Michael Moore in TrumpLand

Michael Moore in Trumpland (2015)

** (out of 4)

Even though I rarely agree with Michael Moore, I do enjoy his pictures. As much as I would love to debate him myself, there's no question that he is a talented filmmaker and on that level alone I will respect him even if I don't respect what he often does with his movies.

With that said, MICHAEL MOORE IN TRUMPLAND is without question his least entertaining film. This really isn't a film but instead Moore held what's basically a stand-up act in Ohio where he brought Trump and Clinton supporters together to talk with them. The majority of the rather short running time is baslcally Moore talking about why Clinton should get your vote.

My problem with this film is that it just seems rushed and it certainly doesn't have the quality of Moore's previous pictures. Just check out how nervous Moore seems at the start of this chat. Just listen to how awful his jokes are. He's certainly not a comedian and some of the jokes told are just beyond awful. Even his speech about Clinton isn't nearly as good as you'd expect from him.

The only time that his passion really comes to life is when he's talking about the people who have died due to not having medical coverage. Had the entire film been more of him talking in a serious manor like this then perhaps the film would have had more of an impact. As it stands, it's pretty much the worst film of his career and looks even sillier considering what happened at election time.

I pretty much agree with everything said about Moore's great ability to communicate his ideas so as to persuade his audience. While he is doing it he goes over the top to sound like the people he is trying to persuade, then over the top to show the possible consequences of their beliefs or practices. This movie is similar in that way. Moore brilliantly makes his points while filming a live "lecture" with a few films and audio clips thrown in to drive things home a bit. Even the staging of talking from a podium, then from a work desk, then moving to an easy chair, like he is talking to you from his living room, shows you the steps he is moving through in his message. Very well thought out and executed. He also uses humor extremely well, getting both political sides laughing. My husband and I laughed many times during the film. We think his points are very valid and that the manipulation he used was only necessary to get people to listen to those points and concerns.

One other thing strikes me about this film - the timing of it's release (18 days before the election) and extreme financial risk of making it in a lecture format. Very different. I wonder if folks will give this film any attention after this election? He gives scenarios for how the world will change if Donald or Hillary is elected. The scenario about Trump taking office is laid out in great detail.

Honorable mentions: I really liked the way Moore describes how differently men and women are viewed, especially in politics. I was also happy that there was little mention of sex scandals (just a passing reference to the Clinton/Lewinski scandal) and no mention of emails. So sick of both of those.

I recommend this film to everyone, especially BEFORE voting on Nov. 8, and even after the election to see if Moore was right.

Michael Moore is one of those documentarians that I've been aware of for a long time, yet never took the time to watch anything he's done. Until now, that is. The premise is pretty simple: Michael Moore went into a solidly Republican/conservative part of Ohio (ironically, in Clinton County) and made a pitch for Hillary Clinton. You will not find any Trump-bashing here (at least no vitriol), and what little of him does feature served a purpose. Things started off kind of shaky with Moore doing an occasionally awkward stand-up routine, but once he got the audience's attention/respect and delved into his case for a Hillary Clinton presidency, things smoothed out quite well, and even got quite emotional at times. The only parts that had me rolling my eyes were some of the early jokes and a concluding stunt (I'm guessing/hoping that it was) where he promises to run in 2020 if Hillary doesn't live up to the promise he sees in her. It had the feeling of those hackneyed high school debate speeches where the candidate promises junk food for lunch (or something similarly ridiculous). Even still, he made his point very well (and positively). The technical details of the film weren't necessarily the best, though, probably due to the film's quick production. There are many noticeable points where the audio changes in quality, and some of the editing seemed just a little off. Other than that, I thought that MICHAEL MOORE IN TRUMPLAND was an effective film that made its case without resorting to negativity, and with a minimum of theatrics.

This is Michael Moore at his very best—very thoughtful and penetrating, and hardworkingly committed to fostering understanding of some of our fundamental political challenges.

I felt he did an excellent job of presenting the view that Trump's rise on the national political scene is a warranted but ultimately very destructive reaction to the neglect and abandonment of countless Americans by our economic and social order.

"Michael Moore in TrumpLand" is full of genuine humanity and surprisingly gentle humor.

I'm doubtful Moore's efforts in making this film stand much chance of having an impact on the electoral outcome, but I still think it's great that he has given us an offering of such quality.

I must say on an anecdotal note that upon being re-exposed to typical TV coverage of the election after having left a screening of this movie, I felt as though I'd gone from a sane place to a place of true barbarity. (I was really, truly surprised to find how super-barbaric what has grown all-too-familiar of late suddenly seemed.)

It is hard to believe that once upon a time, the Presidency belonged to the Republicans. Apart from the isolated one term victory by Jimmy Carter, the Democrats were regarded as a basket case when selecting Presidential candidates and had to make do with victories for the Congress. Bill Clinton broke this mould and showed that a centrist Democratic party could dominate Presidential elections, heck even Al Gore won the popular vote in 2000 but narrowly lost the electoral college.

Michael Moore in TrumpLand is less of a movie and more of a monologue with some jokes. Polemicist Michael Moore takes centre stage in the Ohio town of Wilmington, in Clinton County where polls indicate huge support for Donald Trump.

This was filmed just recently and released a few weeks before election day. Moore understands why people might vote for Trump. Those who have lost jobs to foreign competition, maybe lost their homes and even their marriage broken up as a result.

Of course once you cast your vote for Trump out of anger it could be too late just in the Brexit vote in the UK in 2016.

The film is not really a hatchet job on Trump. I think it should had been. This multimillionaire son of a multimillionaire property developer which his swanky apartment buildings, luxury yachts, model turned wives and all types if glittering jewels suddenly tells the ordinary working Americans he understands their pain when all along he complains of having to pay minimum wage to his staff, buys foreign steel for his buildings, stiffs his suppliers and uses creative accountancy to avoid paying taxes for years.

Instead it is a defence for Hillary Clinton, a woman pilloried for 25 years ever since her husband Bill ran for the White House as a centrist, moderate Democrat.

Moore admits he has never voted for the Clintons but he admires Hillary for her knowledge, tenacity and courage to put up with all the flak thrown at her. Moore hopes that once elected Hillary might turn out to be more radical.

I guess Trump supporters will hate this film as so will those who have never liked Moore. At least he takes a refreshing take on Hillary, a woman who has to subdue her radical edge just to be accepted by the establishment and the media.