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| url =http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2006-07-07
| url =http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2006-07-07
| accessdate=2006-09-05
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}} </ref> The film investigates the American for-profit [[health insurance]] and [[pharmaceutical industries]], comparing them with the [[publicly-funded health care]] systems in other countries. ''Sicko'' criticizes the [[American health care system]], which is ranked number 37 in the world by the [[World Health Organization]], and is the only [[industrialized nation]] that does not offer free, basic health care to all of its citizens.<ref>{{cite web| last =Masters| first =Kim| title =Michael Moore's 'Sicko' Flogs U.S. Health Care| work =Morning Edition| publisher =[[National Public Radio]]| date =2007-06-20| url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11208212| accessdate = 2007-07-20 }}</ref> The American system, which is portrayed as maximizing profit at the expense of patient care, is contrasted with the [[universal health care]] systems of [[Canadian and American health care systems compared|Canada]], the [[National Health Service|United Kingdom]], [[France#Public_health|France]], and [[Cuba]].
}} </ref> The film investigates the American for-profit [[health insurance]] and [[pharmaceutical industries]], comparing them with the [[publicly-funded health care]] systems in other countries. ''Sicko'' criticizes the [[American health care system]] on the grounds that it is the only [[industrialized nation]] that does not offer free, basic health care to all of its citizens.<ref>{{cite web| last =Masters| first =Kim| title =Michael Moore's 'Sicko' Flogs U.S. Health Care| work =Morning Edition| publisher =[[National Public Radio]]| date =2007-06-20| url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11208212| accessdate = 2007-07-20 }}</ref> The American system, which is portrayed as maximizing profit at the expense of patient care, is contrasted with the [[universal health care]] systems of [[Canadian and American health care systems compared|Canada]], the [[National Health Service|United Kingdom]], [[France#Public_health|France]], and [[Cuba]].


Although the film received positive reviews and Moore was hailed as an [[Auteur theory|auteur]], the film's [[Exposé (journalism)|exposé]] of the problems in the American health care system generated criticism and controversy during its release.
Although the film received positive reviews and Moore was hailed as an [[Auteur theory|auteur]], the film's [[Exposé (journalism)|exposé]] of the problems in the American health care system generated criticism and controversy during its release.

Revision as of 06:39, 22 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 22, 2007
LanguagesEnglish, French, Spanish
For other uses, see Sicko (disambiguation).

Sicko is a documentary film by director Michael Moore, released in the United States and Canada on June 22 2007.[1] The film investigates the American for-profit health insurance and pharmaceutical industries, comparing them with the publicly-funded health care systems in other countries. Sicko criticizes the American health care system on the grounds that it is the only industrialized nation that does not offer free, basic health care to all of its citizens.[2] The American system, which is portrayed as maximizing profit at the expense of patient care, is contrasted with the universal health care systems of Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Cuba.

Although the film received positive reviews and Moore was hailed as an auteur, the film's exposé of the problems in the American health care system generated criticism and controversy during its release.

Synopsis

It's 2006, and almost 50 million Americans are uninsured, and those who are covered are often victims of insurance company red tape. Interviews are conducted with both types, including former employees of insurance companies, who describe cost cutting initiatives that encourage bonuses for insurance company physicians to legally deny medical treatments for policy holders.

In Canada, Moore speaks to his relatives and other Canadians about their health care system. He learns about Tommy Douglas, who was voted the Greatest Canadian in 2004 for his contributions to the Canadian health system. Moore interviews a microsurgeon and people waiting in the emergency room of a Canadian public hospital.

The history of health care debate in the U.S. is explained, as pundits argue against universal health care systems with the backdrop of 1950s-style anti-communist propaganda. A record distributed by the American Medical Association in the 1960s, narrated by Ronald Reagan, warns that universal health care could lead to communism. To counter this statement Moore shows images of American police, fire service, postal service, public education and community libraries, which are said to be "socialized" services that have not led to communism. The origins of the Health Maintenance Organization Act of 1973 become evident in a taped conversation between John Ehrlichman and President Richard Nixon on February 17, 1971, leading to the expansion of the modern HMO-based health care system. Connections are highlighted between Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the lobbying arm of the largest drug companies in the United States, lobbying groups in Washington D.C., and the United States Congress. Hillary Clinton, who once championed the Clinton health care plan, is called the Senate's second-highest recipient of health care industry campaign donations.

