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Summary: Oh for crying out loud...
Review: ...P>Mr. Moore took the opportunity to craft this extremely unfair and slanted view of the decline of his home town. In doing so, he blamed the entire mess on corporate America. Simplistic sensationalism - nothing more, nothing less. The most poignant scenes (eviction, rabbit butchering, etc.) had nothing directly to do with GM - they're common occurrances in Michigan and elsewhere (yes, even rabbit butchering). All were included in this film to make the events seem all the more cruel, but they were grossly misleading and unfair.See the film as a witty entertainment, but please be aware that it's far from an objective portrayal. And don't fall into the simplistic mindset that Mr. Moore exhibits. He's got an agenda that's widely known.
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Summary: I can't believe I didn't see this movie until now (2002)
Review: No wonder this film put Michael Moore on the map. It's brilliantly conceived & executed. Great editing, dialogue, etc. Every CEO in the US should be made to watch this film. For the record, I think corporations should have some kind of responsibility to the community. Otherwise, as MM partly points out in this film, our jobs will just keep going to Mexico or elsewhere.
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Summary: The "Other" Suicidal Corporation
Review: In 1988, Paul H. Weaver published "The Suicidal Corporation" about his days at the Ford Motor Corporation's public relations department. Starting with a neo-conservative view, Paul saw that Ford did not practice free enterprise and often pursued suicidal strategies in the marketplace. In 1990, Michael Moore came out with his film "Roger and Me" showing the same suicidal behavior at Ford's biggest competitor - General Motors. The film lacks Weaver's economic insights, but makes up for it with the best dry humor ever in a documentary that has created its own genre. The British, reknown worldwide for their dry humour, are eating up everything Moore is spitting out. General Motors closed scores of profitable assembly and parts plants throughout the eighties, while keeping open unprofitable ones. Moore's focus is on Flint, Michigan where GM's best cars were made - the Olds 88 and Buick LeSabre. Moore is a Naderite, but never really analyzes why GM is closing down profitable operations. So the viewer can only suspect that in the context of the increasing corporatism of the eighties and nineties, under the guise of free market rhetoric, that corporate machinations were designed to increase corporate power at the expense of other stake holders in the game. Share holders, too, come across as a low priority in all of this. In short, an hilarious and timeless film that will always pick one up no matter how blue one feels from his or her daily encounters with the absurdities of life. I strongly recommend this film.
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Summary: If you like propaganda videos...
Review: you'll love this one! Michael Moore has a few good points in this movie, but he never mentions, say, GM's legal obligation to the stockholders to maximize shareholder value. Basically the "documentary" is more centered around his upset feelings at how the world works, making it long, drawn out, and fairly boring.
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Summary: Roger & ... Count Me Out
Review: I give it a point for an occasional insight into Rust Belt America and the corporations that tighten that belt. However, in general this film is wildly overrated. It is long, tedious, preachy, and just plain dull. You were expecting a comedy?? Ha. Barely a chuckle or two. Roger & out.
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Summary: I saw this at a Mike Moore screening and it's great
Review: This movie accurately portrays Flint and its residents... I would know, I go to school there....
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Summary: Review and Analysis
Review: Roger and Me is intelligent and sarcastic documentary film addressing the issues that arose from the closings of some eleven General Motor's factories in Flint, Michigan, in 1986. In this film, the director and narrator, Michael Moore, places a sardonic and comedic twist on the decay of his hometown. The film focuses on corporate greed and the lack of corporate responsibility towards the American public. While watching, one can see how one CEO, in corporate America, can change thousands of lives. You might get a glimpse of General Motor's corporate strategy for gaining profit, while making record profits (one should note). I observed how morals are excluded in corporate decision-making and money weighing more than human lives. Roger and Me reveals just how much American's truly are vulnerable to corporate greed.
When GMC in Flint, Michigan decides to lay off thousands of employees, the city faces a great tragedy. In 1986, General Motors closed eleven automotive plants to relocate to Mexico where labor costs are cheaper. The population of Flint relied on General Motors for employment and a stable economy. This action of General Motors left laid-off workers impoverished and the town of Flint in ruins. Crime rate in Flint rose to the highest in the nation and the town became the unemployment capital of the nation. With the over-whelming amount of crime, a new prison was needed to house the inflated number of convicts. Therefore, Michael Moore, the producer and director, develops a mission. Michael is set out to find the CEO of General Motors, Roger Smith, and invite him to see the outcome of his decisions.
The seriousness of this film is masked along the way with humor from dozens of Flint residents, displaying the ridiculousness of everyone's situation, during his hunt for Roger Smith. The focus of the film is on General Motor's responsibility for the hardships of Flint, but it also comments on the ignorance, denial, and lack of awareness and education of the residents. After numerous failed attempts to interview Roger Smith at General Motor's headquarters, Michael Moore is able to question Roger Smith at the annual Christmas party. During his annual speech, there is no mention of Flint, Michigan, and when invited to the city by Michael Moore, Roger Smith refuses the invitation.
Roger and Me personally addressed several questions. What exactly is my freedom and worth as an American citizen? Is the welfare of the American public ignored when corporate money is at stake? Powerful corporations will continue to trade the value of human lives for profit if nothing changes. The public has a responsibility to seek out the truth and hold corporations responsible for their actions. Though sarcastic and funny, this film unleashed a strong and powerful message. Though rather disturbing, Roger and Me is a clever film with a valuable lesson.
