Super Size Me (2004)
A film of epic portions.
Starring: Morgan Spurlock, Daryl Isaacs, Lisa Ganjhu, Stephen Siegel, Bridget Bennett, Eric Rowley, John V. Banzhaf III, Samuel Hirsch, John Robbins, Don Gorsche, Barbara Brown, Neal Barnard, Adam Namaan, Lisa Howard, Gene Grabowski
Director: Morgan Spurlock
Running Time: 96 minutes
US MPAA rating: PG-13UK BBFC rating: 12a
Documentary
The United States, as we all know, is a nation chock-full of chubsters. It's virtually impossible to walk down any American street nowadays without encountering triple-chinned doughboys, wobbling along the sidewalk, sweating liquid cheese and sniffing the air for the sweet scent of their next intake of calorie-packed nosh. But who's to blame for turning the Land of the Free into the Land of the Fries? Little-known documentarist Morgan Spurlock reckons he has the answer - and, in the bizarre 'Super Size Me', he sets out to prove it.
For a period of 30 days, Morgan lived off nothing but fast food from McDonalds. He had to munch down three meals a day (no excuses), wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything not sold underneath the golden arches, and couldn't change the rest of his lifestyle in any way. Interspersed with talking head interviews with top dieticians, docs and nutritionalists, this is his video diary.
It has to be said that Morgan's astonishingly rapid transformation from healthy thirty-something into weak, wheezing porker makes for some fascinating viewing - but what's his point? That food from McDonald's isn't particularly good for you? The phrase "duh, really?" springs to mind. After all, even McD's themselves have never claimed that their food is ALL you should eat. And why pick on just them anyway? Granted, they're one of the big bad multinationals we're all supposed to shake our heads at disapprovingly these days, but surely living purely off a fish-and-chip, curry, pizza or kebab diet from the locally-run take-away would have just as detrimental an effect on the human bod?
'Super Size Me' takes a fairly needless premise and runs with it, and it's often the ridiculous lengths to which Spurlock is prepared to go (despite the strong contrary advise of the experts), rather than any educational message, that makes it worth watching. Not content with sporting a ridiculous handlebar moustache from the film's kick-off, the man literally turns his body into a hazardous dumping ground for mushed up beef and processed chicken, and then seems to expect a pat on the back at the end of it. But for what? Stating the painfully obvious? One thing's for sure - our Spurlock's no Sherlock.
See also: Review of Super Size Me by Anton Bitel
It's Got: An overhanging belly and a marvellous pair of bitch-tits.
It Needs: Some sort of official response from McD's themselves - even if it's only to tell him to "burger off".
Alternatives: Bowling For Columbine
Summary: An entertaining, but essentially pointless, delve into the world of quick-grow flabby bits.
Review by Gary Panton
External Links
Official Web Site
Super Size Me at the IMDB
