When your filmography includes titles like Super Size Me and Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?, you probably are not asking to be taken seriously. However, director Morgan Spurlock has made a career out of capitalizing on the infotainment genre with these exact tactics. The presentation of his films usually feature snappy dialog following facts and a colorful chart while he looks like he's having fun.
Spurlock's one success in this whole process is that he has managed to make very mundane topics into flashy, interesting pieces that can be captured on a universal level. When most people think of documentaries, they think of three things:
1. A Ben Stein-type of narration over facts with no real flair.
2. Morgan Freeman giving emotion to penguins.
3. Michael Moore hating on America (because he "loves").
Documentaries are an important part of our culture that doesn't get strong recognition outside of Oscars season. Even recently, there has been questionable lines in the sand of what is documentary and what is entertainment (Exit Through the Gift Shop, Catfish).
But how come they cannot be one in the same? True, you don't want to laugh at half of the things in Restrepo, but certain aspects of life don't need to be boring. Even scary stuff like Restrepo can be presented in a colorful way where the facts are presented in a unique way without tarnishing the content.
I believe that Spurlock MAY be one of the modern masters of this, generalized as infotainment.
In Pom Wonderful Presents the Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Spurlock sets out to learn about advertising and marketing by showing the process of marketing and advertising. The simple act of pathos breaks the fourth wall and already makes this subject more tangible to a generation raised to believe they have ADHD.
Through the 88 minutes of this movie, we are exposed to millions of advertisers, most of which you have already seen on TV and skyscrapers. Instead of sticking to one body of people, Spurlock interviews everyone from corporate heads to New York civilians to various film producers (a lot of great surprises there) to get their take on how advertising affects their lives. Most of the time, despite the occasional tarnished image of compromise, the answers usually end up as positive.
After getting numerous sponsors (spoiler: one of them is Pom Wonderful), the rest of the movie plays out in a vignette of advertising history, hilarious Spurlock-made promos for his sponsors, Pom Wonderful drinks in 70% of the shots, and various, humorous ways that companies push products down our throats (including an inspired pop-up gag).
Spurlock's only issue is that unlike Super Size Me, there is no clear decision on whether advertising is evil or not. Instead, he embodies a sell-out, wearing a uniform covered in his sponsors as he attends Jimmy Kimmel Live and drives around town. By this point, he has given you the information you need to decide on how this marketing affects your life. He set up the dominoes, you knock them over.
Also, despite some in depth interviews edited to run at a rapid pace, there doesn't feel to be too much new stuff after awhile and becomes a monotonous look at advertising. Of course, it works because that's how the marketing works. If you think this movie is not trying to sell you Pom Wonderful, then you missed the point.
After three documentaries, I have come to consider Spurlock a gateway documentary director just as Lady GaGa is to homoerotic disco pop. Both are flashy and possess unique ways to make their genre shine, but there is far more qualified, professional people out there.
Though one with Spurlock's chutzpah and charm? Hardly. No other independent documentary director will set out to make the "Iron Man of documentaries." No other will also make something as invigorating or funny on this subject. Spurlock's desire to be part of the issue sets him apart and makes it feel more personal, even if he's just trying to sell you some shoes.
I'm sure there will be far better documentaries this year, but I will not lie, this was a FUN movie that just happened to have a lot of facts in it. It may not be the most precise, but if you are looking for an entertaining intro to marketing class without a Ben Stein-level teacher, AND has a wicked sense of humor, check out this movie (and convince him to sponsor this blog).
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