Michael Moore’s prime argument in his documentary SicKo is advocating towards universal health care in the United States. He really emphasizes on appealing to the audience’s emotions through the testimonies of Americans who have been denied care for different reasons, mostly because of pre-existing conditions. He takes the audience through a roller coaster ride of emotions from empathizing with a 79 year old who still works for his medication, to feeling envious of countries like France and Cuba who have free universal health care.
Although Moore greatly appeals to the audience emotions throughout the film, he establishes credibility when he interviews the insurance company workers and doctors from other countries. I noticed however he focused on interviewing many people from other countries or Americans who live there.
As always Moore has a certain style to his films, it is evident with his biased side comments of Bush, 9/11, terrorist attacks, his sarcastic montages, and his appearances in his own film. He rounds up the Americans he met along the way of making the film and leads them to Guantanamo Bay for the only place in America where health care is free. Since they couldn't go in they go to Cuba where there is free health care. Those scenes when the Americans are thanking the Cuban doctors for their care and realizing they don't have to pay, it really drives the point Moore is trying to make.
Before the discussion in class, I thought Moore's documentary was fool-proof. But I couldn't be more wrong. I felt bamboozled for eating up this documentary, agreeing and believing everything Moore created.
ReplyDeleteAt first, I just thought my classmates were so opinionated that they didn't have an opinion on anything. They just were set in their opinions so watching a documentary wasn't going to change their mind. Since this is about the healthcare reform, I really disagreed with most of my classmates who are clearly conservatives. I come from the poorest county in the United States, where 98% of the population is Hispanic and below the poverty line. I have gone to school with people who have never had health care in their lives because their parents could not afford it. So I guess yes I am for a universal health care plan. But after discussion, I felt stupid for being the only one to actually be on Moore's side. I didn't speak up as much because everyone else was ganging up on Moore's film and argument.