Film review: 'Where to Invade Next'

Michael Moore's new film, "Where to Invade Next," is hilarious, thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining. Its tagline is "Prepare to be Liberated." Hopefully, the title will not dissuade the audience it deserves.

Moore plays the "invader," who globe-trots, seeking answers to why America has lost its way. Through the eyes of foreigners (locals, dignitaries and philosophers), he gleans insight into the most common-sense solutions to the most important problems in the world. And Moore is astonished, somewhat mockingly.

The uncomfortable truths are not off-putting, but rather somewhat settling in their simplicity. For instance, employers' generosity to their employees results in higher productivity and less stress. Almost everywhere Moore travels, he discovers that mutual respect and human dignity are the foundation for building a sense of community.

This heartfelt film is peppered with archival footage, some of which is disturbing. Scenes from Nazi Germany and Ferguson, Mo. stand out. But others are inspirational, i.e. the fall of the Berlin Wall ("hammer, chisel ... down") and Mandela's release from prison. The overall feel is that by observing what works so well in other countries, we could possibly solve many of our own woes here in the United States.

"Where to Invade Next" is a beautifully constructed travelogue, which boasts some intellectual food for thought. In Portugal, the decriminalization of drugs has resulted in significantly lowering their use. In Slovenia, making college free has eliminated student debt, attracting U.S. students. Sex education in schools has vastly lowered the rate of teen pregnancies in France. The list goes on, globally.

Most notably, in Norway, prison systems are shockingly humane (the U.S. has the highest percentage of recidivism in the world). A Norwegian law-enforcement officer is quoted as saying, "Human dignity is the backbone of our society." 

Certainly, some of Michael Moore's statistics in the film may be questionable, but his overall message is one of hope. Interestingly, many of the ideas put forth by these foreign countries to better society were founded upon American ideology. When U.S. politicians rant about taking America back, we can only pray that it's through caring about one another and what's best for everyone — not just a few.