for follow-up care and other services.)<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/22/business/media/22react.html?ei=5070&en=5b9ebc509ed01ec8&ex=1182657600&pagewanted=print]Freudenheim, Milt and Klaussmann, Liza, "Film Offers New Talking Points in Health Care Debate", news article in ''[[The New York Times]]'', [[May 22]], [[2007]]</ref> Mike Huffman is seen in the film describing the dumping of a woman at the [[Union Rescue Mission]] in Los Angeles' [[Skid Row, Los Angeles, California|Skid Row]].

*One woman's [[insurance]] provider denied coverage after an operation, because she didn't mention a minor previous [[yeast infection]] on her application; they retroactively cancelled her coverage on that basis. <ref name=jcohn/>

*Rick accidentally sawed off the tops of his middle and ring fingers on one hand while working at home. He had no insurance and limited funds at his disposal, so he was asked by the hospital to choose whether to have the [[hospital]] reattach the end of his [[Finger (gesture)|middle finger]] for $60,000 or the end of his [[ring finger]] for $12,000. (He chose the ring finger, "''being the hopeless romantic he is''".)<ref name=jcohn/>

*Accounts of four fully-insured American women being denied crucial specialist referrals, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Two of the women died of cancer as a result, and one eventually sued her HMO after the diagnosis of her brain tumour in Japan (her American HMO told her the tumour doesn't exist). A footage of the director of her HMO testifying is shown.

====Accounts from inside insurance companies====
Some repentant former employees of insurance companies are also interviewed, and describe dubious practices of their former employers, such as considering the best doctor in their employ to be the one who could deny the most treatments.
⚫
The movie also describes the connection between lobby groups such as [[Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America|PhRMA]], the lobbying arm of the largest drug companies in the United States and one of the most influential lobbying groups in [[Washington D.C.]]<ref>Drug Firms Gain Church Group's Aid; Claim About Import Measure Stirs Anger, Jim VandeHei and Juliet Eilperin, [[The Washington Post]], July 23, 2003</ref>{{syn}} and Congressional politicians. Moore says that [[Hillary Clinton]], who once championed the [[Clinton health care plan]], is the Senate's second-highest recipient of campaign donations from the health care industry. Moore said that Clinton's friend [[Harvey Weinstein]], whose company provided financing for the film, asked him to remove the scene but Moore refused.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/21/AR2007062102150.html “Moore Says Weinstein Wanted Clinton Scene Cut”], ''Washington Post'', Accessed June 26, 2007.</ref>
One scene shows a clip of Congressional testimony given in 1996. [[Linda Peeno|Dr. Linda Peeno]], a former medical reviewer for the health insurer [[Humana]], said her job was to save money for the company. "I denied a man a necessary operation", she testified, referring to a decision she made in 1987. (Her testimony "has been widely recounted over the years," according to a news article in ''[[The New York Times]]''. A spokesman for Humana said the case Peeno referred to had involved whether a man had coverage that would pay for a heart transplant, and Peeno correctly found the insurance didn't cover the procedure.<ref>{{cite news |title=Humana issues statement on Moore's 'Sicko' |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2007/06/25/daily35.html?from_rss=1 | publisher=Business First of Louisville |date=2007-06-28 |accessdate=2007-07-02}}</ref>)


⚫
Moore states that the United States is the only industrialized nation that does not offer free basic health care to all of its citizens, and compares the American system to those of [[Canadian and American health care systems compared|Canada]], the [[National Health Service|United Kingdom]] and [[France#Public_health|France]], which have universal health care for their citizens.
The film also interviews Lee Einer, whose job at a major insurance carrier (not identified in the film) was to examine insurance applications retroactively. Einer was to peruse large claims in order to find evidence that the applicants had hidden previous conditions. Einer says it was irrelevant whether or not the applicant intended to mislead, the companies just wanted excuses to avoid paying the claims. Even if they had a previous condition that had never before been treated, many states have a "prudent person" rule that states that if it is a symptom for which a prudent person would have sought a diagnosis, then what that symptom indicated counts as a pre-existing condition. <ref name=jcohn/>


