Where to Invade Next

Director: Michael Moore

I had written Michael Moore off after his last couple of films. I had grown tired of his antics and worse still, his tendency to play fast and loose with facts. He has always had an axe to grind and has chosen his targets well, but he more often than not makes extraordinary leaps of logic when more thoughtful analysis might be more effective. Moore's penchant for drawing connections that seem related on the surface; like America's gun problem and its military spending, is only one example of his imaginative but flawed reasoning. His critics, which are hardly relegated to the right, are justified in castigating him for his ability to make interviewees look stupid while documentary film-makers are wont to dismiss his work as sensationalist and un-documentary-like. He alienated my sympathy in Bowling for Columbine, when, after being allowed into Charlton Heston's home, he tried to shame the actor for being a spokesman for the NRA by showing him a photo of a young black girl who had been shot in Detroit. The image of a dejected Heston walking slowly away from the interview and the subsequent shot of Moore placing said photo in his yard was the pinnacle of self-righteousness indignation and misplaced incrimination.
So I was less than enthused to see Moore's new film; Where to Invade Next; expecting it to be more of Moore's propaganda but I have to say I was shocked to find how much I liked it. Though one should always be skeptical of his conclusions, those Moore arrived at in his film will bear scrutiny.

When first reading the title to his latest film, I thought Moore's target might be the U.S. government's misguided military interventions and failed foreign policies. The real subject of his film deals with Europe's successes in social development and securing the well-being of its citizens and how America has failed in comparison. Why do European governments seem to devote more money and resources to making people's lives better? How does a small country like Finland continually rank number one in education while the world's economic colossus is a dismal twenty-nine? Those riddles and others are the focus of Moore's new film.

The film begins in a humorous, Moore-esque manner as he pretends to answer a summons from the Pentagon, who seek his counsel as to where America should invade next. Armed with the stars and stripes, Moore sets out to "invade" Europe.
One of his first stops is France, specifically Normandy, where Moore shows us what I thought might be a typical dish served in a French restaurant; only to discover the delectable plate of food is in fact a typical French-school meal. Moore joins a group of school children at their lunch table and as Moore observes, the children are taught not only valuable eating habits, but how to comport themselves during a meal. We see a student act as designated server and we also see the meal itself, where the default beverage is water. Moore talks to school officials to get an idea as to how the French manage to serve meals that are not only healthy but exceptionally delicious. He discovers the school officials are meticulous, thoughtful and creative in how they plan the meals. To see the children's faces when Moore shows them pictures of what American kids typically eat in school cafeterias, which look unappetizing and unhealthy in comparison, is a terrific moment Moore doesn't miss on camera. The incredible-looking meal is interrupted by Moore, who half-jokingly opens a can of coke at the table. While most of the kids refuse the drink, one girl bravely takes a long pull but remains unimpressed. The very sight of a coke at the meal might induce a feeling of revulsion in the viewer.

We see Moore visit a couple in Italy to illustrate how the Italian government contributes to the well-being of its own citizens. We learn from the couple that eight-weeks of vacation is government-mandated while the extra time allotted for newlyweds and women with newborns is the norm. As surprising are the lunch breaks average Italians enjoy, which are typically two-hours. The health and happiness of the citizenry is regarded by the government and Italians as basic rights.

Continuing his tour of the Europe, Moore finds himself in Finland, where he (and we) learn how the number one-ranked educational system in the world has achieved that distinction. What is especially surprising, as Moore discovers, is that the principles behind its success are really American. An interview with faculty and students in a Finnish high school is particularly astonishing, as Moore is flabbergasted to learn homework is frowned upon while extracurricular activity is highly valued.

In Slovenia, Moore shows us that the notion of accrued debt from the costs of college is almost unheard of. In further pursuing this phenomenon, Moore finds that a previous attempt to introduce tuition was met by violent protests. The American students Moore interviews, who have chosen to study in Slovenia, cite the absurd cost of tuition in the U.S. as their reason for pursuing a degree abroad.

Moore also visits Iceland and learns how a female-driven entrepreneurial spirit helped save the country from economic ruin. Moore reminds us of the Iceland's relatively recent financial crisis, where a group of bankers defaulted on loans that nearly collapsed the economy. The fact that that the men responsible for the debacle were subsequently sentenced and sent to jail is a fact Moore doesn't hesitate to contrast with the American economic downturn; where accountability was nil.

Moore is careful to mention that every country has it own share of problems but where they succeed only helps to highlight America's conspicuous failures.

Perhaps the most moving moment in the film is Moore's interview with a young Tunisian woman who offers her perspicacious view on what America can learn from not only her country but others as well. Her incredible monologue prompted scattered applause in the audience.

An astonishing fact, stated earlier, is that many of the ideas implemented by the respective countries have an American origin; which several foreign interviewees are keen to point out.

I found Moore's film to be his most sobering and his least factually suspect. Readings of news periodicals from the past twenty-years will support most of his claims. In fact, most of what Moore addresses in his film is hardly new or news; he merely illuminates.

Though Moore's humor is a key component in all his work, his funny jabs and barbs are deployed sparingly, as are his said antics, which sometimes got the best of him in his previous films.

In examining some of Europe's sociopolitical successes, Moore is really commenting on how America is failing its people in the areas of healthcare, education, economic well-being and even our prison system, which has become an apparatus of oppression.

I thought I knew what was in store for me before I saw Moore's film. I didn't realize that I would still be thinking about Where to Invade Next weeks after the screening. What Moore has to say about America's failings couldn't be more timely. If only someone would listen.