STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
Nearly two years ago, in November 2016, the world was stunned when Donald Trump unexpectedly, unbelievably became the 45th president of the United States, beating the assumed nominee Hilary Clinton. Fervent critic Michael Moore here delivers a scathing indictment of the man, but also of the system that allowed him to win, the transgressions of Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as highlighting the water crisis in his hometown of Flint, where the governor allowed the citizens to drink dirty water to appease corporate interests, and also the teachers strike in West Virginia, and the Parkland school shooting.
Avowed democrat and socialist Moore has taken on the gun lobby, the American healthcare system, and former president George Bush in his past works, but since his last film, 2015's Where to Invade Next, he's become more involved in the mainstream with his (perhaps not surprising) loathing of President Trump and his victory in the presidential battle. The more his name has become known, the more of a caricature he's become, with many mocking his left wing politics and social justice antics, and, in turn, his audience has grown smaller (unfairly, perhaps), since it seems to many as though he has an agenda to plug (which he does) and, in turn, his films have had smaller distribution, found it harder to get financing and not done so well at the box office, and Fahrenheit 11/9 is probably his least seen film yet.
With this in mind, it seems only fair to note that with Fahrenheit 11/9, he does seem to be displaying an acute sense of self-awareness. Rather than making a predictable, alienating Trump battering ram of a film, he makes the man not quite a side note, but not entirely the main focus, either. He seems aware that if not everyone feels the same hate towards him that he does, it will just put people off. There's a smattering of anti Trump stuff we've already heard (although I really doubt Gwen Stefani was all to blame!) but he also tenders fair blame to Clinton and her Goldman Sachs/Wall Street shenaningans, as well as Obama and his carpet bombing of Libya, not to mention some surprising complimentary comments he's had in the past from the likes of Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner (and even Trump himself!)
While it's full of interesting facts and is presented in Moore's typical waning, cynical style that we've all come to know and love, stretching at over two hours, it feels like there's a bit too much crammed in (much like this review!), and maybe Moore's become a bit self indulgent in his later years. By the end, you feel like you've had too much to process and, for a second, it seems like the film itself has, with the screen breaking up, before a send up of the 'Trump text alerts' and an admittedly powerful, resounding ending that at least rounds it off well. All the same, you can't help feeling the formula's beginning to crack. ***
Nearly two years ago, in November 2016, the world was stunned when Donald Trump unexpectedly, unbelievably became the 45th president of the United States, beating the assumed nominee Hilary Clinton. Fervent critic Michael Moore here delivers a scathing indictment of the man, but also of the system that allowed him to win, the transgressions of Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as highlighting the water crisis in his hometown of Flint, where the governor allowed the citizens to drink dirty water to appease corporate interests, and also the teachers strike in West Virginia, and the Parkland school shooting.
Avowed democrat and socialist Moore has taken on the gun lobby, the American healthcare system, and former president George Bush in his past works, but since his last film, 2015's Where to Invade Next, he's become more involved in the mainstream with his (perhaps not surprising) loathing of President Trump and his victory in the presidential battle. The more his name has become known, the more of a caricature he's become, with many mocking his left wing politics and social justice antics, and, in turn, his audience has grown smaller (unfairly, perhaps), since it seems to many as though he has an agenda to plug (which he does) and, in turn, his films have had smaller distribution, found it harder to get financing and not done so well at the box office, and Fahrenheit 11/9 is probably his least seen film yet.
With this in mind, it seems only fair to note that with Fahrenheit 11/9, he does seem to be displaying an acute sense of self-awareness. Rather than making a predictable, alienating Trump battering ram of a film, he makes the man not quite a side note, but not entirely the main focus, either. He seems aware that if not everyone feels the same hate towards him that he does, it will just put people off. There's a smattering of anti Trump stuff we've already heard (although I really doubt Gwen Stefani was all to blame!) but he also tenders fair blame to Clinton and her Goldman Sachs/Wall Street shenaningans, as well as Obama and his carpet bombing of Libya, not to mention some surprising complimentary comments he's had in the past from the likes of Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner (and even Trump himself!)
While it's full of interesting facts and is presented in Moore's typical waning, cynical style that we've all come to know and love, stretching at over two hours, it feels like there's a bit too much crammed in (much like this review!), and maybe Moore's become a bit self indulgent in his later years. By the end, you feel like you've had too much to process and, for a second, it seems like the film itself has, with the screen breaking up, before a send up of the 'Trump text alerts' and an admittedly powerful, resounding ending that at least rounds it off well. All the same, you can't help feeling the formula's beginning to crack. ***