Presidential Pursuits (washingtonpost.com)

Presidential Pursuits (washingtonpost.com): "Not since 'The Passion of the Christ' has a movie from outside the Hollywood mainstream made a review so superfluous. By orchestrating a hype campaign every bit as finely tuned as Mel Gibson's, filmmaker Michael Moore has made 'Fahrenheit 9/11' required viewing, not just for the thousands of like-minded activists who have vowed to make the documentary a box office hit this weekend, but for anyone who wants to be culturally literate.

In other words, most people reading this already know whether they're going or not. The question is whether 'Fahrenheit 9/11' will be worth the trip. In many ways this is Moore's best film; he exercises restraint that has been notably lacking in such documentaries as 'Roger & Me,' 'The Big One' and the Oscar-winning 'Bowling for Columbine.' In those movies, Moore affected the persona of a rumpled Everyman bravely confronting malign corporate and cultural forces; he also never missed a chance to be seen on camera, usually in a self-serving pose of righteous indignation. (Who can forget how courageously he placed the photograph of a gun violence victim in Charlton Heston's driveway?) "


By Ann Hornaday
Washington Post Staff Writer