Freep Review: "Michael Moore Hates America" (Dallas Premiere)

I just came from the premiere of Michael Wilson's "Michael Moore Hates America."

Michael Wilson was present at this film, and I had the pleasure of speaking with Jonathon Boyd Hunt, a man whose recent book exposes the methods of American-hating BBC.

Wilson's film is a honest investigation into the filmmaking practices of Michael Moore. In trying to get an interview with Moore, Wilson reaffirms his belief that America is a wonderful country, full of good, decent, hard-working people who are just trying to make things better for their children and their country. While he catches himself at times employing the sames methods as Moore, Wilson discovers that making a documentary has serious ethical hurdles that must be carefully overcome in order to present a fair inventory of facts. He also shows to the world how Michael Moore merely sidesteps those very obstacles.

In the showing in which I was present, the audience broke into laughter and applause throughout the film and Michael Moore was zinged with charge after damaging charge- that he outright lied during the making of "Bowling for Columbine," that he maliciously deceived the American people in "Fahrenheit 9/11," and callously dismissed his fictional hometown of Flint, MI, instead running off to live the good life in New York City.

In trying to land the elusive interview with Michael Moore, Wilson discovers that Americans are not the desperate, selfish, narcissistic people portrayed in Moore's films.

After the show, he had a Q&A session. When he called on me, I thanked him for making such a positive film about America, and asked what he thought about the modern media's bias and how that has affected their responsibilities to the American people. He joked about my convoluted quetion, saying "Dude, let's go have a beer."

I'll take you up on that beer if you ever get back to Dallas, Mr. Wilson. But I think after this outstanding documentary, you are going to be quite busy for the next few months.

Many thanks for the heads-up, LF.

I located the site and FAQ for this documentary -> http://www.michaelmoorehatesamerica.com/linksFAQ.html

Here's a bit of the FAQ:

Q: When's it coming out?

A: MMHA will premiere on September 12, 2004 at the American Film Renaissance festival in Dallas, TX. The first show, including a Q&A with Director Mike Wilson is SOLD OUT, so hurry and get your tickets for the second show. And if you have Q's, Mike will be floating around the fest to offer A's.

Q: Isn't the Republican Party behind this?

A: If there is a vast, right-wing conspiracy, Mike has the MasterCard receipts to prove they never called. The people behind this are Kerry supporters, Bush supporters, Nader supporters… they're women and men, gay and straight… It's a true Rainbow Coalition if there ever was one. And besides, the film isn't as political as people think. It's a film that challenges the shrillness that has engulfed the Big American Conversation from both sides.

Q: How can I help?

A: Be patient while we're finishing it, and then drag your friends to the theater when the film is in wide distribution.

Q: Isn't it true that you guys HATE Michael Moore?

A: Nope. But we believe that America is at its best when we debate in the arena of ideas with an open mind and passionate heart. Sometimes it seems that the really loud people on both sides are so determined to “convert” people that they're willing to stretch the truth. And we have no patience for that...

Well, I'm going to put my two cents in here now--and the rest of you can flame away.

I also attended the ARFilmfestival in Dallas over the weekend, and I loved and enjoyed every bit of it--except for the last film I saw tonight--Michael Moore Hates America. I saved this film for last, because I thought it would be the crowning touch to the film festival. About one hour into this film, I walked out.

While I agreed with the message of the film, I was sickened and disgusted with the filthy language contained in it. And, to my horror, the filth was coming from people on our side. If we can't get our point across without resorting to inserting the F word into so many statements, then we will not succeed in the arena of ideas and discussion. I am still old-fashioned enough to believe that having to resort to potty mouth speech just shows that that you really are not sure that your basic premises will stand on their own.

I was at the same showing, and I agree that the film was excellent. It is not a polemic against Michael Moore; in fact, it bends over backwards to be fair and balanced and to attempt to give him a chance to defend himself. But through his own actions, his obvious dishonesty and refusal to answer questions, he comes across much worse than he would have were the film just a partisan broadside. Wilson gives Moore the rope, and he obligingly hangs himself -- so obviously that even his own fans who are interviewed onscreen at one point notice it and comment on it.

Wilson does an excellent job of balancing several disparate threads: his fruitless pursuit of Moore for an interview, segments on how to make a documentary without turning into a dishonest propagandist, profiles of average Americans who are nothing like the mouth-breathing cartoons promoted by Michael Moore, and best of all, his interviews with people who were deceived by Moore, finally giving them a chance to set the record straight. Some are amusing, such as the bank personnel misrepresented in "Bowling for Columbine," and others more serious -- the most devasting and moving section of the film is an interview with a double amputee Iraq War vet who was used without his knowledge or consent in "Fahrenheit 9/11" to trash Bush and the military, and who calls Moore's film a "crock" and has a message for Moore that drew cheers from the audience.

In one of the best scenes, Wilson misrepresents the nature of his film to get an interview from a reluctant city official, and his co-producer tells him he is turning into Michael Moore and threatens to quit the project. Wilson realizes he's right, writes to the duped interviewee to confess, and the man agrees to let him use the footage anyway, as long as he's honest about it. Michael Moore should be forced to watch that scene about 1,000 times until it sinks through his dirty baseball cap and into his fat skull.

What Wilson has done here is more than just debunk Michael Moore. He has (one hopes) set the documentary genre back on the right road after Michael Moore helped drive it into the ditch. He has shown that it is possible to use Moore's genuine stylistic innovations -- digital video, an on-screen guide with a point of view, irreverent humor, cartoons (an hilarious game show called "Six Degrees of Conspiracy" to explain Moore's claims of how Bush is responsible for censoring his movie), etc. -- in service of a truthful, balanced documentary rather than a propaganda piece.

The film was inspiring, moving, very funny, and downright cathartic (the final, profane line belongs to Penn Jillette, and it should be embroidered on a sampler or written in cake frosting or something and sent to Michael Moore: Penn warns Wilson that if he uses editing to make it appear that he said something he didn't say or was more negative about Michael Moore than he really is, "I will hunt you down and I will f---ing kill you."

What I wouldn't give to see Mike Wilson holding up that Best Documentary Oscar next year that Michael Moore thinks is his by divine right. I won't be holding my breath for that, but I would highly recommend that everyone on this board see this film, and even more so, that everyone on DU see it as well. It might open an awful lot of eyes, and one hopes, minds.

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