Back in the late 80s, when Michael Moore was in better shape, he made a “documentary” film called Roger & Me. I disagree with the notion that Moore’s films are actually documentaries, but in general i like his style, sometimes agree with his opinions, and always enjoy the discussion his films generate.
The premise is that Moore is trying to obtain an interview with Roger Smith, the big dog at General Motors, to get him to come to Flint, Michigan to see the effect had on the town when GM closed down all its plants. He never gets his interview, but we do see the disastrous effects on the town.
The plight of the people portrayed is very unfortunate. The town was in bad shape. Even today, the towns in that area suffer. A friend of mine moved to a nearby city and bought a house, with high hopes of making her home there long-term. Well, she hated the job and now she can’t sell her house. No one wants to move to that area anymore. It used to be a thriving area, built around the many jobs available at the many automotive plants in the area.
Moore seems to want to place the blame of the economic downturn at Roger Smith’s feet and hold him responsible. The inference is that GM shouldn’t have closed the plants, and that GM has a responsibility to the town and to the employees.
I disagree entirely. GM is a business, and the decision-makers have to make decisions that benefit the company and the bottom line. Let’s say i run my own small business and you work for me. Now let’s say i find someone else who is willing to do the same exact job for half your salary. Maybe she is younger, or has less experience, but if i think she can do the job as well as you, i’m costing myself money by keeping you employed. I don’t think anyone will disagree with my example. For some reason, big corporations don’t get the benefit of the same logic. They are a monstrous entity to be railed against and blamed. But the bottom line is, they are a business, and they will make business decisions, and i don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.
I think it’s very sad and unfortunate what happened to that town, and i feel for the people who had to face tough circumstances because of it. I think it sucks that my friend lives and works in one state while hoping desparately that her house near Flint will sell sometime soon. But i don’t think Roger Smith or GM need to be held accountable for this.
So, i’m not sure how to rate this movie. It has provoked a strong reaction in me, and in general i think that’s a good thing. However, i think the point of the movie is way off base. Another point against the movie is the way the timeline of events is presented. No dates are given in the film, but the progression of the movie indicates that the plant closings caused other events in the town, when in fact the plant closings hadn’t even happened yet. I don’t want to get too into the details, but when i read about that, it bothered me.
Thus ends my rambling thoughts on Roger & Me.