In a National Health Service (NHS) hospital in the United Kingdom, Moore attempts to find in-hospital expenses incurred by patients, only to be told laughingly that there are no out-of-pocket payments. Pharmaceuticals are free of charge if one is younger than 16 and older than 60, and subsidized so only a maximum of ₤6.65 is charged. Moore finds a counter labeled "Cashier", discovering that low-income patients receive money to reimburse their trip to the hospital. Interviews include Tony Benn, a British former Member of Parliament, an NHS general practitioner, and an American woman residing in Great Britain.

In France, Moore interviews the head of Obstetrics and Gynecology in a French hospital, and a group of Americans living in France. He also rides with "SOS Médecins", a 24-hour French medical service that provides house calls by physicians.[3] Moore says that the French government provides exceptional social services, such as day care for $1 an hour, and neonatal support that includes cooking, cleaning, and laundry services for new mothers.

Interviews with 9/11 rescue workers who volunteered after the September 11, 2001 attacks reveal that they were denied government funds to care for physical and psychological maladies they had subsequently developed, including respiratory disease and PTSD. Unable to receive medical care in the U.S., the 9/11 rescue workers sail from Miami to Cuba on three speedboats in order to obtain free medical care provided for the enemy combatants detained at the U.S. Guantanamo Bay detainment camp. The group arrives at the entrance channel to "Gitmo" and Moore uses a megaphone to request access, pleading for the 9/11 victims to receive treatment that is on par with the medical attention the "evildoers" are receiving. Moore gives up when a siren is blown from the base, and the group moves on to Havana, where they purchase cheap medicine and receive free medical treatment.[4] Providing only their name and birth date, the volunteers are hospitalized and receive medical attention; Moore asks the physicians to provide the same level of care they would give to Cuban citizens.

Moore emphasizes that people should be "taking care of each other, no matter the differences". To demonstrate his personal commitment to this theme, Moore sends an anonymous US $12,000 cheque to Jim Kenefick, webmaster of MooreWatch, which Moore describes as "the biggest anti-Moore website on the internet." Kenefick was forced to close the website because he needed US $12,000 to pay for his wife's medical treatment. Moore explains his charitable contribution, saying he doesn't want the health care system to trump the first amendment. Upon receipt of the anonymous cheque, Kenefick calls the anonymous Moore his "Guardian Angel", and continues to criticize Moore on his website.[5]

Release

Sicko premiered at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival on May 19 2007, where 2,000 people applauded loudly after the film's first Cannes screening at the packed Grand Theatre Lumiere, the main festival auditorium.[6]

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. It also had an early premiere in Washington D.C. the week before its North American release.

Box office

Sicko made $4.5 million on its opening weekend.[7] In 441 theaters, it took in an average of $10,204 per theater, the second highest average gross of the weekend. As of July 16, Sicko has grossed $15,876,000 in the United States, which makes it the fifth-highest grossing documentary of all time.[8]

Moore announced that all Canadian nurses would be able to see the film, free of charge, saying in a statement "Nurses across Canada are on the front line in the battle against those forces who want to inch the Canadian health-care system toward the American way. They know that once a Canadian sees Sicko, the last thing they will want is an American-style approach".[9]

Critical reaction

Sicko at the Cannes Film Festival receiving a standing ovation

The movie has received a 91% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[10] Following early viewings at the Cannes Film Festival, Variety described Sicko as "an affecting and entertaining dissection of the American health care industry",[11] concluding it should play well internationally. Moore has nonetheless been quoted as saying, "I know the storm awaits me back in the United States."[12]

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."[13]

British film magazine Empire commented that "Sicko is the film that truly reveals Moore as an auteur."[14]

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."[15]. 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".[16] 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?"[17]

Critical reviews denounced the film for its one-sided argument which omits discussing the drawbacks of universal health care.[18][19] Critics charge the film for failing to recognize economic tradeoffs in healthcare policy and for not discussing the drawbacks of universal health care in Canada, Britain, France and Cuba.[20] [21] [22] Some Canadian critics did not like Michael Moore's glamorization of the Canadian health care system.[23] Peter Howell, in The Toronto Star, wrote: "Sicko makes it seem as if Canada's socialized medicine is flawless and that Canadians are satisfied with the status quo." Howell wrote that he and other Canadian journalists criticized Moore at Cannes for inaccurately contending that Canadians only had to wait for minutes for health care, rather than much longer waiting periods.[23]

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.[24] 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.[25] When asked about the leak, Moore said:[26]

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.


