Sicko (2007)

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

Director:

Michael Moore

Writer:

Michael Moore

Stars:

Michael Moore, Tucker Albrizzi, Tony Benn

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 14 wins & 14 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 Clinton	...	Herself (archive footage) (as Hillary Rodham Clinton)
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:

health care | france | canada | cuba | hmo | 

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Taglines:

For many Americans, laughter isn't the best medicine - it's the only medicine.

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Genres:

Documentary | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Michael Moore Official Website Official site [Germany]

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Spanish Russian

Release Date:

3 July 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

SiCKO

Filming Locations:

Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$68,969, 24 June 2007, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$24,540,079, 18 October 2007

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$33,105,392, 31 October 2007

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dog Eat Dog Films, The Weinstein Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Insurance companies banned employees from being interviewed in the documentary.

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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

[first lines]
George W. Bush: We got issue in America. Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their... their love with women all across the country.

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Crazy Credits

A quote by Alexis de Tocqueville on the greatness of America is shown in the end credits: "The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults." A small postscript is then added: "(He was French.)"

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Connections

Referenced in 30 Rock: Flu Shot (2009)

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Soundtracks

I Spy
(uncredited)
Music by Hugh Burns and Stuart Elliott
KPM Music Ltd

User Reviews

It's worst than Romania!

I've seen a lot of movies that either make fun or try to exemplify American stupidity, but none convinced me of it unless I've seen Sicko. How can you people put up with this?! The medical system portrayed in this film is worst than here in Romania!

Basically, it tells about the medical system being bought and used by insurance companies to trick people into paying huge sums of money for any medical care, regardless of them having a medical insurance or not. Then there are examples of the Canadian, French, British and Cuban health care systems, which are, as I think they should be, free and of high quality.

And the logic is very simple, even if one chooses to disregard the highly emotional examples presented by Moore: people who win money from not taking care of you will not take care of you.

Take care!