Manufacturing Dissent

Apart from Peter Jackson, Michael Moore is the best known film maker in the world... and he makes documentaries. In America he polarizes people with films like Roger & Me, Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11 and Sicko. Loved by the American "Left" and equally hated by the Right, his in-your-face methods and slobbish personal appearance are at odds with the usual documentary making techniques. Like most American politics, accusations of lying and deceit have been thrown at Michael Moore (then again his documentaries include similar accusations by Moore himself). Despite his unusual documentary making techniques most of the criticism of him have been from his political opponents. This documentary looks at man and his film making. Trying to get an interview with Michael Moore turns out to be next to impossible and the documentary team starts to talk to colleagues and ex-colleagues and uncovers a less than flattering portrait of Michael Moore.

Moore is accused of distorting the truth and lying, which he either denies or explains away as an effect way to get his point across. Of course Moore isn't the first documentary filmmaker to claim that the message is more important than 100% honesty. It is not clear if the makers of this documentary started from the pro-Moore position that they claimed, but that doesn't detract from flaws they point out in Moore's filmmaking techniques and personality.

The title of this movie is a play on the phrase "Manufacturing Consent" which Walter Lippmann coined to describe the process of American journalism.

Ian's rating: 3/5