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.[27][28] 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.[29] 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 at Guantanamo Bay, no warning from the guard tower was given, a siren was sounded and Moore decided to turn around for safety.

Rich Lowry, editor of National Review wrote in his syndicated column that Moore whitewashes the health-care system in Cuba, describing it as better than that in the United States, although "According to a 2004 story in the Canadian National Post: 'Hospitals are falling apart, surgeons lack basic supplies and must reuse latex gloves. Patients must buy their sutures on the black market and provide bed sheets and food for extended hospital stays.'"[30][31]

In an interview with Time Magazine, Moore states "I’m not trumpeting Castro or his regime. I just want to say to fellow Americans, "C’mon, we’re the United States! If they can [provide care for all] we can do it."[32] Fidel Castro is also referred to as a "dictator" in the film.

Response

Moore said that executive producer Harvey Weinstein, whose company provided financing for the film and is a friend of the Clinton family, asked him to remove a scene critical of Hillary Clinton, but Moore refused.[33]

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.[34] However, Michael C. Moynihan of Reason said that Moore's "jeremiad" presented an oversimplified view of healthcare and would not win any converts.[16]

Health care industry professionals are responding to depictions of their organizations. In a letter responding to a Wall Street Journal op-ed by David Gratzer that was critical of the movie[35], 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.[36] 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.[37]

Sanjay Gupta

A July 9, 2007 broadcast of CNN's "The Situation Room"[38] aired a "fact check" segment in which CNN's senior health correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta attempted to verify facts in SiCKO. Immediately following the segment, Moore was interviewed live on CNN by Wolf Blitzer. Moore stated that Gupta's report was inaccurate and biased. Moore accused CNN and Gupta of being biased in favor of the drug industry because most of the sponsors for their medical coverage, including Dr. Gupta's reports, were drug companies.

On his website, Moore gave a point-by-point rebuttal.[39] After a debate with Moore on Larry King Live, Gupta posted a message about his position on Sicko and CNN's coverage.[40] CNN released a statement on July 15, 2007 that responds to Michael Moore's list of items.[41] Regarding the 'fudging of facts' accusation, the unnamed CNN spokesman said that "by mixing types of data and time periods in some of Moore's comparisons, Gupta felt that the film effectively fudged points that could have been made just as compellingly by comparing data from the same source and time period."

Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, a left-wing media watchdog group, said that "Gupta's failure to retract the other falsehoods, beyond his "transcribing" error, suggests that facts are actually of little importance to him compared to maintaining the pretense that he is an expert."[42] However, in a syndicated column, L. Brent Bozell III, president of the right-wing Media Research Center, said that CNN gave three hours and ten minutes of free publicity to Moore on its shows Larry King Live and The Situation Room, that Gupta's "fairly mild report" was factually accurate, and that Moore's response "walked away from the facts."[43]

Gary Schwitzer, a journalism professor at University of Minnesota who reviews health care reporting, said, "CNN doesn’t have a journalist that can stand up to Moore on a discussion about health care policy issues because it doesn’t have a journalist that has researched health policy issues in this country as much as Moore and his documentary team has."[44]

