Super Size Me ---- ***1/2 (out of 5) (2004)
Director(s): Morgan Spurlock
Screenwriter(s): Morgan Spurlock
Released on: May 14, 2004
Reviewed on: July 25, 2004
Rated: Not Rated (profanity, some grotesque images)
In the United States, the issue of national obesity is turning into something more and more threatening. With the presence of endless fast food chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, and Hardee's, it seems reasonable for adults to be genuinely concerned for their children's health, and the health of the generations to follow. In an effort to show just exactly how bad the obesity "epidemic" is in the US, an independent filmmaker named Morgan Spurlock has stepped forward and delivered a powerful film that documents his unique way of illustrating the damage fast food can do to your health.
We've all eaten fast food at one time or another. Some eat it in more copious quantities than others, as shown by Spurlock. But can you imagine eating nothing but McDonald's for 30 days in a row? That's precisely what Spurlock has done to further the impact of his documentary, SUPER SIZE ME. Much to the dismay of his vegan chef of a girlfriend, Morgan went right ahead with his plan and set aside a policy of rules he must follow while eating McDonald's for a straight month. He must eat nothing but McDonald's for exactly 30 days, and this includes all three main meals of the day. He must order everything on the menu at least once. The final and most challenging concept of the project is that, if he is asked to super size the meal, he must say yes. Throughout the course of this torturous experiment, Morgan must test his willpower at the hands of the dreadfully unhealthy McDonald's menu, and at the end of the project, he gains 25 pounds, ingests 30 pounds of sugar, and consumes 12 pounds of meat. The staggering results go past anything that his health physicians predicted, and before the 30 days is over, they all warn him to quit as soon as he can to avoid killing himself. These segments demonstrate SUPER SIZE ME's strongest points and defend Spurlock's claims with disturbingly accurate information.
However, while Morgan's fast food endurance test is the focal point of the film, things don't always revolve around it. No one can expect themselves to sit patiently through a 98-minute movie just to watch some guy sit and stuff his face in a restaurant. Between these scenes, we get heaps of shocking info to explain just how quickly the health of the youth is going down the toilet. Being the student that I am, I could relate to the scene that showcased the unhealthy lunch options that kids in public schools are succumbed to during the year. The fact that some kids were eating merely French fries for lunch during the documentation in the school was unfortunate but, sadly, it was a piece of info I was already aware of.
We the viewers are also provided a plethora of American health statistics given by professionals while they are interviewed. Residents of the cities that Spurlock travels to are also questioned about their consumption of fast food and, most importantly, a group of impressionable young 1st graders. Nearly none of them knew the names of famous faces in history, but all of them quickly recognized the friendly image of Ronald McDonald and were not shy in declaring their favorite McDonald's meal(s).
SUPER SIZE ME is, without a doubt, worthy of seeing to spread the truth about national (and maybe even global) obesity. Next to Spurlock's witty personality and redeeming humor, we get a masterfully weaved and endlessly informative documentary that is sure to withstand the test of time until the fast food problem is recognized. See it, understand it, appreciate it, and you might be reconsidering your restaurant order after the movie.
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