By: Matt Duncan
Coastal View News
“Capitalism is an evil,” says Michael Moore, “and you cannot regulate evil.”
Capitalism, an evil? We might have been inclined to go along with “Guns are evil,” “George Bush is evil,” and maybe even “Private healthcare is evil,” but surely we cannot so slander our beloved friend, capitalism. The economic superiority and moral uprightness of the free market is simply a given, right? Not so, says Michael Moore.
America and capitalism are what Forrest Gump might have said are “like peas and carrots”, and for this reason, “Capitalism: A Love Story”—a blistering criticism of all things free market—is Moore’s boldest and most ambitious project to date. It’s bold, but not great. It is emotionally stirring at times, but because capitalism is itself such an elusive concept for Michael Moore, his movie is unclear, unfocused, heavy on emotional conclusions, and light on damning premises.
“Capitalism: A Love Story” sputters out of the gates with several disjointed scenes and interviews that are only loosely connected. Moore interviews families being thrown from their homes and zooms in for shot after shot after shot of tear-stained faces and boarded-up shanties. Moore compares America to ancient Rome, drawing parallels between the social factors that led to Rome’s downfall and the milieu that now characterizes American society: too much greed; too great a divide between the rich and the poor.
While there is no tight working definition of ‘capitalism’ provided by Moore, there is the impression that ‘capitalism’ loosely refers to something like greed, the privilege of the few at the expense of the many, or maybe just meanness. As per usual, Moore attacks the system-“the Man” if you will—through a witty combination of emotional instances and conspiracy theories, all set to bouncing, ironic music.
For all of its initial flaws, “Capitalism: A Love Story” picks up some steam, interest, and credibility as Moore casts the financial elite as a corrupt aristocracy. He cleverly juxtaposes capitalism not with socialism or communism, but democracy. For Moore, the real tension is between two basic American ideals: liberty and equality. On the one hand, Americans are attracted to the personal liberty espoused by capitalism because they want to think that they have the freedom to make it big, to rise above their respective classes, to live the American dream. But on the other hand, there is also the moral compass of America that seeks to provide adequate conditions for all. We believe that everyone should have equal access to happiness and security.
We can’t have it both ways, claims Moore. We can’t obtain fabulous wealth for ourselves while at the same time providing adequate conditions for all. Thus, the tension between liberty and equality. Of course, Moore thinks that the so-called economic liberty provided by capitalism is, in reality, a sham. According to Moore, the reason we allow investment bankers and Wall Street whizzes to make it rich while hard working families are kicked to the curb is because we like the idea that someday we could be rich, on top of the heap. But this is an illusion, claims Moore, because the simple fact is that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
For those viewers who are not already inclined to believe Moore’s conclusions, “Capitalism: A Love Story” will be nothing short of exasperating. As is usually the case, Moore’s premises are aimed at the gut, not the head. He uses public outrage to egg his audience on; he is the trumpeter of discontent, a sympathizer, a rabble-rouser. Moore tells people what they are mad at and then makes them madder at it, all without making a clear connection between their woe and his ill-defined object of hatred.
For those viewers who are inclined to believe Moore’s conclusions, “Capitalism: A Love Story” will no doubt be a moving rally cry. For those who have the feeling that the problem really is systemic, this film provides emotional punch. For these folks, Michael Moore is in their corner; he is their champion.
But whether you are a capitalist, socialist, anarchist or communist, it is clear that “Capitalism: A Love Story” could have been better. It could have been more penetrating and focused. It could have more coherently dealt with the connections between our current economic troubles and capitalism as an economic system. But that’s not really Michael Moore’s style, so take this movie for what it’s worth.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
"Extract"
By: Matt Duncan
Coastal View News
Mike Judge’s career is an ode to the workingman. It is an ode composed of a series of tales chronicling the exasperation of suburban life. “Office Space,” “King of the Hill,” and now “Extract”, all give a ridiculous but somehow accurate look at what is most trying about being average. “Extract” is an oddly realistic farce—a good illustration of what makes Judge’s movies so unique, and so funny.
Joel (Jason Bateman) may be the creator and owner of his own company, but at heart, Joel is a simple guy. He really wants what every simple guy wants: stability, honesty, and an occasional retreat from the doldrums. Joel’s ingenious and moderately successful extract manufacturing business testifies to the fact that all he really needs is his little corner of the world.
That is, until the combination of a dissatisfying home life, the fresh presence of a sexy temptress at work and the jarring influence of a freak accident at the extract factory moves Joel to shake things up a bit—to hatch a scheme. At the insistence of Joel’s hippie friend Dean (Ben Affleck), Joel decides to hire a male prostitute to seduce his wife so that he—Joel—can sleep with his new temp, Cindy (Mila Kunis), without feeling guilty. Unfortunately, the plan works too well. Brad (Dustin Milligan), the moronic gigolo, not only finds it easy to lure Joel’s wife into bed, he also finds it easy to turn this one-time job into a lingering affair.
