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Ryerson
theatre was filled to capacity tonight for the premiere of Michael Moore's
latest documentary Captain Mike
Across America. The crowd received Moore with the utmost admiration, as
reflected by the loud applause when he entered the theatre.
This film shows Moore's journey through 66 American cities just weeks before
the 2004 presidential election. The energy throughout the film transfers to the
viewer, as you get Moore's sense of urgency in electing a new president; someone
who will bring the troops home from Iraq and who will make the necessary changes
to make the United States a strong, united nation. His tour was titled the
Slacker Uprising Tour 2004, where Moore along with friends and colleagues
targeted college campuses to inspire young people to take to the polls.
Ironically, it was with this age group that Kerry acquired the most votes in
said election.
In the film, you see the trials and tribulations of such undertaking. Moore
was sued on several occasions for the tactics he used in this tour. Somehow,
that was not going to stop him. He continued with the tour and famous friends
came to help; for example, while in Seattle, Eddie Veder performed at Moore's
visit. You also get to see other famous activists like REM, Viggo Mortensen and
Roseanne Barr take to the stage. Their messages, strong felt, also voiced
Moore's pleas to take a stand and vote.
Throughout the screening, the audience burst into applause and at times even
motional reactions. A woman a few seats from me cried during one of Moore's
speeches about the war and the lives lost because of it. The energy in the
theatre was palpable to say the least. The screening felt like an instant part
of Festival lore as Harvey Weinstein was in the audience watching for the first
time. This continued to the end, where Moore received a standing ovation for
about 2-3 minutes. His reaction was that of the greatest appreciation. He said,
"This is way above and beyond what I expected. Thank you for that very generous
response." Moore said the ovation was even longer than when he showed Bowling
for Columbine here.
When
asked if he would do this journey again for a future election, Moore simply
answered, "I hope I don't have to." He went on to share how the tour was tiring
but also physically dangerous. On more than one occasion, Moore's life was
endangered. His efforts will not go unnoticed when the film gets a theatrical
release. You can certainly see why his actions are appreciated by many, many
people not just in the US but in other countries as well. This film will have
you and others in discussion for some time after you see it.
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