Categories: cinema
Date: 09 August 2007 00:37:34
Two movies I've seen this week: both rather depressing in their subject matter, but compelling and emotional in their telling.
La Vie En Rose tells the life of Edith Piaf; though it was a rather disjointed film, with me, and my friend, finding the jumping back and forth between past and present confusing and hard-to-follow, when it came to the acting, Marion Cotillard played a wonderful Piaf, and the supporting cast was equally as good. Truly mesmerising. And what a life: so very hard, very tragic, so utterly depressing. For all its faults of disjointedness and being a tad long, in my view, it is a good film.
What a sad life, though: I knew she had a hard up-bringing and had some substance addictions, but I did not realise their extent. A lesson that tragedy can affect, and does affect, everyone, regardless of fame or talent.
I saw Sicko at Dendy Newtown last night, and it was followed by an interesting panel discussion [Tim Anderson, University of Sydney Political Science lecturer; Dr John Gullotta, Chair of the Public Health Committee at the Federal Australian Medical Association; Brett Holmes, General Secretary of the NSW Nurses Association; Michael Armitage, CEO of the Australian Health Insurance Association] and questions and answers from the audience, mostly focused on concerns on the way the Australian system appears to be increasingly following the US system. I have to say this was my favourite of Moore's documentaries: it had humour, it had (some) hope, and it seemed a bit more balanced, as balanced as he could want it to be, than the others.
With apologies to any US readers, I have to say I was fairly appalled at what goes on over there; there are many good things about the US -- it is not somewhere I want to live but I have always enjoyed my visits there and found the people overwhemingly generous in spirit and character. I do not doubt that Moore, in his usual way, focuses on the extreme examples: but these are pretty shocking. Patients being dumped on the streets in hospital gowns if they can't pay; people dying because they are refused treatment; the exhorbitant cost of operations [$60,000 to have a middle finger re-attached!]; people being refused private health cover; the need to call ahead to hospitals and such to check if you are covered at the place... I am left wondering how such a great country as the US has such a shocking health-care system: especially for those who can least afford it.
While I do complain about the state of health services here in Australia, and there are issues: I am thankful we do have a universal health service and that most services are free: I can see a GP for free; I can spend time in hospital for free... And I would want this for everyone. People seem to always want tax cuts, always want more money in their hand; while I'd always like a bit more cash, I think it of prime importance we do pay taxes that go to services so those in need in our society can be cared for.
And I have to say France has some very interesting services: free laundry for recent mums; paid one-week honeymoons; a large number of sick and holiday leave days... My jaw dropped.
As I said, two depressing movies in terms of subject matter; but two very well-made and interesting movies.