The biggest enemy in Fahrenheit 11/9, Michael Moore's latest film, isn't Donald Trump... But rather apathy. Sure, the headlines from this film are that it's "Michael Moore's Trump Movie," and the 45th president plays a big role throughout the film. However, he is presented as the result of a larger evil, and not the cause of it. Moore states that we are at a tipping point in the world, and the rot and decay that has been building up in our political system is already boiling over. Are we ready to stop it, or will our apathy destroy us?
Michael Moore has been making films for three decades now, fighting injustices as he sees fit. He is a talented filmmaker, but even he doesn't escape Scott-free in this one. You see, we're all to blame 45... Including Moore. There are call backs to each of his films in this one. He questions whether he has used his considerable public effectively enough. He questions the entire democratic process and shows how apathy has settled in throughout the voting base. He calls the 100 million registered voters who didn't vote in the last election the most powerful political party in America.
This film is by no means an attempt to try and sway Trump voters. They have already been lost. Fahrenheit 11/9 is a call to action for people who have been disenfranchised... and for the people on the left who felt betrayed by their own party to overthrow that machine. Moore goes after the democratic establishment who he (and many) feels helped cheat Bernie Sanders out of a fair shot at office. He goes after President Obama for staging a political stunt in Flint, Michigan. He effectively draws the parallels between Trumpism and Nazism. He excoriates Michigan Governor, Rick Snyder for poisoning the people of Flint in the name of profits. Sure, there are occasional moments of Michael Moore showmanship (he sprays "Flint Water" on the lawn of Rick Snyder), but he is much more subdued in this film. Moore uncovers the rot in our country with a surgeon's precision, while at the same showcasing the people making real difference in this country. He shows how the effective West Virginia teachers strike was the result of people fighting for what they believe in. He introduces us to roots activists that are taking the future of this country into their own hands. Most importantly, Moore says that there is no more time to sit on the sidelines. It's time for action. The future of the country is now.
This is a cinematic gut punch, for sure, but I couldn't help but feel encouraged. I'm already seeing the positives to come out of the 2016 election. People I know who have never held elected office before are now holding positions in state and local government. The Women's March (which I attended with my family) and the March For Our Lives were landmark events that show that the fight for real positive change is still out there.
Fahrenheit 11/9 is like taking your medicine. It may taste nasty, but it's good for you. It's someone telling you bad news about you that you know to be true, but you've tried to make justifications for. I'm giving it 3.75 stars out of 4. It's an effective call to action and a small sliver of hope in an otherwise dark time.
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