Michael Moore

On the 20-year anniversary of his groundbreaking masterpiece Roger & Me, Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story comes home to the issue he’s been examining throughout his career: the disastro...( read more  read more... )us impact of corporate dominance on the everyday lives of Americans (and by default, the rest of the world). But this time the culprit is much bigger than General Motors, and the crime scene far wider than Flint, Michigan. From Middle America, to the halls of power in Washington, to the global financial epicenter in Manhattan, Michael Moore will once again take filmgoers into uncharted territory.

With both humor and outrage, Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story explores a taboo question: What is the price that America pays for its love of capitalism? Years ago, that love seemed so innocent. Today, however, the American dream is looking more like a nightmare as families pay the price with their jobs, their homes and their savings. Moore takes us into the homes of ordinary people whose lives have been turned upside down; and he goes looking for explanations in Washington, DC and elsewhere. What he finds are the all-too-familiar symptoms of a love affair gone astray: lies, abuse, betrayal…and 14,000 jobs being lost every day.

Capitalism: A Love Story is both a culmination of Moore’s previous works and a look into what a more hopeful future could look like. It is Michael Moore’s ultimate quest to answer the question he’s posed throughout his illustrious filmmaking career: Who are we and why do we behave the way that we do?

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73% liked it

47,629 ratings

Critics

75% liked it

141 critics

R, 2 hrs. 7 min.

Directed by: Michael Moore

Release Date: September 23, 2009

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DVD Release Date: March 2, 2010

Stats: 2,058 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,058)


  • November 20, 2009
    In the screening of this movie, there was a recorded message from Michael Moore in which he said that "I made this film like it were my last one. I thought to myself,'if I had to make one last film, what would I include in it?'"
    If it was destined to be his last film, it...( read more) surely wasn't his most memorable one. He will just never return to his Bowling for Columbine days - which literally made him who he is.

    But frankly speaking, this is another fire-breathing Michael Moore specimen of great cinematic and political significance. Unlike his previous works, your eyes will not brim with tears, but you will definitely laugh. Its humor resonates, is caustic, and mostly impromptu. You will find yourself shaking your head left and right in disbelief in many scenes, doubting human nature and how deep into the bone corruption and the thirst for profit can reach.
  • November 6, 2009
    Muckraker Michael Moore examines the mortgage crisis, the financial bailout, and the growing gap between the rich and the pure [sic], and concludes that capitalism is pure evil. Manipulative socialist propaganda that is intermittently entertaining and exposes some concrete inju...( read more)stices, but it seems irresponsible to deal with such complex and consequential issues in a 2 hour rant without any fact checking, meaningful context, or dissenting opinions. Whenever you see character actor Wallace Shawn brought in as the economics expert in a documentary, you should sense something is wrong.
  • October 31, 2009
    It goes without saying that Michael Moore is a lightning rod of criticism. He's made a career on his own brand of documentaries - completely bias sermons that are often accused of broken logic and showboating. "Capitalism: A Love Story" is perhaps his most accessible film, howeve...( read more)r by doing away with the magnifying glass and making a film about an extraordinarily broad subject, "Capitalism" feels more like the first of a twenty part series than a stand alone picture.

    Moore's thesis is that capitalism is an inherently broken system - it's sink or swim, rewarding greed and tossing the poor aside. It's a valid thesis and Moore is still a highly persuasive tour guide, however his conclusion leaves a little to be desired. Moore's solution calls for a true democracy, which he supports by newly uncovered footage of Franklin Delano Roosevelt calling for a second Bill of Rights. Put FDR's words in the mouth of our current president and they wouldn't be any less relevant, but it's perhaps too idyllic a solution for this sort of exposé.

    There are some great episodes in "Capitalism", and, as usual, Moore has found a tremendous mixture of victims worthy of our sympathy and analysts who have the talent to eloquently support his ideas. One of the best segments is when Moore discusses the corrupt judge in Pennsylvania who unrightfully condemned many innocent kids to keep the juvenile detention center full. When Moore moved on, however, all I could think is - "hey, i'd like to see a movie about that".

    The most shocking reveal in "Capitalism" is a corporate policy known as "dead peasant insurance", in which companies take out life insurance policies on their workers and reap the benefits when they die prematurely. The workers' spouses are rarely told. Although i'm not particularly fond of films that find these clearly heartbroken subjects and exploit them for our sympathy, there is a motivated anger in "Capitalism". These people aren't being "used", they're infuriated - their voices need to be heard.

    Moore doesn't get the opportunity to exhaust the subject of capitalism and corporate greed because, well, the subject is inexhaustible. Nevertheless, however, the film's broadness doesn't take any sides that might infuriate a particular political viewpoint. It's Moore's most agreeable and easy-going picture, simply because you're not going to find anyone who fights for the unambiguously corrupt financial institutions. It's an entertaining picture, but nowhere near as thorough as his previous work.
  • October 30, 2009
    What would a Michael Moore film be like without a slanted point of view? Without a one-sided dialogue that tells the story primarily from one perspective? You'd have a PBS documentary, I imagine. Well this is not the kind of film you watch if you want a "fair and balanced" take o...( read more)n things. Of course, media outlets that have to disclaim that they're "fair and balanced" usually aren't anyway. But that's another story.

    This, however, is the a love story. A story about America and its love of money. Its love of affluence without thought as to how it's achieved. It's a love story that borders on lust story about America's incessant hubris and the people we step on in order to get what we've been brought up to believe is our natural-born right to attain. It's the story of capitalism. And its a love story of the ill-fated kind...