⚫
Moore then interviews those who volunteered as rescue workers after the [[World Trade Center]] [[September 11, 2001 attacks]]; these volunteers had subsequently developed physical and psychological maladies, including [[respiratory disease]] and [[PTSD]], and were denied government funds to care for their ailments. Since the U.S. government has touted the medical care provided for the alleged [[enemy combatant]]s detained at the U.S. [[Guantanamo Bay detainment camp]], Moore assembles the 9/11 rescue workers and one of the people seen earlier in the movie, and any others who need medical care that they cannot get in the U.S. They sail from [[Miami]] for [[Cuba]] on three speedboats. After a journey that is mostly not shown (due to "prohibition by Homeland Security laws"), the group arrives at the entrance channel to ''Gitmo''. Moore asks for access with a [[megaphone]], pleading for treatment for 9/11 heroes that equals the treatment the "evildoers" are getting, but no response is given. Moore finally gives up when a siren is blown from the base. The group then moves on to [[Havana]], where they can buy medicine for very cheap price and receives free medical treatment they would otherwise not be able to afford.<ref name="inthenews">{{cite news
====Origin of HMO====
The film points to a critical event in 1971 with Edgar Kaiser, the son of the founder of one of the first big [[health maintenance organization]]s, [[Kaiser Permanente]]. He went to see [[John Ehrlichman]], a top aide to President [[Richard Nixon]], to lobby the Nixon [[White House]] to pass legislation that would expand HMOs and would give the current system Americans use today.

While showing black and white still photos of Nixon meeting with Ehrlichman in the [[Oval Office]], the film played the taped conversation between Nixon and Ehrlichman, recorded February 17, 1971, including the following portion:

''Ehrlichman: “We have now narrowed down the vice-president's problems on this thing to one issue, and that is whether we should include these Health Maintenance Organizations like Edgar Kaiser's Permanente thing."''

''President Nixon: "Now let me ask you... You know I'm not too keen on any of these damn medical programs."''

''Ehrlichman: "This is a private enterprise one."''

''President Nixon: "Well, that appeals to me."''

''Ehrlishman: "Edgar Kaiser is running his Permanente deal for profit. And the reason that he can … the reason he can do it … I had Edgar Kaiser come in … talk to me about this and I went into it in some depth. All the incentives are toward less medical care, because … the less care they give them, the more money they make.”''

''President Nixon: “Fine.”''

''Ehrlichman: [Unclear] “… and the incentives run the right way.”''

''President Nixon: “Not bad.”''<ref>The Miller Center of Public Affairs audio recording (conversation number 450-23. "Richard Nixon - Oval Office Recordings," Available [http://millercenter.virginia.edu/scripps/digitalarchive/presidentialrecordings/nixon/oval?PHPSESSID=b813e56b3017d097cd176720bc10fc74 online].</ref>

The film then shows Nixon the very next day giving a public announcement:
{{cquote|''I want America to have the finest health care in the world. And I want every American to have that care when he needs it.''}}

====Washington lobbyists and politicians====
⚫
The movie also describes the connection between lobby groups such as [[Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America|PhRMA]], the lobbying arm of the largest drug companies in the United States and one of the most influential lobbying groups in [[Washington D.C.]]<ref>Drug Firms Gain Church Group's Aid; Claim About Import Measure Stirs Anger, Jim VandeHei and Juliet Eilperin, [[The Washington Post]], July 23, 2003</ref> and Congressional politicians. Moore says that [[Hillary Clinton]], who once championed the [[Clinton health care plan]], is the Senate's second-highest recipient of campaign donations from the health care industry. Moore said that Clinton's friend [[Harvey Weinstein]], whose company provided financing for the film, asked him to remove the scene but Moore refused.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/21/AR2007062102150.html “Moore Says Weinstein Wanted Clinton Scene Cut”], ''Washington Post'', Accessed June 26, 2007.</ref> Moore said that he had donated to Clinton's first Senate campaign but has since become disillusioned with her.<ref>[http://in.news.yahoo.com/070620/139/6h6mx.html “Michael Moore's pot-shots at Hillary Clinton in 'Sicko'”], ''ANI'', Accessed June 26, 2007.</ref>

===Health-care systems elsewhere===
⚫
In the film, Moore states that the United States is the only industrialized nation that does not offer free basic health care to all of its citizens. The American system is compared to those of [[Canadian and American health care systems compared|Canada]], the [[National Health Service|United Kingdom]] and [[France#Public_health|France]], which have universal health care for their citizens.

