Super Size Me

Grade: B+

To celebrate my 40th birthday last year, I gave myself over to one of the biggest treats in my universe – I went to McDonalds. This is no joke. My partner had a Board meeting, and so, on my 40th birthday, I joyfully visited the Golden Arches. It was a close call between a Quarter Pounder and a Wendy’s Single, but ultimately Mickey D’s french fries carried the day.

If I had seen this movie before I started Weight Watchers some 16 months ago, I would be depressed verging on suicidal at the moment. As it is, I have learned two thoroughly horrifying facts. First, and I hope this doesn’t upset anyone too much – McDonalds is not terribly good for you. I know, I know, but they had documentary evidence and everything, so I sorta think it must be true. Second, and especially mortifying for anyone who’s enjoyed the number two combo as much as I have through the years – it is unbelievably disgusting to watch someone eating this glop.

More sweet natured, less caustic and biting than Michael Moore, New York filmmaker Morgan Spurlock puts his own life on the line, surprisingly literally, when he goes on a 30-day diet of McDonalds, McDonalds, and more McDonalds. The fact that he gains some weight is not terribly surprising, but the amount of flab he puts on, coupled with the changes in his cholesterol, triglyceride and blood pressure levels, his mood swings, heart palpitations and failing sex drive quickly turns this humorous romp into something far more serious and meaningful. By day 20 -- doctors, girlfriend and parents all expressing serious concern -- you’ll be finding yourself genuinely caring about this guy and wanting to plead with him to give up the quest and go healthy again.

There is much here that is not frankly a surprise, and there are some fairly standard documentary flourishes we’ve seen before – the executives who never return requests for an interview, the children who have no idea who George Washington or Jesus Christ are but who automatically recognize Ronald McDonald, the school nutritionists who try to justify the crap they’re feeding our kids. But Spurlock makes it all terribly funny and human, as we all sit there watching the movie and hoping that nobody around us notices the soda we’re drinking or the chocolate chip cookies we’ve smuggled into the theater (Um, that’s what we brought to the movie theater this afternoon. I chewed very, very inconspicuously.)

Let’s face it – most of us are pigs. Some of us are losing the bulge battle, some of us are in a perpetual state of dieting, some of us pray to our higher power for strength and recovery. And for those of us who don’t fall into any of these categories, and only eat for nutritional sustenance when they’re hungry, I kinda sorta hate each and every one of you.

More Movie Info: http://imdb.com/title/tt0390521/