Friday, February 12, 2016

Where to Invade Next

For his first film in half a decade Michael Moore turns his attention to education, workers' rights, and prison policies in a whirlwind tour around the world from France to Tunisia. Where to Invade Next captures the best, and worst, of Moore who presents a compelling argument that the United States may want to look at other countries' solutions to problems that are being handled better abroad than at home. "Invading" the nations to steal their solutions, Moore hopes to bring them all back home.

At its best Where to Invade Next is a compelling look at solutions to serious problems. The documentary offers valid arguments for America to look to alternative solutions (many of which were first proposed by Americans themselves). At its worst, the film becomes more about Moore mugging for the camera than his argument. While those open to the ideas raised in the film are likely to come away with some smart questions about how the United States deals with prisoners, students, and workers, those with an already low tolerance for the filmmaker's antics won't need to look very hard for an excuse to turn a deaf ear and tune him out (or, more likely, ignore the film completely).

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