very good movie, the first time around. Then . . . . .

Rating: 4/10 (11 June 2005)

The first time I saw this movie I loved it and I would tell so many people about it. It definitely left an impression on me.
Then i decided to watch it again. The second time around this movie was seen for what it really is, or at least can be. This movie drips of propaganda and the viewer is left drinking the excesses of the creators viewpoint. One thing they teach you in NA (Narcotics Anonymous) is that drugs lead to one of three places. Jails, Institutions and Death. This movie introduces another destination, slavery, but holds up the credo and teachings of organizations such as NA.
Through imagery, conversation, suggestion and the occasional blast of visual information, the creators work very hard to show the viewer the users side of the story as well as the "outsiders" views and opinions of the main characters.
We hope for the best as Harrys mom makes her decision to use diet pills to lose whatever iota of fat she thinks she has before her television appearance. We are left feeling sad for her though as she begins her decline into delusion only to end up institutionalized.
All in all, the characters work together very well and the movie is better than many other creations out there. But for me, when it boils down to it, this movie feels a lot like reefer madness and should be cataloged as shock-education.