In Canada, Moore speaks to his relatives and other Canadians about their health care system. He is then told about the contribution to the Canadian health system by [[Tommy Douglas]], who was voted the [[Greatest Canadian]] in 2004. Moore then goes to a Canadian public hospital to interview a [[microsurgeon]] and people in the Emergency waiting room.

In the United Kingdom, Moore discovers that all pharmaceuticals are free of charge if younger than 16 and older than 60, and for everyone else they are subsidized so only a maximum of ₤6.65 is charged (reported as approximately US$10 in the movie but this figure can fluctuate depnding on the [[exchange rate]]). When in a [[National Health Service]] (NHS) hospital, Moore attempts to find about about British patients' in-hospital expenses, only to be told laughingly that there is no [[out-of-pocket expenses|out-of-pocket payments]]. He eventually finds a counter labeled "Cashier", only to learn that low-income patients actually receive money there to reimburse their trip to the hospital. This segment also includes interviews with British former [[Member of Parliament]] [[Tony Benn]], an NHS [[general practitioner]] and an American woman residing in Great Britain.

In France, Moore interviews the head of [[Obstetrics and Gynecology|O&G]] Department of a French hospital, and then a group of Americans living in France. He also rides along with a 24-hour French house-call medical service ''SOS Médecins'' in which a doctor makes visits to patients' homes, taking dispatch calls like a taxi driver.<ref name=jcohn>[http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20070702&s=cohn-mall070207]Cohn, Jonathan, "It's no fun to agree with Michael Moore / Shticko", article in ''[[The New Republic]]'' magazine, [[July 2]], [[2007]] issue, posted on the Web site on [[June 22]], [[2007]], accessed [[June 23]], [[2007]]</ref> Moore further learns that French government provides social services so far as to provide [[day care]] for $1 a day and do laundry for new mothers, as part of their job of providing neonatal support. He then interviews the local middle class to find out about the impact on their life due to heavier taxation to fund the universal health care system.

Moore features several pundits arguing against the other national systems, calling them “socialist takeover”. With the backdrop of 1950s-style [[anti-communist]] propaganda ("''Red Nightmare''"), Moore plays a portion of a record distributed by the [[American Medical Association]] in the 1960s, narrated by [[Ronald Reagan]], who warns that universal health care could lead to communism. Moore then features people in the film to counter-argue that universal health care is democratic. He then shows images of American [[police]], [[fire service]], [[United States Postal Service|postal service]], [[public education]] and [[public library|community libraries]], and argues that these services are also "socialized" but none of them has led to communism.

⚫
Moore then interviews those who volunteered as rescue workers after the [[World Trade Center]] [[September 11, 2001 attacks]]; these volunteers had subsequently developed physical and psychological maladies, including [[respiratory disease]] and [[PTSD]], and were denied government funds to care for their ailments. Since the U.S. government has touted the medical care provided for the alleged [[enemy combatant]]s detained at the U.S. [[Guantanamo Bay detainment camp]], Moore assembles the 9/11 rescue workers and one of the people seen earlier in the movie, and any others who need medical care that they cannot get in the U.S. They sail from [[Miami]] for [[Cuba]] on three speedboats. After a journey that is mostly not shown (due to "prohibition by Homeland Security laws"), the group arrives at the entrance channel to ''Gitmo''. Moore asks for access with a [[megaphone]], pleading for treatment for 9/11 heroes that equals the treatment the "evildoers" are getting, but no response is given. Moore finally gives up when a siren is blown from the base.

