TSPDT

Key Production Country: USA
Key Genres: Documentary, Culture & Society, Social Issues, Politics & Government, Law & Crime, Message Movie
Key Collaborators: Carl Deal (Producer), Jayme Roy (Cinematographer), Pablo Proenza (Editor), Jeff Gibbs (Composer), Kathleen Glynn (Producer), Meghan O'Hara (Producer), Brian Danitz (Cinematographer), Todd Woody Richman (Editor), Kurt Engfehr (Editor), Chris Seward (Editor), Doug Abel (Editor)

"Guerrila documentarian and anti-corporate gadfly Michael Moore wields a Swiftian satirical sword in his multi-media battle against contemporary robber barons, for whom 'enough' is a dirty word. Raised in working-class Flint, Michigan, the tall, burly, bespectacled filmmaker had never made more than $17,000 dollars a year when the highly profitable documentary Roger and Me (1989) introduced his affable manner, comforting girth and omnipresent baseball cap, catapulting the 'lefty' journalist to millionaire celebrity status." - The Hollywood.com Guide to Film Directors, 2004

"The polemical satirist and agent provocateur Michael Moore is perhaps the most contentious filmmaker in the United States. An old-school socialist who endorsed Ralph Nader in the 2000 presidential race (but turned to John Kerry in 2004), Moore is also an inveterate self-publicist who puts himself front and centre in his films. With his trademark baseball cap, stubble and baggy blue jeans, he is an instantly recognizable figure - a leftist icon with a popular touch… Infuriated right-wingers complain that Moore's satiric and political purposes distort journalistic principles. Supporters counter that Moore is a necessary corrective to the conservative institutional bias in traditional media outlets." - Tom Charity (The Rough Guide to Film, 2007)

"Author, filmmaker, and political activist Michael Moore has developed a trademark style of tackling major issues with a sharp sense of humor while maintaining a regular-guy attitude, an approach that has helped him secure a reputation as both a razor-sharp humorist and one of America's most fearless political commentators." - Mark Deming (Allmovie)

"Michael Moore asks questions for a living. Most often, they’re good questions, pertinent and provocative, even if the answers aren’t coherent or definitive. With the documentaries Roger & Me (about his pursuit of GM chairman Roger Smith, 1989) and The Big One (his pursuit of Nike CEO Phil Knight, 1997), as well as with his irreverent television series, TV Nation (1994-5) and The Awful Truth (1999-ish), his website for Dog Eat Dog Films, as well as his books, Downsize This! and Stupid White Men, Moore has made it his business to challenge the seeming inevitability of consumer culture and popular beliefs." - Cynthia Fuchs (PopMatters, 2002)

"Controversial social activist and guerrilla filmmaker of documentaries that attack and subvert contemporary U.S. corporate life and politics." - Garrett Chaffin-Quiray (501 Movie Directors, 2007)

"A gadfly to some; a godsend to others, documentary filmmaker Michael Moore succeeded in ticking off the right and galvanizing the left with his controversial, yet highly entertaining documentaries. Whether he was skewering a president taking a nation to war under false pretenses, challenging the violent nature of American culture or exposing a woefully dismal health care system in the wealthiest country on Earth, Moore managed to spark both enlightened conversation and frothing vitriol with his movies." - Turner Classic Movies

"Moore has carved out a unique spot in pop culture with his trademark cheekiness, humor, and man-on-the-street tactics. As of 2022, he has directed 11 feature films (ten documentaries and one narrative fiction film). His work varies from smug and unnecessary to empathetic and indispensable. Love him or hate him, he’s made a loud, indelible impression on the cinematic landscape." - Samuel Bridie (Collider, 2022)

"When I'm shooting a movie, I'm always in an invisible theater seat. I respect the fact that people have worked hard all week and want to go to the movies on the weekend and be entertained. But the struggle for me does not come between politics and entertainment, because I know that if I succeed in making an entertaining and funny or sad film, the things I want to say politically will come through very strong. If there ever is a struggle, making a good movie will always supersede the need to be noble." - Michael Moore