"He is provocative. He preaches. He often cherry-picks data to justify his conclusions. But there is a reason Michael Moore is the most successful documentary-maker on the planet: he can drive home a palatable message in hugely entertaining and accessible fashion.
"'Where to Invade Next' is Moore’s first film since Capitalism: A Love Story in 2009. The title may conjure up some strident antiwar harangue, but the content has little to do with that.
"Rather, it is more a cautionary tale about lost American values that Moore has found in other countries. In simple terms, it’s about how the U.S. has gone from being a 'we' nation to a 'me' nation.
"Hilariously cynical though he may be, this one might be Moore’s most sincere offering to date. Yes, the man really does have a heart.
"The premise for this invasion is that Moore jokes he has been summoned by the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff for assistance, because 'we don’t know what the f..k we’re doing.' They lament that they haven’t won a war since the Second World War, despite the fact they have spent trillions in battles in the ensuing years.
"So Moore announces that his country’s leaders should consider adopting another policy approach: ceasing foreign wars and showing a little love to its citizenry. Moore then decides to invade civilizations — mostly in Europe — that have adopted a more humane attitude in dealing with its people.
"But far from condemning his native U.S., Moore points out that many of the progressive human-rights values adopted by the countries he has invaded have roots in America. He suggests that perhaps it’s time to retrieve/embrace them again.
"Hard to take issue with that." - Montreal Gazette
Printer-friendly version