The group then moves on to [[Havana]], where they can buy medicine for very cheap price and receives free medical treatment they would otherwise not be able to afford.<ref name="inthenews">{{cite news
| last =
| last =
| first =
| first =
Line 118: Line 41:
| date =2007-05-14
| date =2007-05-14
| url =http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/film/moore-unveils-sicko-at-cannes-$1086968.htm
| url =http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/film/moore-unveils-sicko-at-cannes-$1086968.htm
| accessdate = 2007-05-23 }}</ref> The volunteers are hospitalized there and receive treatment, having only to provide their names and birth date. Moore asked the doctors to provide them only the same level of care they would give to Cuban citizens. He also interviews [[pediatrician]] Dr. [[Aleida Guevara]], the daughter of Cuban revolutionary [[Che Guevara]] (Guevara was a physician himself).
| accessdate = 2007-05-23 }}</ref> The volunteers are hospitalized there and receive treatment, having only to provide their names and birth date. Moore asked the doctors to provide them only the same level of care they would give to Cuban citizens.

Although trip participants signed confidentiality agreements prohibiting them from talking about the trip, some did say that the trip was a success, with ''[[The New York Post]]'' quoting John Feal, head of the Fealgood Foundation that raises money for 9/11 first responders, that “From what I hear through the grapevine those people who went [to Cuba with Moore] are utterly happy."<ref name="pnhpsicko">{{cite news
| last =
| first =
| title = Controversial Michael Moore Flick "Sicko" Will Compare U.S. Health Care with Cuba's
| publisher = pnhp.org
| date = 2007-04-25
| url = http://www.pnhp.org/news/2007/april/controversial_michae.php
| accessdate = 2007-05-24 }}</ref>


In the film's finale, Moore provides an example of "taking care of each other, no matter the differences". When he found out that the biggest anti-Moore website, [http://www.moorewatch.com/ MooreWatch], would have to close because its webmaster Jim Kenefick needed the money to pay for his wife's medical treatment, he sent a cheque for US $12,000 anonymously. Moore says that he does not want the health care system to trump the first amendment. The audience is shown a "thank you" letter posted by the host, calling Moore his "Guardian Angel" (written while he was still unaware of Moore being the donor), while continuing to criticize Moore on his website. Since finding out that the anonymous donation would be shown in the movie, Kenefick has responded on his website,<ref>{{Citation
In the film's finale, Moore provides an example of "taking care of each other, no matter the differences". When he found out that the biggest anti-Moore website, [http://www.moorewatch.com/ MooreWatch], would have to close because its webmaster Jim Kenefick needed the money to pay for his wife's medical treatment, he sent a cheque for US $12,000 anonymously. Moore says that he does not want the health care system to trump the first amendment. The audience is shown a "thank you" letter posted by the host, calling Moore his "Guardian Angel" (written while he was still unaware of Moore being the donor), while continuing to criticize Moore on his website. Since finding out that the anonymous donation would be shown in the movie, Kenefick has responded on his website,<ref>{{Citation

Revision as of 23:16, 14 July 2007

Sicko
Sicko theatrical poster
Directed byMichael Moore
Written byMichael Moore
Produced byMichael Moore
StarringMichael Moore
Distributed byThe Weinstein Company
Lionsgate (theatrical)
Release dates
United States June 29, 2007
LanguagesEnglish, French, Spanish
For other uses, see Sicko.

SiCKO is a documentary film by director Michael Moore, released in the United States and Canada on June 29 2007.[1] It investigates the United States health care system with a focus on for-profit health insurance and the pharmaceutical industry. The film contrasts the U.S. system with Canadian and American health care systems compared to Canada's single-payer system and other universal health care systems, including those in France, the United Kingdom and Cuba. The film has been criticized for not discussing the drawbacks of universal health care in these countries.[2][3]

Sicko premiered at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival on May 19 2007. It also had an early premiere in Washington D.C. the week before its North American release.