See also

References

  1. ^ "An Update from Michael Moore (and an invitation to his film festival)". www.michaelmoore.com. Retrieved 2006-09-05.
  2. ^ Masters, Kim (2007-06-20). "Michael Moore's 'Sicko' Flogs U.S. Health Care". Morning Edition. National Public Radio. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  3. ^ Cohn, Jonathan (2007-07-020). "Shticko". The New Republic. Retrieved 2007-07-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ "Moore unveils Sicko at Cannes". InTheNews.co.uk. 2007-05-14. Retrieved 2007-05-23.
  5. ^ Since finding out that the anonymous donation would be shown in the movie, Kenefick has responded on his website, criticising Moore for sending an anonymous cheque but then including it in his movie, saying Moore was "using" him. See: 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)
  6. ^ "Michael Moore's Sicko gets audience thumbs-up at Cannes". CBC Arts. CBC. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
  7. ^ "'Ratatouille' Swarms Weekend Box Office". FOXNews.com. Retrieved 2007-07-02.
  8. ^ Box Office Mojo - Documentary Movies
  9. ^ Canadian nurses to see Sicko for free
  10. ^ "Sicko". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
  11. ^ Alissa Simon. "Review: Sicko". Variety. Reed. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
  12. ^ Andrew O'Hehir. "Sicko". salon.com. Salon. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
  13. ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273875,00.html
  14. ^ "No Country For Old Men and Sicko". Empire. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
  15. ^ "New Yorker review of 'Sicko'". Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  16. ^ a b Michael Moynihan. "Michael Moore's Shticko:His health care jeremiad won't win any converts". reason.com. Reason. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  17. ^ Michael Phillips. "Movie review: 'Sicko'". Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  18. ^ Ansen, David (2007-06-22). "Michael Moore's Cure for What Ails Us". Entertainment. Newsweek. Retrieved 2007-07-21. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ Loder, Kurt (2007-06-27). "'Sicko': Heavily Doctored". MTV Movie News. MTV. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  20. ^ Dan Mitchell (2007-07-07). "What's Lacking in 'Sicko'". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  21. ^ Daniel Weintraub. "Where Moore's 'Sicko' becomes a no-no". Retrieved 2007-07-15.
  22. ^ Michael C. Moynihan. "Michael Moore's Shticko". Retrieved 2007-07-15.
  23. ^ a b Howell, Peter (2007-05-20). "Canadian media needle Sicko". Entertainment. The Toronto Star. Retrieved 2007-07-21. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  24. ^ Goldstein, Gregg (2007-06-18). "Pirated "Sicko" surfaces on YouTube". Reuters. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  25. ^ Gregg Goldstein. 'Sicko' leaks have studios crying malpractice. June 19, 2007.
  26. ^ MTV.com, Michael Moore Brushes Off 'Sicko' Leak, retrieved 2007-07-12
  27. ^ "Uncle Sam Probes Michael Moore (Treasury Department investigating director's unauthorized Cuba trip)". thesmokinggun.com. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
  28. ^ "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.
  29. ^ "Moore fears film seizure after Cuba trip". www.reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
  30. ^ Lowry, Rich (2007-05-22). "Sicko: Michael Moore's sickness". National Review. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  31. ^ See also: Vincent, Isabel. (July 7, 2004). For Cubans, a bitter pill. National Post.
  32. ^ "Moore in The E.R." pnhp.org. 2007-05-17. Retrieved 2007-05-24.
  33. ^ See “Moore Says Weinstein Wanted Clinton Scene Cut”, Washington Post, Accessed June 26, 2007.
  34. ^ ""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 Building Bridges: Michael Moore Interview - Sicko {{cite web}}: External link in |quote= (help).
  35. ^ Who's Really Sicko?
  36. ^ Bell, Robert S. (2007-07-09). "Canadian and U.S. Health Services -- Let's Compare the Two". Letters. Wall Street Journal. pp. A13. Retrieved 2007-07-21. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  37. ^ LEAKED INTERNAL MEMO; 'SiCKO' Has Capital BlueCross Exec Scrambling to Respond. July 6th, 2007.
  38. ^ Transcripts. THE SITUATION ROOM. CNN's Dr. Gupta looks at "Sicko" and Some Facts Are Incorrect. Aired July 9, 2007 - 1900ET
  39. ^ http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/news/article_10017.php
  40. ^ My conversation with Michael Moore, Sanjay Gupta, CNN.com, July 11, 2007, retrieved on July 11, 2007.
  41. ^ "CNN's response to Michael Moore". CNN.com/entertainment. CNN. 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
  42. ^ "CNN vs. SiCKO". Action Alert. Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting. 2007-07-11. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  43. ^ "Michael Moore v. CNN". Creators' Syndicate. 2007-07-18. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  44. ^ Schwitzer health news blog, July 10, 2007, Michael Moore blitzes Wolf on CNN.
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