Roger & Me
A mordantly funny documentary follows Michael Moore’s relentless campaign to confront GM leadership over the devastation of Flint’s factory closure.
Overview
A poignant exploration of corporate greed and its human cost, seen through the eyes of a determined filmmaker.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- irreverent
- sardonic
- angry
- political documentary night
- labor history viewing
What critics said
Critics overwhelmingly praised the film as an inventive, sharply funny, and powerful critique of corporate dislocation, while some objected to its selective chronology and rhetorical exaggeration.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Michael Moore repeatedly attempts to secure an interview with GM chief executive Roger Smith while documenting the consequences of the plant closure.
The film connects GM's closure of its Flint plant to mass unemployment, evictions, and the broader deterioration of the city.
Moore frames Flint's economic devastation alongside absurd or incongruous public scenes, producing humor without losing the labor crisis at the center.
The film arranges Flint's troubles and the closing eviction sequence through emotionally pointed juxtaposition, a structure noted by critics as out of chronological order.
Films like Roger & Me, and why
Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media
satirical documentary filmmaking confronting corporate power and economic inequality
Harlan County War
observational social documentary focused on working-class hardship and institutional failure
The Big One
irreverent political documentary using humor and direct confrontation to critique American capitalism
American Factory
documentary portrait of economic decline that combines human testimony with structural critique
Movie Details
- Director
- Michael Moore
- Release Date
- 1989-09-01
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (326)
Cast
- Michael Moore
- Rhonda Britton
- Fred Ross
- Roger B. Smith
- Bob Eubanks
- James Blanchard
- Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Wilson
- Pat Boone
- Anita Bryant
- James Bond
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Roger & Me about?
- A mordantly funny documentary follows Michael Moore’s relentless campaign to confront GM leadership over the devastation of Flint’s factory closure.
- What is Roger & Me like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Roger & Me as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Roger & Me violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Roger & Me as mild.
- What did critics think of Roger & Me?
- Critics overwhelmingly praised the film as an inventive, sharply funny, and powerful critique of corporate dislocation, while some objected to its selective chronology and rhetorical exaggeration.
- Which films are like Roger & Me?
- Films with a similar feel include Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, Harlan County War, The Big One, and American Factory.
- How long is Roger & Me?
- Roger & Me runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch Roger & Me?
- In United States, Roger & Me is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
