Manufacturing Dissent (2007)
Sam: ***
- An unknown documentary filmmaker gives Michael Moore the Roger & Me treatment — following him around trying to get an interview, & failing. Meanwhile she becomes increasingly disenchanted with her subject. Apparently, Roger (Smith) actually did allow Moore to interview him, on film (for ten or fifteen minutes). And Moore edited R&M so that it seemed his mic was cut off at a GM shareholders’ meeting, but it wasn’t. Etc. But even one of his critics says in the movie that (Moore is subtly deceptive but) Moore doesn’t let many overtly erroneous statements into his movies. So his movies should be viewed as editorials that are mostly factually accurate. Supposedly people either love MM or hate him, but that’s about what I thought before seeing this.
Emma: **
- The director, Debbie Melnyk, claimed to be fan of Moore’s who became disappointed with him but it seemed she was out to get him from the beginning. Maybe Moore figured this out and that’s why he decided not the let her interview him. A lot of Melnyk’s criticisms seemed petty; like Moore owes her something.
