Has President Obama Hurt Michael Moore’s New Film?Randy Shawbyline‚ Oct. 13‚ 2009As I wrote after seeing the U.S. premiere, Michael Moore’s Capitalism, A Love Story, is a must-see movie and his most powerful and politically fulfilled work. Moore thought so as well, and engaged in a media blitz to encourage a massive turnout to the 962 theater opening on the October 3-4 weekend. Moore argued that a top-grossing film critiquing capitalism would send a powerful message to Wall Street that the public is fed up with its greed. But this expected rush to theaters did not materialize. In fact, according to box office sources, Moore’s new film did less than half as well per theater than Sicko, his previous movie. Overall, Capitalism, A Love Story finished a disappointing sixth in its opening week, tied with Drew Barrymore’s roller derby film, Whip It. This past weekend, Moore's film fell to ninth. There are many possible reasons for this. Did Moore overestimate the popular base for a movie that fundamentally critiques a system that most Americans support? Or has the popular anger that fueled attendance at Moore’s anti-Bush Administration films diminished with President Obama’s election, so that the public no longer sees attending a Moore film as politically and psychologically necessary? |