Dig It

Ah, Michael Moore. What can be said about him that hasn’t been said already? He’s known for sensationalism, theatrics and muckraking. In that regard, “Capitalism: A Love Story” doesn’t break any new ground. The documentary, which looks at the reasons behind the recent economic collapse, offers a critical view of the people who give capitalism a bad name.

When the power of the profit overtakes morals, bad things happen. There are stories about housing foreclosures and massive layoffs, as well as a demonstration of how the bank holding company, Goldman Sachs, holds more power than you might be comfortable with. The dismal science becomes a little bit more amusing to watch given the witty commentary, clever editing and Moore’s typical stunts. And with a lot of ground to cover, Moore does a good job of keeping the audience entertained throughout.

This film doesn’t have the same focus as Moore’s previous works. He does the best he can considering he’s trying to cram modern economics ­— a mystery to anyone without the proper training — into two hours, but sometimes it feels too forced.

Occasionally, it feels like Moore glossed over a topic or a scene just didn’t work. But, if there’s one thing that he’s good at, it’s making people think. While he does spend the whole movie speaking from his soap box, a few good points are brought up: the discussion of “dead peasant” policies (where corporations buy life insurance policies on their employees and profit from their deaths) and Franklin Roosevelt’s proposed “Second Bill of Rights” (which would have guaranteed financial security, healthcare and adequate education to all Americans).

If you go in there expecting to hear the voice of reason through Moore, his extreme point of view might leave you disappointed. All the same, this is definitely a movie you can benefit from seeing.