Meanwhile, Joel discovers that Cindy is not the sweet, honest girl that he thought she was. Instead, she is an underhanded con artist/petty thief who is threatening to bring his entire company to its knees. Joel sees his entire world crumbling around him, and all because he tried to combat his boredom with Hollywood shenanigans. Joel realizes that he never really wanted what he thought he wanted. In other words, his old life, though at times exasperating, provided comfort and contentment. Joel discovers that he was meant to be a small-time extract maker, not James Bond.
In “Extract”, Mike Judge does what he does best: he simultaneously glorifies and mocks the life of the average Joe. He creates characters that are at once over-the-top and yet strikingly familiar. He puts these characters into situations that seem outrageous, but that every member of the audience has somehow experienced. Mike Judge is the master of working class exasperation.
In Judge’s stories, it is interesting to note that the worst possible thing a character can do is attempt to be something that they are not. Although the desirability of fleeing from suburbia is palpable in the beginning of these stories, the actual act of fleeing serves only as a catalyst for misery, and the process of redemption is always identical to the process of coming back to where things started. It seems to be a transformation of attitude, not necessarily a transformation of lifestyle, which is the solution to chronic boredom, according to Judge. The most valuable lesson Judge’s characters can learn is that they are nothing special; or, rather, it is that their simplicity is precisely what makes them special.
“Extract” is not just interesting; it’s funny too. Jason Bateman is perfect for the role of the punching bag, and is supported by a whole slew of outrageous but believable characters. In particular, David Koechner, who plays Bateman’s neighbor Nathan, is a side-splitting rendition of the kind of vapid acquaintance that just won’t leave you alone. It seems to me that Judge’s work is successful only insofar as he can create characters that are both remarkably unreasonable and remarkably believable. In “Extract”, there are plenty to choose from.
Coastal View News
Mike Judge’s career is an ode to the workingman. It is an ode composed of a series of tales chronicling the exasperation of suburban life. “Office Space,” “King of the Hill,” and now “Extract”, all give a ridiculous but somehow accurate look at what is most trying about being average. “Extract” is an oddly realistic farce—a good illustration of what makes Judge’s movies so unique, and so funny.
Joel (Jason Bateman) may be the creator and owner of his own company, but at heart, Joel is a simple guy. He really wants what every simple guy wants: stability, honesty, and an occasional retreat from the doldrums. Joel’s ingenious and moderately successful extract manufacturing business testifies to the fact that all he really needs is his little corner of the world.
That is, until the combination of a dissatisfying home life, the fresh presence of a sexy temptress at work and the jarring influence of a freak accident at the extract factory moves Joel to shake things up a bit—to hatch a scheme. At the insistence of Joel’s hippie friend Dean (Ben Affleck), Joel decides to hire a male prostitute to seduce his wife so that he—Joel—can sleep with his new temp, Cindy (Mila Kunis), without feeling guilty. Unfortunately, the plan works too well. Brad (Dustin Milligan), the moronic gigolo, not only finds it easy to lure Joel’s wife into bed, he also finds it easy to turn this one-time job into a lingering affair.
Meanwhile, Joel discovers that Cindy is not the sweet, honest girl that he thought she was. Instead, she is an underhanded con artist/petty thief who is threatening to bring his entire company to its knees. Joel sees his entire world crumbling around him, and all because he tried to combat his boredom with Hollywood shenanigans. Joel realizes that he never really wanted what he thought he wanted. In other words, his old life, though at times exasperating, provided comfort and contentment. Joel discovers that he was meant to be a small-time extract maker, not James Bond.
In “Extract”, Mike Judge does what he does best: he simultaneously glorifies and mocks the life of the average Joe. He creates characters that are at once over-the-top and yet strikingly familiar. He puts these characters into situations that seem outrageous, but that every member of the audience has somehow experienced. Mike Judge is the master of working class exasperation.
In Judge’s stories, it is interesting to note that the worst possible thing a character can do is attempt to be something that they are not. Although the desirability of fleeing from suburbia is palpable in the beginning of these stories, the actual act of fleeing serves only as a catalyst for misery, and the process of redemption is always identical to the process of coming back to where things started. It seems to be a transformation of attitude, not necessarily a transformation of lifestyle, which is the solution to chronic boredom, according to Judge. The most valuable lesson Judge’s characters can learn is that they are nothing special; or, rather, it is that their simplicity is precisely what makes them special.
“Extract” is not just interesting; it’s funny too. Jason Bateman is perfect for the role of the punching bag, and is supported by a whole slew of outrageous but believable characters. In particular, David Koechner, who plays Bateman’s neighbor Nathan, is a side-splitting rendition of the kind of vapid acquaintance that just won’t leave you alone. It seems to me that Judge’s work is successful only insofar as he can create characters that are both remarkably unreasonable and remarkably believable. In “Extract”, there are plenty to choose from.
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