    Michael Moore has never been known for delivering an objective documentary; and Capitalism is definitely no exception to that fact. However, whether you agree with his opinion or not, he does have a very manipulative way at getting you to reconsider your own. Whether or not you choose to alter your mindset is ultimately not his goal--probably. But at least a dialogue is started and people start talking about his ideology.

    With his latest project, Moore finds himself in the midst of a country in financial turmoil. A housing market gone bust and the bubble in which citizens saw their American dream exist suddenly burst into nondescript residue. Of course, it's never pleasant to see people suffer on film what so many in the audience have actually experienced: repossessed homes, liquidated funds and being part of a system where we were told that everything would be okay--and it suddenly isn't.

    But Moore has a funny way at pointing out the truth in all the crises. He finds humanity in every single topic he's discussion; putting a face (a real human face) to match the hopeless situation he's presenting. He introduces us to people who are just like us and have gone through the same madness we've all had a taste of. Whether a person who was laid-off due to being employed at a so-called "recession-proof" bank or a lost their home to unscrupulous bank executives who scoop up your house as they fly by on their golden parachutes.

    Ultimately, this movie is about finding a commonality with others. It's about knowing that system is flawed and that it's up to us to fix it. And, as flawed as a Michael Moore documentary about our capitalistic shortcomings may be, at least he gets people some more information than the nightly news is willing to provide.
  • October 8, 2009
    I generally agree with Moore's politics and his challenging of authority. I couldn't help but be carried along by his message. He inspires action through the subjects he interviews. Michael Moore movies are rare film going experiences that always get people in the audience fee...( read more)ling a variety of emotions. Both of his movies I've seen in theaters have had people yelling at the screen, usually in disbelief of the villains he portrays and with empathy toward the victims. Plus I like his use of humor to break up serious issues. There are some interesting comparisons that can be made between this documentary and Capra's depression set It's a Wonderful Life. My favorite part was the archival film footage of Franklin Delano Roosevelt suggesting a second Bill of Rights. Have you heard of this bit of history? I'm sorry to say I hadn't. Michael Moore includes Last Call Cleveland's Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism video (also available on YouTube) and finds assumed lost newsreel coverage of President F.D.R.!
  • November 24, 2009
    In his usual style, Michael Moore once more does not falter. 100% political and 100% directed in a way appealing mostly to Americans, it's good but it's not Bowling for Columbine. And now I think that whatever he tries in years to follow, he can never film something bigger than t...( read more)hat.
  • November 23, 2009
    Great movie. But i dont understand a single thing. What for I care about American's politics? That's their problem.
  • November 19, 2009
    This film may not be the first exploration of the causes and effects of the global financial crisis, but it's probably the first to get cinema release. And the reason for that is the name Michael Moore.

    Capitalism: A Love Story is a mostly engaging and interesting exploration ...( read more)of consumerism in America and its undoing. Moore starts back in the 1950's when capitalism was the best thing and life was easy.

    An intriguing piece of footage that Moore presents is the face of President Jimmy Carter talking about how greed and consumerism will bring America undone--but he was saying that in 1979/80 and that wasn't a message of the USA wanted to hear. So the people who actually bothered to vote booted him out and took up with Ronald Reagan and his low taxing ways (for the rich anyway). Moore pieces together lots of information that is available in this film, including Captain Sullenberger, the Hero of the Hudson, and his evidence before a Senate inquiry.

    It will make you think twice about flying in America when you know that pilots earn about as much as a cashier at McDonalds. The really scariest thing in the film is watching the guys behind the various presidents and realising where the power lies. It looks like the bankers, not the ballot box, rule the world.
  • November 18, 2009
    Insightful, funny, horrifying
  • November 17, 2009
    This is a great movie that has what I consider a very big problem and that problemis what makes it also good, this problem is known as Michael Moore.
    Although this guy is a great director and did and does lots of good documentaries he has and we also had to admit that he is v...( read more)ery narrow minded.
    this could be seen as a big issue because you should be able to hear de oder points of view and defeat them in a fair dicussion and this is soething Micheal moore never did. but i really loved this movie besides of all that.

Critic Reviews


October 2, 2009
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

Smart-alecky and simplistic? Yeah. And primo Moore. full review

October 2, 2009
Kurt Loder, MTV

In "Capitalism: A Love Story," Michael Moore casts a fiery eye at the U.S. financial system - a rich and appalling subject at the moment - and comes, alas, to the usual loopy conclusion full review

October 1, 2009
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

With Capitalism: A Love Story, Michael Moore delivers his liveliest, most radical film to date. full review

October 1, 2009
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The film's title is never explained. What does Moore mean? Maybe it's that capitalism means never having to say you're sorry. full review

September 28, 2009
A.O. Scott, At the Movies

Even if you don't agree with the answers that Michael Moore suggests, I think you should see this movie. full review

September 28, 2009
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

Moore relates a half-century of fraud in singsong narration that makes him seem like Mister Rogers with 200 extra pounds and a Che Guevara T-shirt instead of a cardigan. But what a figure he cuts. full review

September 25, 2009
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

Mr. Moore aims to proselytize his friends and demonize his enemies. His movie hits both marks. full review

September 24, 2009
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Moore sees our abusive relationship with capitalism as a growing plague. His movie, a genuine and welcome rabble-rouser, lays out the history of how democracy got corrupted. full review

September 24, 2009
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Capitalism is as entertaining as Roger & Me, and its critique skewers both major political parties, calling into question the economic policies of Bill Clinton as well as Ronald Reagan. full review

September 23, 2009
Kyle Smith, New York Post

Here is busted logic, self-contradiction, tasteless jokes and ideas that are demonstrably, empirically wrong. full review

View more Capitalism: A Love Story reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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