Sicko - Movie Review

Sicko (2007)
D: Michael Moore
Cast: Michael Moore & his hand-picked victims
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386032/

"A documentary comparing the highly profitable American health care industry to other nations, and HMO horror stories"

 
Michael Moore's best known for his docudrama Bowling of Columbine, that discussed firearms laws and regulation in the US. Often wide-eyed and constantly hiding his agenda behind a "pathetic little average American Joe looking for justice", he's received his share of criticizm as well.

There was some of this present in Fahrenheit 9/11, but luckily not so much anymore in Sicko. Sure, he drags WTC rescue workers all the way to Guantanamo Bay just to be stopped at the gates to request the same medical care for them as the prisoners receive inside. Obviously they weren't going to let him in.

Sicko makes a couple of great points, though about the American healthcare system. This is particularly relevant now, as Obama's health care bill was just passed. This is something that's been sought after by some politicians for the last 100 years, but is coming a reality only now.

Being a Scandinavian I had no clear understanding of the US healthcare system, so I will briefly explain it here. In the US you buy health insurance, so that if something goes wrong your treatment will be paid for by your insurance. We at least in theory. Moore tells the stories of numerous people that are turned down by their insurance companies because of frivolous reasons and thus are denied any treatment for their illness. According to Moore, the insurance companies hardly ever truly cover you, but try to help you out as little ass possible. If it was this bad every time, I can't understand why Obama's bill receives so much opposition in the States - even from citizens, not just the insurance companies.

So Moore's film has incidentally become very relevant to our time, even though at the time of filming this now passed health bill wasn't even heard of. For us Europeans that are mostly used to the opposite kind of healthcare, it's a great wake-up call to appreciate what we've got. Also, a study should be done accross European healthcare systems to highlight differences and similarities between them. I personally think that Finland's healthcare system would have a few things to learn from say the Britts and the French.

Check this one out, it will make you think, not sob eventhough the latter seems at times to be Moore's ultimate goal.

3 / 5