As kids, going to the local fast food joint is the biggest thrill, be it the toys/TV/movie product placements that come with the meals, the bright colors, the theme characters, the playgrounds, and oh yeah, the realllly tasty, sugary, salty, greasy treats on the menu. What are in these items–well, best not to think about it, they are so tasty. Eating a burger/sandwich/whatever combo–yummy–just makes one want another, and another, and another…
Addiction to junk food is just one of many topics discussed by Morgan Spurlock in his first feature film “”Super Size Me””. The director/star goes off on subjects ranging from obesity, school cafeteria choices, exercise (and lack thereof), and media time given to the major eatery franchises vs. their nutritional counterparts. All told, the U.S. looks to be a nation full of citizens with clogged arteries, high sugar-content, continual cravings to eat more–and larger–portions, and poor health habits in general which start at a very young age. Through his cross country travels, and interviews with both experts–medical, educational, and dietary, among others–and folks on the street, Spurlock creates an image of America that is in a state of food abuse, causing heart problems, extreme weight gain, diabetes, and other problems. In order to bring home his point, the filmmaker goes on his own fast-food regimen, whereby he eats nothing but McDonald’s for his three daily meals for a month. The rules he sets stipulate that he must try everything on the menu at least once, and that he can only ‘Super Size’ his meal when asked–but when asked he must do so. His new diet irks his vegan girlfriend Alex, who makes him an aptly titled ‘last supper’ of more nutritional dishes, before the protagonist goes on his 30-day McDonald’s only binge. Spurlock visits 3 medical practitioners–a cardiologist, a gastronomy specialist, and a general physician–who, along with a dietitian, confirm that he is in perfect health. Following these consultations, he begins his diet, and returns to the above individuals who track his progress—and quickly deteriorating health.At first the lead relishes going to McD’s all the time–it’s the dream of everyone when they are young, and the fast-food joint now even delivers (something he utilizes). Still, to make his role as guinea pig complete, he minimizes his exercise–he wants to emulate the ‘typical’ American, who studies show doesn’t work out…or even walk much (Spurlock lives in Manhattan–where locals walk plenty–so he has to change this routine by quickly hopping in cabs). Limiting his walking, and physical activity in general, the filmmaker delves wholeheartedly, no pun intended, into his experiment on the effects of cholesterol-laden culinary pursuits.While showing the effects of his continually eating McDonald’s, Spurlock refers back to the legal case whereby two teenage girls from New York sued the burger chain on the basis that their excessive weight gain was caused by the food served there. He talks to the lawyer, Samuel Hirsch, who certainly gives an interesting response to the director’s question about the legal fight, and also spends much time with George Washington Law Prof. John Banzhaf, who is leading the effort against the fast-food business. Does the lawsuit against the so-called Golden Arches have merit–this is something that really pushes Spurlock as he travels America devouring Big Mac after Big Mac, plus Quarter Pounders, McNuggets, Egg McMuffins, fries…and more fries, and of course, the titular portions.[pagebreak]America is full of poor eating choices, according to Spurlock, and not just at McDonald’s or any of its competitors (even Subway, its spokesman Jared and all, are not spared here). On his journeys across America, stops to look at the schools and their cafeterias and gymnasiums, to see how the kids eat, and their gym classes (whatever exists here, that is). It’s here that the movie is most effective in its argument, as students are viewed purchasing items like fries, desserts, Gatorade, and sodas, and the staff there look away from the less than quality lunches of the kids; it’s Spurlock who follows one girl to her table to discover that the junk food she just bought ‘is’ her lunch, not a supplement to something more nutritious.At times, “”Super Size Me”” resembles the films of another documentarian, one Michael Moore, but instead of going after the gun lobby or corporate downsizing, Morgan Spurlock uses a similar style to critique the food industry. In achieving a kind of balance, he also talks to the Grocery Manufacturers of America, who represent this business (candy, soda, and all) in Washington, DC. This group concedes that they are part of the problem (!), though they claim to be part of the solution as well (!!) and that the real problem is lack of information. Among the highlights of the movie is the Day 2 of Spurlock’s test month, when he orders what is his first Super Size Meal during this time. Having already eaten a full day of McDonald’s the day before, and also that morning, he is viewed eating, with increasing difficulty, the aptly named (Super Size-d) combo, and even 20-plus minutes later he struggles to finish it, creating a less than appetizing result. Other notable moments in the flick are the bit where children are asked to name individuals they see in various pictures submitted by the director, the various trips to the medical practitioners–and their surprising findings, and the “”Pledge of Allegiance”” segment in front of the White House late in the film.Spurlock seems to have gone to great length to tell this story of a man and his fast-food diet, going from New York to Los Angeles to Texas and various places in-between. His eating habits cause him sickness, depression, and according to his girlfriend a, um, decreased prowess in the bedroom. The scenario he faces, however, compares little to what others who eat this food regularly encounter, as demonstrated by a discussion with a man from Texas who faces a serious operation (this which the movie depicts with Johann Strauss’ “”Blue Danube Waltz”” playing in the background).Many people, with regard to McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Baskin-Robbins (John Robbins is one of the people interviewed for this movie), and other of these franchises, are probably aware that eating continually at these locales is not the healthiest option. The products sold are known for being, well, just plain bad…save for the occasional treat. However, Spurlock seems to indicate that the problem isn’t just what is out there, but the lack of better, and visible alternatives—whether it’s celebrities endorsing fruits and vegetables instead of sodas, or schools where the lunches are actually cooked rather than pre-processed foods.Perhaps eating a junk food diet alone won’t necessarily cause rapid deterioration of one’s health, but combined with low physical activity, such as the case at many schools for instance, it creates a situation where the above symptoms (be it obesity, diabetes, serious stomach problems) flourish. Still, Spurlock’s work is effective, and quite sobering, as it goes beyond McD’s–both the food served and the corporation in general–and its rival chains, and explores the culture at large whereby few care anymore about the negative impact of poor eating decisions. It is like that scene in the film in Illinois school that the filmmaker visits (this in the state where McDonald’s was born); at a young age, one learns that it’s ok to devour something high-sugar, high cholesterol…just plain bad stuff–as a meal, and therefore carries this habit throughout life.Grade: A-EM Review by Andrew Haas5/7/04