A film of epic portions.
Rating: 6/10
Running Time: 96 minutes
US Certificate: PG-13 UK Certificate: 12a
The United States, as we all know, is a nation chock-full of chubsters. Its virtually impossible to walk down any American street nowadays without encountering triple-chinned doughboys, wobbling along the sidewalk, sweating liquid cheese and sniffing the air for the sweet scent of their next intake of calorie-packed nosh. But whos to blame for turning the Land of the Free into the Land of the Fries? Little-known documentarist Morgan Spurlock reckons he has the answer and, in the bizarre Super Size Me, he sets out to prove it.
For a period of 30 days, Morgan lived off nothing but fast food from McDonalds. He had to munch down three meals a day (no excuses), wasnt allowed to eat or drink anything not sold underneath the golden arches, and couldnt change the rest of his lifestyle in any way. Interspersed with talking head interviews with top dieticians, docs and nutritionalists, this is his video diary.
It has to be said that Morgans astonishingly rapid transformation from healthy thirty-something into weak, wheezing porker makes for some fascinating viewing but whats his point? That food from McDonalds isnt particularly good for you? The phrase duh, really? springs to mind. After all, even McDs themselves have never claimed that their food is ALL you should eat. And why pick on just them anyway? Granted, theyre one of the big bad multinationals were all supposed to shake our heads at disapprovingly these days, but surely living purely off a fish-and-chip, curry, pizza or kebab diet from the locally-run take-away would have just as detrimental an effect on the human bod?
Super Size Me takes a fairly needless premise and runs with it, and its often the ridiculous lengths to which Spurlock is prepared to go (despite the strong contrary advise of the experts), rather than any educational message, that makes it worth watching. Not content with sporting a ridiculous handlebar moustache from the films kick-off, the man literally turns his body into a hazardous dumping ground for mushed up beef and processed chicken, and then seems to expect a pat on the back at the end of it. But for what? Stating the painfully obvious? One things for sure our Spurlocks no Sherlock.
It's Got: An overhanging belly and a marvellous pair of bitch-tits.
It Needs: Some sort of official response from McDs themselves even if its only to tell him to burger off.
Summary
An entertaining, but essentially pointless, delve into the world of quick-grow flabby bits.