Michael Moore's Sicko

Tonight, utilizing the free tickets I procured in a fully legal manner, I went to a sneak preview of Moore’s new movie, Sicko. The 'documentary' regarding primarily the U.S. healthcare system, is standard Michael Moore fare, but with a twist… it's a little happier.

Instead of gasping in horror and becoming enraged beyond anything the puny Bruce Banner was capable of, I found myself smiling and laughing more, along with the rest of the packed theatre.

Moore tends to show the most extremes in any particular film in order to get the biggest reaction from his audiences. I guess he wants you to storm out of the theatre clutching a freshly sharpened pitchfork in one hand and freshly combusted torch in the other, march up to (usually) the White house and demand something.

Demanding stuff is pretty great, as long as you've got the facts. Speaking of facts, I loved his gross misrepresentation of Canada's healthcare system. He implies, through a few interviews, that any Canadian hospital's Emerg will have you seen by a doctor in 20 minutes or less.

Come to my city and you will find yourself waiting for 8 to 10 hours… on a GOOD day.

In fact, Canada's system is so awesomely slow that I've found myself going to the U.S., and paying, for my healthcare. But our system is pretty awesome in the monetary area. There's no denying that. Well, there IS, but you'd be considered a lunatic, stuffed into the trunk of a Yaris, and pushed into Lake Ontario.

But seriously, Free is always good, right? And what's better than free operations to have your stomach stapled or your severed arm reattached? (After all, we are not all like Astar)

The only thing I can think of is Free movie tickets. Yay! Two Martini-thumbs up for free tickets, and 1.9 Martini-thumbs up for Sicko.