Michael Moore, with flag at the ready, sets out to invade another country he reckons the US can learn from.
COMMENT:
Documentary maker Michael Moore has another occupation on his CV now.
He is an invader.
Which I daresay he is very good at because old Mikey boy has built a pretty good reputation as being upfront when he meets people and analyses the life and world around him.
So, he decides to do something for the land he was born in and has its stamp on his passport.
The United States of America.
A land marred by flaws, he says.
A land which could learn a lot from the rest of the world on so many fronts.
So, this cheerful chap packs his bags, and an open mind, and heads off to Europe and Africa to look at the diversity of nations and cultures...all in a quest to find out what the USA can learn from them.
Put it this way, he isn't cautious or soft when it comes to talking about the land he is from, but unlike some of his previous confrontational outings and observations he plays this one pretty well straight down the line.
What he uncovers is, as times, quite startling.
Moore wrote, directed and co-produced the resulting film/doco and using his usual wit, sparked by a spot of cynicism about his homeland, he's called it Where To Invade Next and it screens on Māori TV tonight.
The core of this tale of wonder and wander is built around what Moore sees as some of the major issues across the socio-economic landscape of the USA.
Like drugs, high rates of imprisonment, health benefits and care, education, food at schools, wages and effective and restful leave time.
Things some of the lands he "invades" seem to have pretty well sorted...in their own unique way.
Like in France, where some of the school meals he encounters are essentially gourmet delights...sort of tucker Jamie Oliver or Marco Pierre White could have run across the hot plates.
And in Italy where he explores the rights of workers (half of whom probably fail to pay tax mind you).
They get paid honeymoons and two-hour lunch breaks, along with parental leave and extensive workers' rights.
On the education front he is surprised and delighted at the learning industry of Slovenia...a fine place but one I cannot place on the map...I spent too many hours gazing out the window during geography.
In this European land tuition at all levels is effectively debt-free.
While in Norway he heads down the law and order path and visits a couple of what he calls "humane" lock-ups on both the minimum security and maximum security fronts, and in Iceland, then Tunisia, gets stuck into women's rights.
The people he checks in with for opinion and at times sharp words are remarkable.
Yep, there are countries out there which have both intriguing and effective policies, although I doubt there is one that can cover all the bases.
This is a compilation of what Moore sees as the positives to often challenging and tricky ingredients of the whole social, economic and political landscape.
An interesting series of observations, and you just have to smile when he fires up.
He laments what he says is a feeling within a great swathe of the public back in his patch that the USA is doing everything right.
No, he says as he invades another border to show where he says someone is doing something right.
Something he suggests America should take up.
Where to Invade Next, Māori TV at 8.30 tonight: You have to hand it to Michael Moore.
He can put on a thought-provoking show, and he ain't afraid to speak up against the rulers of his homeland.
In fact he clearly kind of thrives on it.
ON THE BOX
Outback Opal Hunters, Prime at 7.30pm Thursday: There's some interesting stuff down there in the ground.
Like gold and silver and diamonds and opals and jade and lots of other things.
Lots of plastic too but we won't go there.
So Thursday has apparently been declared mining night, with Prime and Choice picking up the spades and going underground.
Here we have a couple of lads who farewell their families and head for the wilderness in search of opal...which will mean handy dosh for groceries and things.
Over on Choice, at the same time, it is Jade Fever which follows a family jade mining business.
7 Days, TV3 at 9pm Friday: The ingredients which make up the week's news is the recipe for what the teams of Dai Henwood and Paul Ego decide to put under the heat.
It has staked a worthy place on the comedy front as each week the lads, under the minimal control of host Jeremy Corbett, roll out their teammates and tear whatever comes to mind to shreds.
The political antics and activities of the land are always easy pickings, and I reckon there's got to be some fun and games to be had with the Wellington transport system.
By about 2pm, police determined the package posed no threat.