Manufacturing Dissent

Debbie Melnyk, Michael Moore, Ralph Nader and many others

Dirs. Debbie Melnyk & Rick Caine

Michael Moore is a bad man. His methods are somewhat questionable and his movies, although usually entertaining, should be watched with a degree of caution. This is one of the messages of Manufacturing Dissent and there is nothing particularly startling about this message – his films have been pulled and picked apart by many critics and fellow film-makers. But Manufacturing Dissent is still an interesting and enlightening film about a man who has changed the face of documentary film-making forever.

Debbie Melnyk, a softly spoken Canadian, sets out to make a film about Michael Moore, a man she admires. As production progresses, however, she has a change of heart. Why? Well, she talks to many people (film critics, Ralph Nadar supporters, Republicans) who have a few secrets to tell about Mike. And, more importantly, the man himself refuses to give her an interview and his staff are downright rude to her. There is no doubt that this film ends up being somewhat of a public vendetta against a very unhelpful man, which seems slightly ridiculous. She approaches him several times, for example, in the two months leading up to the 2004 election. During that time, he toured hundreds of universities throughout America to try and get the youth to vote. I don’t really blame him for refusing to do a sit-down interview with her at this time – no doubt he suspected her film might not paint him in the best light; but there is also no doubt he was extremely busy.

Putting aside her eventual motives however, this film is very interesting. Moore undoubtedly has had a huge effect on documentary film-making. His movies – Roger and Me, Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11 – have made millions of dollars, won him Oscars and many other awards, gained him a powerful and vocal support base. His films have also, as Melnyk notes, inspired an equally vocal opposition – there are hundreds of websites debunking his movies and she concludes that his campaign to get the vote out in the 2004 election helped mobilise Republicans to vote as much as it did Democrats. Moore has undoubtedly helped raise the volume of public political discourse and debate and this, I think, is something we should be grateful for.

I enjoyed Bowling for Columbine; thought it was a great movie, in fact. I certainly questioned his methods – the last scene where he tricks his way into Charlton Heston’s home and then abuses him was appalling. But I forgave Moore these indiscretions because I supported his message. But the more you delve into his methods, which Manufacturing Dissent has a field-day doing, the less you can truly support this man. I was unaware, for example, how much he truly manipulates time and context in his films. There are many examples cited by Melnyk that make for entertaining and enlightening viewing.

There are several questions Manufacturing Dissent will have you asking. Is Moore truly a documentary film-maker, can he really be placed in this category? Does Moore even have journalistic integrity or is fame all he was ever interested in? Is it even possible to make a political documentaries, or is bias always going to be just too strong? Do Moore’s methods undermine his credibility completely? I’m not sure of the answers. But I do appreciate seeing a film that raises such questions in an insightful way and I recommend that you see Manufacturing Dissent.

P.S. I do have to admit that I will be seeing Sicko, Moore’s upcoming film about the health system in America. But I will approach with caution and eyes wide open.