Last night, Sacramento’s Crest Theater hosted the “premiere” of Michael Moore’s new film Sicko. Moore, famous for going after corporate America, the Bush administration, and America’s relationship with guns and violence, turns his attention toward health care in his latest documentary effort - with mostly winning results.

After an earlier screening in the day for nurses and doctors, and time spent testifying in front of legislative Health Committee hearings, Moore, along with California State Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, held the screening for a mostly legislative crowd: Assemblymembers, Senators, and staffers up the wazoo. Simon’s must have been empty last night.

After a few welcome remarks from State Senator Sheila Kuehl and the Speaker, Moore took to the stage to introduce his film to the supportive applause of the noticeably Democratic audience.

The film itself was interesting: Moore is good at what he does, though his films would be far better if he acted with bit of restraint instead of giving critics foolish cleverness to attack. Most of the film’s press so far has revolved around a government investigation into his trip to Cuba with 9/11 rescue workers. The trip comes off as scripted (which it was), gimmicky, and intellectually less honest than other parts of the film. The visit, showcasing how fantastically these American heroes are treated in communist Cuba would’ve been more effective, had not the movie started with an image from a WHO report ranking world health care systems.

The graphic shows a dismal #37 for the United States and Moore’s voice-over notes that we’re just one mark above Slovenia - with some visual humor dissing the Slovenian healthcare system. The problem? Coming in at #39 and fully visible on screen: Cuba.

Um . . . . alright, though, I get your point.

The film, contrary to what I thought before I saw it, focuses NOT on the uninsured, but on the insured in America, ripping holes in insurance company policy and business practice. That HMOs are out to provide as little coverage as possible shouldn’t be news to anyone in America at this point. Anecdotal stories from Americans trapped and, effectively, killed by their insurers did cause many in the audience to cry during the film, however - and I can’t say I didn’t choke up a time or two.

Moore spends about half the film comparing our system to the scourge of socialist healthcare systems in Europe and Canada. I think my British friends would have a different reaction to his presentation of the NHS in the United Kingdom - it certainly isn’t as hearts-and-flowers as Moore makes it out to be. But the “the whole thing is free” aspect of Britain’s NHS certainly IS a selling point.

Watching this movie in Sacramento with that particular audience certainly doesn’t reflect the way other audiences will receive the film. First of all, this house was at capacity - something Fahrenheit 9/11 could pull off, but Sicko probably won’t. And, with the California Legislature considering massive, politically dicey health care reform, Moore visit and his not-so-gentle urgings for change received tepid applause from certain corners of the house. As mentioned above, there were a lot of Ds present, but not so many Rs (not that they Rs won’t comment on the film anyway, I’m sure).

I would be nice to think that watching this film would cause leaders to take swift action, but I’m not so sure (that in itself is a sad statement).

The film isn’t in general release yet, but I would recommend anyone add it to their films-to-see list. It isn’t a fun summer movie, but it is as important as anything you’re likely to see this year.

Related posts:

1. A Place Called Sacramento is an Awful Place
2. Midtown’s underground movie theater
3. Bad for Business
4. Oui oui, c’est vrai!
5. State of disunion