Synopsis

Sicko deals with the problems that Moore perceives in the American for-profit health insurance and pharmaceutical industries. Its main message is that publicly-funded health care is a better all-round model than the present U.S. health-care system because the present system is designed to maximize profit by minimizing the care delivered to patients.

At one point in the film Moore cites a World Health Organization report: "And the United States slipped to 37 in health care around the world, just slightly ahead of Slovenia."[4]

The movie begins with the retelling of the stories of people who were denied health care, either because they did not have health insurance or because the insurance companies denied their request for coverage for a particular ailment, due to specious reasons. Some repentant former employees of insurance companies are also interviewed, and describe dubious practices of their former employers, such as considering the best doctor in their employ to be the one who could deny the most treatments.

The movie also describes the connection between lobby groups such as PhRMA, the lobbying arm of the largest drug companies in the United States and one of the most influential lobbying groups in Washington D.C.[5][improper synthesis?] and Congressional politicians. Moore says that Hillary Clinton, who once championed the Clinton health care plan, is the Senate's second-highest recipient of campaign donations from the health care industry. Moore said that Clinton's friend Harvey Weinstein, whose company provided financing for the film, asked him to remove the scene but Moore refused.[6]

Moore states that the United States is the only industrialized nation that does not offer free basic health care to all of its citizens, and compares the American system to those of Canada, the United Kingdom and France, which have universal health care for their citizens.

Moore then interviews those who volunteered as rescue workers after the World Trade Center September 11, 2001 attacks; these volunteers had subsequently developed physical and psychological maladies, including respiratory disease and PTSD, and were denied government funds to care for their ailments. Since the U.S. government has touted the medical care provided for the alleged enemy combatants detained at the U.S. Guantanamo Bay detainment camp, Moore assembles the 9/11 rescue workers and one of the people seen earlier in the movie, and any others who need medical care that they cannot get in the U.S. They sail from Miami for Cuba on three speedboats. After a journey that is mostly not shown (due to "prohibition by Homeland Security laws"), the group arrives at the entrance channel to Gitmo. Moore asks for access with a megaphone, pleading for treatment for 9/11 heroes that equals the treatment the "evildoers" are getting, but no response is given. Moore finally gives up when a siren is blown from the base. The group then moves on to Havana, where they can buy medicine for very cheap price and receives free medical treatment they would otherwise not be able to afford.[7] The volunteers are hospitalized there and receive treatment, having only to provide their names and birth date. Moore asked the doctors to provide them only the same level of care they would give to Cuban citizens.

In the film's finale, Moore provides an example of "taking care of each other, no matter the differences". When he found out that the biggest anti-Moore website, MooreWatch, would have to close because its webmaster Jim Kenefick needed the money to pay for his wife's medical treatment, he sent a cheque for US $12,000 anonymously. Moore says that he does not want the health care system to trump the first amendment. The audience is shown a "thank you" letter posted by the host, calling Moore his "Guardian Angel" (written while he was still unaware of Moore being the donor), while continuing to criticize Moore on his website. Since finding out that the anonymous donation would be shown in the movie, Kenefick has responded on his website,[8] criticising Moore for sending an anonymous cheque but then including it in his movie, saying Moore was "using" him.

Release

On May 19, 2007 more than 2,000 people applauded loudly after the film's first Cannes screening at the packed Grand Theatre Lumiere, the main festival auditorium.[9]

The North American premiere of Sicko was held in London, Ontario at the Silver City movie theatre at Masonville Place on June 8 2007, with Moore himself in attendance. Sicko features patients from the London, Ontario area.

Reception

Critical response

Sicko at the Cannes Film Festival receiving a standing ovation

The movie has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from film critics, including a 91% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Following early viewings at the Cannes Film Festival, Variety described Sicko as "an affecting and entertaining dissection of the American health care industry",[10] concluding it should play well internationally. Moore has nonetheless been quoted as saying, "I know the storm awaits me back in the United States."[11]

In an early review a week before the premiere, Richard Roeper and Michael Phillips (the latter filling in for Roger Ebert) gave Moore's film two thumbs up.

