Super Size Me (***1/2)
review by Jon Waterman

America is getting fatter by the minute. We’ve become a culture of overindulgence, and not only in terms of food. Everything has to be readily available here, now, and in abundance. Our consumerist gluttony knows no bounds, until it’s too late. And when a breaking point comes and side effects start to become prominent, someone must be blamed – other than the user, that is. Not too long ago, two teenage girls tried suing McDonald’s for making them obese. The lawsuit was thrown out, because the girls couldn’t prove that the company intended for people to overuse their product. It’s preposterous to think that a company could be held responsible for the weight of a human being, but it’s equally ridiculous to believe that if overweight individuals dine at the fast food restaurants, that these places don’t greatly contribute to their appearance. In this documentary, director/guinea pig Morgan Spurlock sets to find out just how harmful this stuff really is by only eating McDonald’s food for a month (three meals a day).

The movie is more than just a science project. It does document the physical and emotional changes that the overly processed food brings (through interviews, fitness spa check-ins and seeing three doctors). It also documents Morgan’s attempt to discover why America is gaining weight. It looks at the commercialism and advertising budgets (and political lobbyists) at the disposal of the big companies as opposed to non-profit organizations. It looks at schools and the surprisingly unhealthy cafeteria menus. It interviews advocates and experts in various fields that provide insight and further the theories presented. The movie does not cover every angle. It glances over some major issues (the time-management issue for one) in favor of humor and entertainment value…and to shove more of Spurlock’s face in the screen.

There is quite a bit of entertainment value. The information is presented in a few different forms. There are the standard interviews, the talking to the camera moments, plenty of supporting footage, and graphics/animations, which reminded me somewhat of “Manufacturing Consent” except without the meticulousness and impressive care for detail in the presentation. The animations could have been pointless and hokey, but somehow they came across as supportive and slightly funny. I just wish they wouldn’t have shown so many paintings using Ronald as a focus. They were all virtually the same (same artist) and didn’t really provide any good commentary.

Despite the omissions, the overall point comes across and exploring the culture and trying to rationalize our behavior just to cover everything seems a bit much. He may not be the force that a Michael Moore has become (mostly because Morgan doesn’t show resentment or spite), but for a first-time feature effort, Spurlock creates a very effective piece which is sure to spark debate and conversation and maybe even change some lifestyles.

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