Evgeny Kogan. Simplicity is worse than theft

"O Scar" for "Best Documentary Film", Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, "Cesar" for "Best Foreign Film", Audience Awards in San Sebastian, Amsterdam, Halifax, Sao Paulo and Bergen, WGA Award (Screen) for "Best Documentary Screenplay" from the Writers Guild of America, prizes for "Best Documentary" from the Society of Film Critics, from the Forth Worth Film Critics Association Awards in Dallas, from film critics in Florida, Kansas and Toronto, from the Society of Internet Film Critics of the USA and the Society of South Film Critics -east... You can continue ad infinitum. The most famous documentary film of recent years - " Bowling for Columbine " by Michael Moore - was released in Russian distribution.

The film is based on the investigation of a crime that happened on April 20, 1999. Let me remind you that at a high school in Littleton, Colorado, two students opened fire indiscriminately, killing 13 (thirteen!) people. Charming fat man and talented director Michael Moore, traveling around the country, tries to understand the causes of unmotivated outbreaks of violence. And, overwhelmed by righteous anger, he attacks one of the main gains of American democracy - the right to freely purchase and bear arms.

The result is known: the film received so many different awards that it’s somehow even inconvenient. Because, in the end, this same “Bowling alley” is not worth ten gold for everyone to like it so much.

Although everything is actually very simple. A couple of years ago, the world was overwhelmed by anti-American sentiment. The war in Iraq, the idiotic militarism of George Bush, anti-terrorist dances on the bones of those killed on September 11th . And now, and not just anywhere, but in the USA, a kind of Robin Hood suddenly appears, a knight without fear or reproach, who makes a revealing, uncompromising film, thrusting a poisoned arrow of retribution into the very heart of the vaunted American way of life, into the very heart of the advertised American democracy . Film academics, afraid to award Martin Scorsese’s “Gangs of New York,” a magnificent film about bloody American history, commit a civic act and present the coveted statuette to the “Voroshilov shooter” of the US documentary. And he, don’t be a fool, goes on stage and bursts into a loud and hysterical, but predictable speech about President Bush’s crimes against humanity. The society is delighted, prizes follow one after another, Moore triumphantly travels to festivals. Victory?

It so happened that behind the abundance of truly interesting textures in the crowd of newsmakers of the present and past involved in the film (and those appearing on the screen include: George Bush, Bill Clinton, Dick Cheney, Salvador Allende, Adolf Hitler, Marilyn Manson, Chris Rock and, most importantly, , Charlton Heston, a famous actor in the past, a real Hollywood star, and now a promoter of freedom to bear arms) the essence of the film was actually lost. Because this is, in fact, not a documentary. But something completely different.

Valery Komissarov, the author of “My Family” and now a deputy, fighter for morality and author of bills, did something similar, but at a qualitatively different level, many years ago. In the programs of the ATV channel, he created witty stories that pretended to be documentaries, but in fact they were pure provocation. Komissarov provoked people who happily reciprocated his feelings and took part in the game. In that game, which was then shown on a small television screen throughout the country. And even earlier, Alexander Nevzorov, also a TV star and deputy, “collected” money for the Moon Greening Fund. Yes, in fact, neither Komissarov nor Nevzorov were the first. There has always been provocation in art. But it was only with the help of electronic media that it began to significantly influence public opinion.

“Bowling for Columbine” is a masterfully made skit. Both ordinary residents of the United States and the experienced Charlton Heston (in the film - the devil in the flesh) easily get caught in the web that the talented director Michael Moore weaves. Moore hits where it hurts the most, makes them mourn the innocently murdered children, and then, like firewood on a fire, throws the victim to the audience to be torn to pieces: here he is, the guilty one, crucify him! And the audience willingly crucifies. Because it is always easier to crucify than to try to analyze.

The two-hour documentary “Bowling for Columbine,” which grossed $22 million at the American box office alone (which, you see, is very good for a non-fiction film), is masterfully made and watches in one go. Only after watching it there is some kind of unpleasant aftertaste. And this is not a taste that you can get rid of by brushing your teeth. This is the feeling of being deceived. They planted a talented fake that you fell for. They called us to the barricades to fight for a just cause, but the enemy did not come. Or rather, he came, but somehow fictitious, unreal.

Michael Moore's film is that fake. A far-fetched proof of an initially incorrect statement. When Sergei Kuryokhin proved with his fingers that Lenin was a mushroom, it looked funny and witty. "Bowling for Columbine" is not funny, but sad and scary. And it's very simple. And simplicity, as we know, is worse than theft.