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Summary: Roger and Me
Review: Roger and Me is an intelligent and sarcastic documentary film about the lives effected by the General Motor's lay off in Flint, Michigan. In this film, the director puts a sardonic, comedic twist on the decay of his hometown, which will leave you chuckling, disturbed and sick to your stomach. This film focuses on corporate greed and the lack of corporate responsibility towards the American public. While watching you can see how one CEO can change thousands of people's lives. You might get a glimpse of General Motor's corporate strategy for gaining profit. I observed how values and morals are excluded in corporate decision-making. I saw money weighing more than human life. Roger and Me shows us how Americans are taken advantage of by corporate greed.
Are American-made automobiles still American if they are made in Mexico? Or does an American remain true to the slogan "Buy American" if they purchase a General Motor's vehicle? In 1986, General Motors closed eleven automotive plants to relocate to Mexico where labor costs are cheaper. The population of Flint relied on General Motors for employment and a stable economy. This action left the laid off workers impoverished, and the town of Flint in ruins. Businesses closed and prisons opened converting proud union workers into convicts. Unemployment spread like a plague. So Michael Moore, the producer and director, had a mission to accomplish. To find Roger Smith, the CEO of General Motors, and invite him to see the damage of what he had done.
Michael Moore filmed dozens of Flint residents during his hunt for Roger Smith. The seriousness of this film is masked with humor displaying the ridiculousness of everyone's situation. It hooks the viewer into a fish bowl full of characters that are often victims of their own ignorance and denial. The focus of this film is on General Motor's responsibility for the hardships of Flint, but it also comments on the lack of awareness and education of the residents.
The director and crew frequently travel to the General Motors Headquarters in effort to speak with Roger Smith by sneaking on to a highly guarded elevator. A security guard always catches each attempt and the crew is routinely escorted out of the building. By avoiding the interview, Roger Smith is denying his involvement and responsibility for Flint's circumstances. His silence and disinterest communicates his greed and selfishness.
Michael Moore is granted an interview with Tom Kay, a representative for General Motors. Mr. Kay assures Michael Moore that the economy of Flint is still prosperous and opportunities remain available and diverse. At the end of the film we find out that Tom Kay lost his job with General Motors.
Michael Moore spends most of the film interviewing the natives of Flint. Without the General Motor's Plants to employ the public, people are finding strange jobs to support themselves. During filming, Michael Moore runs across a sign stating "rabbits for sale, for pets or meat". As he walks past the local blood bank, men with track marks line up daily to give blood in exchange for cash. Upon visiting the city jail, laid off General Motor's employees are either employed as jailers or caged as convicts. Fred Ross, an officer responsible for the town's evictions, is seen throwing numerous people out of their homes. The film takes us inside their houses as the residents are scurrying to pack up their belongings. The streets of Flint are filled with abandoned, run down houses.
The film randomly checks in with the executives of General Motors. Various scenes witness the wealthy at cocktail celebrations, country clubs and an annual company Christmas Eve party. The viewer is able to compare the circumstances of the employed General Motor's executives with the unemployed inhabitants of Flint. At the end of the film, Roger Smith is recorded reciting a speech at his annual Christmas party. His boorish words illustrate the positive reflections of his company and hopes for future prosperity. There is no mention of Flint, Michigan.
At the Christmas party, Michael Moore is finally able to invite Roger Smith to witness a family being thrown out of their house on Christmas Eve. Roger Smith refuses the invitation.
Roger and Me made me question my freedom and worth as an American citizen. Is the welfare of the American public ignored when corporate money is at stake? Powerful corporations will continue to trade the value of human lives for profit if nothing changes. The public has a responsibility to seek out the truth and hold corporations responsible for their actions.
Though sarcastic and funny, this film unleashed a strong and powerful message. I neither loved nor hated this film. Though disturbing, it is a clever film with a valuable lesson.
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Summary: The ethos of Moore
Review: Moore consentrates so much on ethos (emotion) that is distracts veiwers from key issues of logic. He really places some seriouse allegations on Roger Smith, the CEO of the company, when some of these issues don't have any connection with the man. This movie is brilliantly edited and very entertaining. I suggest that we all watch it with an open mind so that we might not fall into blindly accepting someone esls' interpretation.
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Summary: Job Genocide in Flint Michigan
Review: Roger and Me portrays just how cold American big businesses can be and how little they care about the common American worker. Michael Moore produced an amazing documentary of his hometown, Flint, Michigan, in which GM was the primary job source. Although GM was making billions of dollars, it decided to close down its Flint plant, move to Mexico to produce cars cheaper, then use profits to buy up other companies in America and build more plants in third world countries. Somehow Americans have gotten it in their heads that there is nothing wrong with companies using and abusing the American workforce in the pursuit of profits. After 9-11 everyone talks about how united America is but in reality, many US companies have no loyalty to its workers at all. Imagine a company in say, Norway or Sweden, closing up and moving its facilities to Germany, you dont think this would be considered company treason? This country would be a hell of alot better if we really did work together instead of always being out to make more money at any price. GM committed Job Genocide in Flint Michigan. Shame on them!
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