nedopetrie

To try to explain 'Pardon the Interruption' would never quite do it justice. If you haven't seen it, the concept seems far to simple to work: two middle aged sportswriters gab about the headlines of the day for a half hour. But what separates PTI from duds such as 'The Best Damn Sports Show Ever' and round table snoozers like 'The Sports Reporters' is the chemistry between Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. Their banter, arguing styles, quick wits, and senses of humor make for a fun, irreverent, and interesting look at today's sports news. The only times the show doesn't hit the mark are when Tony or Wilbon are on vacation, which happens at least a couple weeks a year. The regular guest hosts (David Aldridge, Norman Chad, Bob Ryan) are always well informed, but don't match the humor that Wilbon and Tony bring to the program.

Say what you will of Micheal Moore. Yes, he does sometimes invade the privacy of others to gain specific reactions for his films, and yes, he probably wouldn't enjoy anyone doing that to him. He can be a jerk, but this jerk can make one heckuva film.

Moore proves in this film more than ever, his talents not just as a rabble-rouser, but as a filmmaker. He masterfully uses seemingly endless interview and archive footage to go beyond just documenting, but into the realm of story telling; with prologue, a bookends effect, a cast of players, character development, conflict, etc. It is a very poetic film at best, with the ability to gain every intended reaction; at times, the audience was laughing one moment and crying the next.

Film-making aside, it is hard to decide how much Moore indulges the audience with footage that is taken out of context. Especially in his depictions of the white house staff, Moore may have over exaggerated many of the things he used from archive footage. Regardless over how unfair or what bias for which Moore has been criticized, the arguments are futile against: 1. his undeniable freedom to make any film he wants just as any director would, and 2. the power of the evidence he has in this film. Unlike past films, nearly every argument Moore presents is backed up with actual documents and, most powerfully, video footage (especially that out of Iraq).

So he's done it again, but this time it's more relevant, more powerful, and more entertaining than ever. Regardless of personal politics, everyone should see this film; if not to be enlightened by many of the facts presented, but to simply debate their view afterward. We all have a right to our opinions, thank god Moore exercises his.