Roger & Me *** (1989, Michael Moore, Roger B Smith) – Classic Movie Review 10,275

The Me of the title is film-maker reporter Michael Moore whose satirical 1989 documentary feature Roger & Me [Roger and Me] trails Roger B Smith, chairman of General Motors, who cut 35,000 jobs when he closed down a factory in Moore’s hometown of Flint, Michigan, hoping to get an interview with him.

This seemingly inauspicious material is transformed into a headline grabber by writer-director Moore’s ability to capture the absurdities of American life.

Whether talking to rabbit farmers offering a choice of meat or pets, or to uncooperative secretaries, Moore emerges as a more politicised American Clive James – often hilarious, sometimes sad, but constantly entertaining.

Encouragingly, on a low budget of $160,000, it was distributed by Warner Bros and grossed $6,706,368 in the US. It proved Moore’s breakout film.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,275

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