|
| • Advanced Search • Help |
The Big One | Year: 1998 Classification: Documentary Directed: - Michael Moore (II) Actors/Actresses: - Michael Moore (II) This Time Moore Is Less While frequently funny and quite insightful, Michael Moore's follow-up to "Roger and Me" (1989) isn't quite up to the level of its predecessor. His take on corporate America's ruthless tendency to slash U.S. jobs in favor of low-cost labor overseas and his considerable sympathy for American workers is highly commendable - even laudatory in the age of "Armageddon". But, too often, Moore makes himself the subject of the docmentary and the film constantly pushes us to see him as the champion of the underdog. His confrontations with security personnel and junior hirelings at various corporate headquarters is becoming an old schtick by now - he acts perplexed every time he's ejected from some sleek office building although he knows darn well that he's not going anywhere: these scenes are inserted simply for a cheap shot at the impersonality of the conglomerates. For all that, though, Moore has developed an appealingly rambanctious style of cienmatic populist muckracking using pranks, jokes, and anything else to "pull the p..s" out of his adversaries. He's effective when interviewing the very people squeezed out by the vicious "downsizing" of the 1980's and 1990's and his frank talk with Nike CEO, Phil Knight, eerily shows that even corporate ruthlessness can be embodied in an affable human personality. And he gets a lot of mileage with his stand-up routine against on-the-take politicans and self-justifying white-collar bosses. But he misses as many opportunities as he grabs - spending more screen time strumming with the guitarist from Cheap Trick than talking with Studs Terkel, who could have added a valuable historical perspective to the contemporary situation, and spending time playing shenanigans on his press agents when we'd really like to learn more about the working people whose cause he's defending. ("Roger and Me", which followed the lives of several people thrown out of work, provided a stronger human foundation for Moore to lob off his zingers). "The Big One" is like "Roger and Me"-lite. Moore give us more of his trademark stunts and humor and compassion but doesn't add anything that we haven't seen before. Moore's heart is in the right place and, based on the evidence presented here, he looks to be on the verge of becoming the first populist folk hero in some time. "The Big One", however, shows up the danger of taking your self-appointed role too seriously. The title may stand for America but I'm inclined to think Moore sees it as a self-tribute. Fun Movie This is a fine movie. It's extremely funny and, as always, Moore makes the audience think and the stupid look even stupider. This is NOT Roger and Me. Don't expect it to be Roger and Me. It's in a completely different format and documents Moore's book tour for his book Downsize This! (It's not a one issue in-depth film). I'm saying this because so many people are hung up on the fact that this is not a second Roger and Me. This movie is far less personal and depressing and far more spontanious and funny - basically a film companion to his book Downsize This. Take this movie for what it is: A smart docu-comedy from Michael Moore that touches on a wide variety of social issues and power abuses and documents his book tour adventures. While it may not evoke the same level of thought as Roger and Me, it's fun and it's wonderful.<BR>I don't see how one can criticize this movie for not being ctritical enough or serious enough to provoke change. It does make you think, but it also makes you laugh. What's so bad about laughing? Moore doesn't trivialize issues, he just brings humor to them. This movie never claimed to have all the answers or to be as emotionally charged as Roger and Me... those going into any movie expecting that will usually be dissapointed. <BR>Those of you who were dissapointed with this movie, however, should still look forward to Mike's next film, Bowling for Columbine, which focuses on guns in america. Perhaps this more focused work will hit the same spots as Roger and Me. As I see it, though, a little range in style and approaches is never a bad thing. And this movie works. Fans of Moore's Tv shows will know what to expect and enjoy this movie thouroughly. Moore targets hypocrisy again, WAY before Bush and "F 9/11" Like Moore's earlier film "Roger and Me", "The Big One" (Moore's tongue-in-cheek term for the large, all-encompassing corporate bohemoth that this country may eventually become) takes a disturbing yet often comical look at how Big Business is running roughshod over whatever is left of Corporate Responsibility in this country. This film is alternatingly funny and deeply depressing. Mainly, however, you want to shake Moore's hand for having the chutzpah to shove a microphone and camera in Corporate America's faces and demand they explain their "outsourcing" actions directly to the faithful and long-term employees (generations of them, in some cases) who were unceremoniously dumped in favor of cheaper overseas or over-the-border labor. These large corporations are selling America off piece by piece, in a way. They are giddily happy to lay off American workers by the thousands to make a few extra bucks, line their pockets a bit more, or hasten their Golden Parachute paydays. Sure, a primary function of a business is to make money. But when doing so to such excess involves actions that could undermine America's already fragile socio-economic fabric on a relatively grand scale, then it becomes an issue of Conscience. Moore, like many of us, realizes this. Moore rushes up to the Corporate Big Dogs (or at least the highest-ranking ones he can find or the nearest media outlet he can find) and asks the questions we wish we could ask -- he expresses the common-man outrage we wish we could express. We all have motive, but Moore has motive AND opportunity. Few of his theatrics will actually result in actual change, but perhaps they serve a higher purpose: to get us to wake up and realize that all is not well in America, that Big Business is making DAMN sure that the economic chasms between the haves and the have-nots will continue to expand, and that YOUR JOB IS NEVER, EVER GOING TO BE SAFE. The days of working for the same company from college 'til the day you retire are all but over. Your job can be taken away from you AT ANY TIME as soon as the powers-that-be at XYZ Corporation figure out that it can be economically profitable to throw your entire town out of work. And the attendant problems that go with massive layoffs: increases in crime, suicides, etc.... Well, sorry! You should have gone to Harvard Business School, got an MBA or something, and snagged one of those rare, hard-to-get jobs where you just show up, meet with your Accounting, Finance, and Legal Departments, and start divvying up the pie you are about to share. Enron, Worldcom, Pillsbury, Nike...... they aren't unique in their business practices. They are just the higher-profile ones we have all heard about. This kind of "morally and socially questionable" business practice happens everywhere. Your company may be next. How much do you have in savings right now? You'd better check. And be afraid. Be very afraid. Buy The Big One at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on The Big One Search with the Priority Search Engine on The Big One This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
|