Roger Friedman of Fox News called the film a "brilliant and uplifting new documentary" and praised Moore for the way in which he lets "very articulate average Americans tell their personal horror stories at the hands of insurance companies" and "criticizes both Democrats and Republicans for their inaction and in some cases their willingness to be bribed by pharmaceutical companies and insurance carriers."[12]

British film magazine Empire commented that "Sicko is the film that truly reveals Moore as an auteur."[13]

The New Yorker's David Denby disagrees, writing: "After the early tales of the [U.S. Health Care] system's failure, “Sicko” becomes feeble, even inane."[14]. In a review published in both the The New Yorker and Reason Magazine, Michael Moynihan calls the film "touching, naïve and maddeningly mendacious, a clumsy piece of agitprop that will likely have little lasting effect on the health care debate".[15] Michael Phillips, who reviewed the film for the Chicago Tribune, wrote, "You don't have to be a conservative to take issue with the way Moore apples-to-oranges so many economic comparisons in his movie, or the way he relies on the easy comment. 'Everywhere else, [people] seem to take care of each other,' Moore says late in the film. Everywhere else?"[16]

Over the course of July, 2007, Moore had frequent appearances on CNN. On Wolf Blitzer's The Situation Room, he criticized CNN senior medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta for allegedly misrepresenting aspects of his film in a fact-checking segment broadcast as the lead-in to his interview. "He said the facts were fudged," said Moore, referring to Gupta, on CNN's Larry King Live. "That's a lie. None of the facts are fudged." Gupta said that he agreed with Moore on his premise that the U.S. healthcare system is "broken", but questioned Moore's "cherry-picking" of facts. [17] Moore ultimately responded to CNN by fact-checking Gupta's piece and publishing the results on his homepage. [18]

Box office

Sicko made $4.5 million on its opening weekend.[19] In only 441 theaters, it took in an average of $10,204 per theater, the second highest average gross of the weekend.

As of July 9, Sicko has grossed $11.5 million in the United States, which already makes it the eighth-highest grossing documentary of all time.[20]

Piracy

Wikinews has related news:

Although the film was released on June 29 2007, a copy was leaked onto the Internet in early to mid June 2007.[21] Moore, who previously stated his support for Internet downloading, denies leaking the video himself and an investigation has been held as to the source of the Internet leak.[22] When asked about the leak, Moore said:

I'm just happy that people get to see my movies...I'm not a big supporter of copyright laws in this country...I don't understand filmmakers...who oppose sharing, having their work being shared by people, because it only increases your fanbase...I've always been happy in the past when teenagers have downloaded pirated copies of my movies...They've been downloading them and they've been sharing them, and I think that's great.[23]

Treasury Department probe

In a May 2, 2007 letter, the Office of Foreign Assets Control informed Moore that he was the subject of a civil investigation stemming from the filmmaker's March trip to Cuba. In the letter to Moore, a Treasury official noted that the department had no record of Moore obtaining a license that authorized him to "engage in travel-related transactions involving Cuba," alleging that Moore violated the United States embargo against Cuba.[24][25] A duplicate master copy of the film is being held in Canada in case American authorities attempt to seize the film as part of the criminal investigation against Moore that arose from taking American 9/11 rescue workers to Cuba for medical treatment.[26] Moore has said that if any trip to Cuba is for journalism reasons, the U.S. allows it. He also added that SiCKO is a non-fiction film and for journalism. Moore states that his intentions were to travel to the US Naval base in Guantanamo Bay. Upon Moore's arrival to Guantanamo Bay a siren was sounded and Moore decided to turn around for safety.

