Love him or hate him, few documentarians have made their voice heard more loudly than Michael Moore, the director of the 2nd Amendment exposé Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11, an investigation of the events of and fallout from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Never one to shy away from the spotlight, or from the most topical topics, it comes as no surprise that Michael Moore would want to tackle the contentious 2016 presidential election. But it does come as a surprise that he was able to do so before the season was even over.
Then again, Michael Moore in TrumpLand isn’t a typical Michael Moore movie. It’s a filmed version of Moore’s one-man show, which premieres at the IFC Center in New York – for free – tonight at 9:30pm EST, with Michael Moore appearing in person.
Also: The 50 Greatest Political Movies Ever
The IFC Center describes the film thusly: “See the film Ohio Republicans tried to shut down. Oscar-winner Michael Moore dives right into hostile territory with his daring and hilarious one-man show, deep in the heart of TrumpLand in the weeks before the 2016 election.”
“The film Ohio Republicans tried to shut down” refers to Michael Moore’s claim that his performance of TrumpLand was “banned” from the Midland Theatre in Newark, OH for its controversial themes. The operators of the theatre claim that they had many reasons not to go ahead with the production, including the short time-frame they would have been given to publicize the event and their uncertainty over the format of the show.
Several of Michael Moore’s previous films have earned him awards, enormous box office success and an impressive amount of cultural influence, but those films were all presented in the documentary medium. Will a one-man show be able to strike the same chords, generate the same buzz and have the same impact? You’ll be able to find out in New York City tonight. Michael Moore in TrumpLand begins its theatrical run on October 19, 2016.
Top Photo: IFC Center
William Bibbiani (everyone calls him ‘Bibbs’) is Crave’s film content editor and critic. You can hear him every week on The B-Movies Podcast and Canceled Too Soon, and watch him on the weekly YouTube series Most Craved, Rapid Reviews and What the Flick. Follow his rantings on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
