Even though I ended up dry heaving half way through my first viewing of Morgan Spurlock's documentary, Super Size Me, I went to see it again tonight. I originally assumed that some residual illness from the previous night of debauchery, and the low quality of the Hyatt Cinema Theater (Did I say theater? I meant damp warehouse.) were the cause of my mid-movie nausea. However, in better health and at a different theater, I had the same reaction the second time. Much of the film is shot hand-held, from strange angles, with the sickly, pale color reproduction of a digital video camera. But it's the subject matter that put me over the edge.
If you haven't seen it yet, 'Super Size Me' takes a look at America's growing obesity problem, and what Spurlock unapologetically fingers as one of its chief culprits: Fast and packaged food mega-corporations. He takes a pseudo-scientific, but balanced approach to the subject, using himself as a guinea pig who will eat three meals a day at McDonald's for an entire month. Over the course of this month, he also travels across the country, interviewing consumers, experts, lobbyists and at various public school cafeterias.
While not presenting a complete solution, I think he does a good job of at least encouraging the audience to take a critical look at our food consumption habits. My two critiques of the film involve the decision to include Spurlock's girlfriend in the story. While I was not put off by it, the simple fact that she is a gourmet vegan chef, and that she talks about their sex life (and how his new diet affects it) explicitly, will only serve to alienate large groups of a potentially sympathetic audience. I wish it weren't so, but credibility isn't built objectively. Criticism and nausea aside, I would definitely recommend the film, and am glad to see it getting significant distribution.