Responses to film

WBAI Radio, part of the Pacifica Radio Network, reported that Sicko was revitalizing the debate for universal health care within the United States, calling the film "adrenaline for healthcare activists". It named individuals and entities ranging from U.S. Congressman John Conyers, Jr., to the California Nurses Association. It reported that the latter "began traveling the country to leaflet moviegoers as SiCKO opens in theaters to support a 'single-payer' health care system." Additionally, Michael Moore, who was interviewed, reported that he had tried to enter the New York Stock Exchange to advocate for stockholder divestiture from health insurance companies but was prevented from entering. Moore called his film his most "subversive" film to date, saying it was his strongest critique yet about the economic system of the U.S.[27]

Health care industry professionals are responding to depictions of their organizations. In a letter to the Wall Street Journal, Robert S. Bell, M.D., President and CEO of University Health Network, Toronto, said that while Moore "exaggerated the performance of the Canadian health system," it provides universal coverage of a similar quality to that enjoyed by only some Americans. [28] Michael Moore posted a leaked memo from a Blue Cross employee about the likely consequences of the film. The memo expresses concern that the movie misleadingly turns people against Blue Cross by linking it to abuses by for-profit HMO's. [29]


See also

References

  1. ^ "An Update from Michael Moore (and an invitation to his film festival)". www.michaelmoore.com. Retrieved 2006-09-05.
  2. ^ http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070619/news_lz1e19weintr.html
  3. ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19361022/site/newsweek/
  4. ^ [1]Masters, Kim, article/news segment titled "Michael Moore's 'Sicko' Flogs U.S. Health Care", Web site of National Public Radio, dated June 20 2007, accessed June 24 2007
  5. ^ Drug Firms Gain Church Group's Aid; Claim About Import Measure Stirs Anger, Jim VandeHei and Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post, July 23, 2003
  6. ^ “Moore Says Weinstein Wanted Clinton Scene Cut”, Washington Post, Accessed June 26, 2007.
  7. ^ "Moore unveils Sicko at Cannes". InTheNews.co.uk. 2007-05-14. Retrieved 2007-05-23.
  8. ^ Kenefick, Jim (06-12), Jim Kenefick and Moorewatch as presented by Michael Moore in Sicko, retrieved 2007-07-12 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  9. ^ "Michael Moore's Sicko gets audience thumbs-up at Cannes". CBC Arts. CBC. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
  10. ^ Alissa Simon. "Review: Sicko". Variety. Reed. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
  11. ^ Andrew O'Hehir. "Sicko". salon.com. Salon. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
  12. ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273875,00.html
  13. ^ "No Country For Old Men and Sicko". Empire. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
  14. ^ "New Yorker review of 'Sicko'". Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  15. ^ Michael Moynihan. "Michael Moore's Shticko:His health care jeremiad won't win any converts". reason.com. Reason. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  16. ^ Michael Phillips. "Movie review: 'Sicko'". Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  17. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/10/gupta.sicko/index.html
  18. ^ Setting CNN Straight July 10, 2007
  19. ^ "'Ratatouille' Swarms Weekend Box Office". FOXNews.com. Retrieved 2007-07-02.
  20. ^ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=documentary.htm
  21. ^ Goldstein, Gregg (2007-06-18). "Pirated "Sicko" surfaces on YouTube". Reuters. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  22. ^ Gregg Goldstein. 'Sicko' leaks have studios crying malpractice. June 19, 2007.
  23. ^ MTV.com, Michael Moore Brushes Off 'Sicko' Leak, retrieved 2007-07-12
  24. ^ "Uncle Sam Probes Michael Moore (Treasury Department investigating director's unauthorized Cuba trip)". thesmokinggun.com. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
  25. ^ "Michael Moore In Trouble For Cuba Trip (Treasury Investigation; Moore Took Sept. 11 Workers To Banned Island For Treatment)". www.michaelmoore.com. Retrieved 2007-05-14.
  26. ^ "Moore fears film seizure after Cuba trip". www.reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  27. ^ ""SICKO": Damn Those Insurance Companies, Where The Heck Are They When You're Sick?"". WBAI Radio, New York. Retrieved 2007-07-08.. Audio available at http://www.radio4all.net/proginfo.php?id=23784.
  28. ^ "Canadian and U.S. Health Services -- Let's Compare the Two," Letters, Wall Street Journal, July 9, 2007; Page A13
  29. ^ LEAKED INTERNAL MEMO; 'SiCKO' Has Capital BlueCross Exec Scrambling to Respond. July 6th, 2007.
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