Aspiring filmmaker Michael Wilson here mimics the aggressively polemical and personal style of Michael Moore to argue that his model's movies are riddled with cinematic tricks and half-truths. Unfortunately, 2004's Michael Moore Hates America winds up being more simplistic and one-sided than any of Moore's documentaries. Rambling through a rather chaotic series of episodes while trying to obtain an interview with Moore, Wilson—who emulates his subject's rumpled manner and his modus operandi from Roger & Me—uncovers instances in which Oscar-winner Moore undoubtedly manipulated footage for ideological purposes, but Wilson indulges in many of the same editorial devices himself to equally dubious effect. Although there are occasional complimentary comments from interviewees, the vast majority are critical, including typically overheated but fun observations from venerable documentarian Albert Maysles and illusionist Penn Jillette. On the other hand, David Hardy, a pompous blowhard who pontificates on everything from cinema to psychology, is identified here merely as an attorney and author rather than as a gun-rights activist who's also the proprietor of an anti-Moore website and author of an anti-Moore book. Despite his affable manner, Wilson's film is ultimately no more objective than Moore's work, and not nearly as enjoyable. Optional. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Michael Moore Hates America
(2004) 95 min. DVD: $19.98. Allumination FilmWorks (avail. from most distributors). Volume 23, Issue 1
Michael Moore Hates America
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