Bowling For Columbine Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)October 8th, 2002
BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE
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Activist/Documentarian Michael Moore ("Roger and Me," "The Big One") tries to identify the cause of gun violence in America in his Cannes award winner, "Bowling for Columbine." The film opens in the United States just as Maryland authorities search for a murderous sniper.
The persistently disheveled Moore begins his journey by opening an account at a Midwestern bank that offers free rifles to new customers. 'You're a bank AND a licensed firearms dealer?' Moore asks incredulously, questioning the logic of handing out guns in a bank. Moore has a scary visit with James Nichols, brother of Timothy McVeigh partner Terry Nichols. He talks with a state trooper who tells of the accidental shooting of a hunter who had dressed his dog as one while expressing admiration for the resultant photograph. He visits Columbine and uses the school's security tapes of the massacre that took place there.
Moore attempts to form threads, such as noting that Terry Nichols went to High School in the town next to where he had and interviewing a kid who used to make bombs in that same town (Oscada). He notes that the world's largest weapons manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, is located in Littleton and revisits them when he learns they sponsor the 'welfare to work' program that the mother of a 6 year old shooting victim was in. Ironical perhaps, but what exactly does this prove?
Moore's crusade to KMart headquarters with two Columbine victims to request that they stop selling handgun bullets is a retread of his earlier work. His surprise when they capitulate may mask disappointment at not being able to serve up yet another American corporation as the bad guy.
Moore does serve up many surprises though. American Bandstand's Dick Clark turns out to be not such a nice guy while Marilyn Manson is thoughtful and eloquent. Moore has a conversation with Charlton Heston, revealing the man as racist while revealing himself as a card carrying member of the NRA. An animated history of America hilariously skewers our national blood lust, while providing a neat segue to his most cogent exploration and contrast - that of fear in America and the vast difference between us our northern neighbor, Canada, where 7 million guns are present in 10 million households but murder is practically nonexistent. (His schtick testing the statement that Torontonans don't lock their doors made me wonder how many received unwelcome visits after this film was shown at the Toronto film festival.)
Ultimately, however, "Bowling for Columbine" is scattershot. While Moore raises many questions, he fails to find a definitive answer, and he often revisits ideas that he'd already dismissed earlier. Still, "Bowling for Columbine" is certainly thought provoking and oddly entertaining.
B
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