Enjoying the latest advocacy doc from Super
Size Me
writer-director Morgan Spurlock involves a number of mental gymnastics. Viewers
are supposed to accept that Spurlock is in emotional agonies about missing out
on his wife's first pregnancy, even though he skipped out during those months
to travel to hotspots in the Middle East and make an essentially comedic film
about trying to locate Osama bin Laden. They're supposed to accept that bin
Laden is a serious threat, while still chuckling as Spurlock reduces him into a
videogame character, fighting Spurlock in a trailer park, and a cartoon
character, dancing mockingly to "U Can't Touch This." Most importantly, they're
supposed to be amused by Spurlock's silly antics—like slipping "Do you know
where Osama is?" into casual conversations, or randomly calling bin Ladens from
the Saudi Arabian phone book—while simultaneously taking him seriously as
a journalistic investigator unearthing shocking truths about people in the
likes of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Egypt.
The main "shocking" truth—and the film's
message—is that people in the Middle East are much like people in
America, politically trapped by loudmouthed extremists on both sides of any
issue, but essentially willing to believe the best about humanity the world
over. The affirming message gives Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden? a warm, fuzzy,
pleasantly inclusive center. But that center is heavily coated with a numbing
barrage of Michael Moore stunt journalism, dumbed-down history lectures, and a
bright candy shell of animation and self-satisfied jokes. Even more so than in Super
Size Me—which
applied the same tactics, but to more appropriately trivial issues—Where
In The World is a conversation-starter for ADD-stricken adolescents who can't
bear to think about one thing for too long, or too deeply.
There's a lot to like amid Where In The World's bouncy amiability.
Spurlock remains engaging and playfully funny, at least when he isn't
repeatedly trying to mine pathos out of the fact that he voluntarily left home
while his first child develops. And while the film's gags don't always jibe
with its sincere interviews of Middle Eastern citizens, or its worrisome
encounters with the soldiers serving in dangerous territory—the constantly
shifting tone provides as many hit bits as misses. The primary problems are the
same ones that plague Moore: the disingenuous yet snotty tone, and the way
Spurlock demands that viewers giggle at his flippant adolescent humor one
minute, and trust his sincerity a moment later. At least Spurlock's messages
are generally simple enough that it's easy to trust his motives and
conclusions. But sometimes being on his side is a little embarrassing.