Capitalism: A Love Story

Movies can capture America's ethical or moral values of the moment, revealing who we are as individuals and as a society. In this sense, docu-dramatist Michael Moore has shown an uncanny ability to be ahead of the curve of public awareness, with Roger & Me chronicling the collapse of our auto industry, Bowling for Columbine taking on gun control, Fahrenheit 9/11 challenging the military-industrial complex, and Sicko detailing how the insurance industry and pharmaceutical companies are dictating governmental decisions about healthcare. Now Moore delivers an incontrovertible indictment of our financial system—covering everything from Wall Street's greed and Washington's corruption to the tidal wave of mortgage foreclosures. Capitalism: A Love Story begins by juxtaposing the fall of the Roman Empire with contemporary America, before shifting to a look at the human cost of our current economic crisis: namely, a hard-working family being evicted from their home. Courting controversy, Moore tries to arrest AIG executives and puts yellow “crime scene” tape around the New York Stock Exchange. Did you know that there are “dead peasant” insurance policies that allow companies to profit from their employees' untimely deaths? That many airline pilots earn poverty-level pay? That President Franklin Roosevelt called for a second Bill of Rights to guarantee all Americans a good education, a useful job, a decent home, and adequate healthcare? Is that socialism? Viewers will, of course, draw their own conclusions. But Moore's message is clear: dissent, argue, protest--just don't be apathetic. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include extensive bonus segments from filmmaker Michael Moore on topics including real estate, banks, and healthy eating (88 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is an additional scene with Harvard professor Elizabeth Warren (8 min.), and a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a winning doc.] (S. Granger)