If you have at least two marbles rolling around in your head, you can't watch SICKO and not realize the extreme lopsidedness of this well-filmed documentary. I should preface that comment with the fact that I've worked in the medical field for over two decades and know full-well that the insurance system in our country (the U.S.) is broken.
Having enjoyed Michael Moore's previous documentaries (BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE and FAHRENHEIT 9/11), there's always been a problem with his representation of only one side of the issues. Granted that "the other side" pushes back in different ways (governmental regulations, etc.), I feel Mr. Moore could improve his standing as an upright denizen of justice (as he know doubt sees himself) if he would pull in opposing views. Bowling and Fahrenheit did some of that, but not much. And here with Sicko, Mr. Moore doesn't do it at all.
The biggest problem is that Mr. Moore shows the downtrodden in America, those on the lower income scale (mostly), or those without homes (the disoriented lady dropped off on a corner by a cab driver after being released from a hospital), but doesn't show this same economic class when comparing insurance related issues in socialized countries (Great Britain and France). In countries with socialized medicine, Mr. Moore focuses his lens on the middle or upper class, making it seem that this is the epitome of what the U.S. lacks. Socialized medicine is shown as the golden chalice, something that will fix our ailing medical and insurance industries. The fact is that socialized medicine probably IS what the U.S. needs, but we also need to see the downside to it. Taxes will be affected heavily, wait times for various tests will probably increase, and incomes for doctors and other healthcare professionals will be curtailed. The amazing thing to me is that I don't find any of these things off-putting. I'm willing to pay extra taxes, have increased patient loads for tests, and to have my salary dropped ...if everyone in our great nation could be covered.
For all its flaws, Sicko is entertaining. And it makes anyone who watches it think about how messed up our healthcare systems are. Seeing Cuba's minimalist medical practices is fun to watch but Mr. Moore doesn't show their limited medical supplies. Watching him and his entourage go to GitMo to try and get free healthcare was laughable and a bit stupid, though (all he needed to do to prove that there is a socialized system already in the U.S. is to go to a federal prison ...but that wouldn't have been as dramatic).
If Mr. Moore wants to increase his exposure and retain a semblance of authority on anything he films, he'll need to improve his standards as far as showing the issues from multiple viewpoints and multiple socio-economic households.
Having enjoyed Michael Moore's previous documentaries (BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE and FAHRENHEIT 9/11), there's always been a problem with his representation of only one side of the issues. Granted that "the other side" pushes back in different ways (governmental regulations, etc.), I feel Mr. Moore could improve his standing as an upright denizen of justice (as he know doubt sees himself) if he would pull in opposing views. Bowling and Fahrenheit did some of that, but not much. And here with Sicko, Mr. Moore doesn't do it at all.
The biggest problem is that Mr. Moore shows the downtrodden in America, those on the lower income scale (mostly), or those without homes (the disoriented lady dropped off on a corner by a cab driver after being released from a hospital), but doesn't show this same economic class when comparing insurance related issues in socialized countries (Great Britain and France). In countries with socialized medicine, Mr. Moore focuses his lens on the middle or upper class, making it seem that this is the epitome of what the U.S. lacks. Socialized medicine is shown as the golden chalice, something that will fix our ailing medical and insurance industries. The fact is that socialized medicine probably IS what the U.S. needs, but we also need to see the downside to it. Taxes will be affected heavily, wait times for various tests will probably increase, and incomes for doctors and other healthcare professionals will be curtailed. The amazing thing to me is that I don't find any of these things off-putting. I'm willing to pay extra taxes, have increased patient loads for tests, and to have my salary dropped ...if everyone in our great nation could be covered.
For all its flaws, Sicko is entertaining. And it makes anyone who watches it think about how messed up our healthcare systems are. Seeing Cuba's minimalist medical practices is fun to watch but Mr. Moore doesn't show their limited medical supplies. Watching him and his entourage go to GitMo to try and get free healthcare was laughable and a bit stupid, though (all he needed to do to prove that there is a socialized system already in the U.S. is to go to a federal prison ...but that wouldn't have been as dramatic).
If Mr. Moore wants to increase his exposure and retain a semblance of authority on anything he films, he'll need to improve his standards as far as showing the issues from multiple viewpoints and multiple socio-economic households.