ROGER & ME
USA 1989 – Director: Michael Moore – Original language: English – Subtitles: German – Length: 83 min.
During the 1980s, General Motors, the world's largest corporation, cut 30,000 jobs in its hometown of Flint, Michigan. Once a thriving example of the wonders of the American Dream, "Buick City" became a ghost town. Concerned by the social and economic crisis he could see going on around him, Michael Moore, son of a Flint autoworker, spent 2 years on a mission to track down Roger Smith, head of GM, to "talk things over".
During his quest the irrepressible Moore comes across an eclectic range of characters, from Ronald Reagan to Miss America. With his inimitable style Moore highlights the social and economic consequences of GM's downsizing: houses, massive unemployment, record rates of suicide, spousal abuse and alcoholism and soaring rates of violent crime. The Billboards in Flint carry encouraging slogans "Tough Times Don't Last - Tough People Do!" "Flint - It Means So Much To Be Here" but Money magazine dubs the town the worst place to live in the country. And all the while Roger remains illusive.
Michael Moore's seminal work is both a hilarious portrait of Reagan's America and a searing indictment of an American dream gone awry.
"One part home movie, one part editorial, one part letter bomb, the film is a one-man insurrection." Hal Hinson, Washington PostAwards: Audience Award, Toronto 1989; Best Film, Vancouver Film Festival 1989; Peace Film Award, Forum Berlinale 1990
English/Original Title: Roger und ich. Writer: Michael Moore. Camera: Christopher Beaver, John Prusak, Kevin Rafferty, Bruce Schermer. Sound: Judy Irving. Editing: Jennifer Beman, Wendey Stanzler. Production: Dog Eats Dog Film. Producer: Michael Moore. Distribution: Filmproduktion und Vertrieb Warner Brothers Deutschland.
