Sicko (2007)

A documentary comparing the highly profitable American health care industry to other nations, and HMO horror stories.

Director:

Michael Moore

Writer:

Michael Moore

Stars:

Michael Moore, Tucker Albrizzi, Tony Benn

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 12 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Michael Moore	...	Himself
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tucker Albrizzi	...	Himself
Tony Benn	...	Himself
George W. Bush	...	Himself (archive footage)
Reggie Cervantes	...	Herself
Bill Clinton	...	Himself (archive footage)
Hillary Rodham Clinton	...	Herself (archive footage)
Billy Crystal	...	Himself (archive footage)
John Graham	...	Himself
Aleida Guevara	...	Herself
William Maher	...	Himself
Richard Nixon	...	Himself (archive footage)
Patrick Pedraja	...	Himself
Linda Peeno	...	Herself

Storyline

Documentary look at health care in the United States as provided by profit-oriented health maintenance organizations (HMOs) compared to free, universal care in Canada, the U.K., and France. Moore contrasts U.S. media reports on Canadian care with the experiences of Canadians in hospitals and clinics there. He interviews patients and doctors in the U.K. about cost, quality, and salaries. He examines why Nixon promoted HMOs in 1971, and why the Clintons' reform effort failed in the 1990s. He talks to U.S. ex-pats in Paris about French services, and he takes three 9/11 clean-up volunteers, who developed respiratory problems, to Cuba for care. He asks of Americans, "Who are we?"

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Plot Keywords:

hmo | france | canada | cuba | hospital | 

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Taglines:

What seems to be the problem?

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Genres:

Documentary | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [de] Offiical site

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Spanish Russian

Release Date:

22 June 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bolesno

Filming Locations:

Denver, Colorado, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£156,173 (UK) (26 October 2007)

Gross:

£156,173 (UK) (26 October 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dog Eat Dog Films, Weinstein Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The premise of Sicko was inspired by healthcare segments on Michael Moore's old tv shows, TV Nation and The Awful Truth.

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Goofs

The Italian version consistently mistranslates "bone marrow" as "spinal cord" (in Italian the two terms are more similar).

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Quotes

Michael Moore: I'm wondering why you expect your fellow Canadians, who don't have your problem, why should they, through their tax dollars, have to pay for a problem you have.
Canadian: Because we would do the same for them.
Michael Moore: Yeah, but...
Canadian: It's just the way it's always been, and so we hope it'll always be.
Michael Moore: Right. But if you just had to pay for your problem, and don't pay for everybody else's problem - just take care of yourself.
Canadian: Well, there are lots of people who aren't in a position to be able to do that. And somebody ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

After the end credits the following is displayed screen-filling: "Eat your fruits and vegetables. And go for a walk."

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Connections

Referenced in 30 Rock: Flu Shot (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Baseball"
from In the Bedroom
Written by Thomas Newman
Courtesy of GreenStreet Films

User Reviews

Michael Moore For President!!!

After watching this film, i grew restless. Not the sorta restless, you get, when nobody calls you on the phone for weeks. No- restless that i can not reach out, and share parts of the health-care-system, from where i come from in Denmark. Now, i've only once experienced this sort of restlessness after watching a movie, and it was Michael Moores "Rodger and me". YES- Moore does it again. And he fulfills his role, as an rebellious anti-capitalist, pointing out the wrongs and rights in society, that people have simply grown accustom to. PERFECT! He once again gives us his artistic brand consisting of small terrific, or in this case, horrible stories from everyday people who have been neglected by the American health-care system. Michael Let's you pass trough the homes of MANY families as you engage upon their stories. This time Michael has brought far more people into the interviews, and it gives the hole bundle more juice then FAHRENHEIT. He also, takes his time to show old clips, video/photos of the people hes interviewing, so you feel you get the entire background on some of the folks. BRAVO! Michael himself, is this time a bit more "americaniced" -but only to really point out the benefits of the other countries, does he take the role of the average American joe. PERFECT! Over all. If you read this. I think this movie will make as huge an impact on you, as it did on me. And i think every Michael Moore film, is both educational and should be thought in schools, as well as very important for the entire society to see! That is... if you want to be a part of your society?