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U.N. Me (2009)

Release Date:
Friday, June 1, 2012

MPAA Rating:
PG-13

Rating Reason:
Disturbing thematic material involving genocide and sexual abuses, and for violent images

Genre:
Documentary

Starring:
David Bosco, Ken Cain, Roberta Cohen, Norm Coleman, Simon Deng, Charles Duelfer, Frank Gaffney, Stephen Groves, Jean-Marie Guehenno, Peggy Hicks, Michael Hussey, Colin Keating

Written By:
Matthew Groff, Ami Horowitz

Director:
Matthew Groff, Ami Horowitz

Synopsis:
When the United Nations was founded more than sixty years ago, it embodied our hope for a safer, more peaceful world. But as reports of human rights violations and international conflicts make daily headlines, a question arises: Is the United Nations living up to its founding ideals? The answer is a resounding no. In a film that exposes the incompetence and corruption at the heart of the United Nations, filmmakers Ami Horowitz and Matthew Groff show how an organization created to ennoble mankind now actually enables evil and sows global chaos. U.N. Me takes us on a harrowing and darkly humorous tour of the U.N.'s scandalous disregard for the people and principles it was founded to defend.

U.N. Me (2009) | Review

Is The United Nations Legitimate?
Mike Furches

Content Image
You know, there are just some things that shouldn't be political. Well, at least, that shouldn't be driven by political agendas. I always figured as a matter of human decency that when something is good, it should be seen as good; when it is bad, it should be seen as bad. There are some things like, say, a car company that refuses to fix a part for less than $1 per part, because they figure that they can save money by paying out personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits. In that case, thank you, Roger Moore. Then there are situations like when you buy a hamburger and it should not have a ton of sugar added to the product, thank you, Morgan Spurlock. Now, if you don't know, I reference what many consider two very decent documentaries, Roger and Me and Super Size Me. I enjoyed both films a great deal. Unfortunately, at least in the case of Roger Moore, many now perceive him as trying to push a political agenda; unfortunately, since in many ways he kind of set the standard for many a documentary film maker. I always enjoyed his humor, even though he moved towards a personal agenda a little too much for me. The one thing I always appreciated about both film makers is their ability to address a subject of serious importance, while at the same time, injecting a little humor into the film.

There is a new film maker on the horizon, one that comes from—of all places—a banking background. His name is Ami Horowitz and he is taking on the United Nations. Many have strong opinions about his subject, yet few understand its seriousness. As serious as this topic is, Horowitz takes it on with facts, the people involved, and good old investigative journalistic approaches, all the while injecting satirical humor that should have fans of Roger Moore appreciating the work, yet, also confused, because many on the political right are praising U.N. Me. On that note, remember how I started off the first paragraph? It is a shame that anyone would draw political lines here, especially with a movie that clearly shows the atrocities being perpetrated by, supported by, and in some ways, funded by, the United Nations. That should and likely will have an impact on Americans who see the film, since America is the host of the United Nations and funds in excess of nine billion dollars a year, an increase of approximately 23% since 2009.

One of the things I seldom comment on in my documentary reviews is the characters on film, but I can't help but make mention of the on-screen time with Ami Horowitz. This guy is one heck of an entertaining gem. While this is a documentary, he fills the screen. I don't know how much of what he did was scripted, how many takes it took, but there is so much, including interviews that are just laugh out loud funny. There is a quality in his direction. There are times to be serious and Horowitz does it, yet he goes further; he has a unique way of showing the absurdity of certain serious situations, while at the same time breaking the narrative with either humor or satire. It is here in many ways that he reminds me of Roger Moore, except, where Moore has of recent years come off as more of an angry old man, Horowitz has an innocence about him that should have fans of Moore and Spurlock, among others, enjoying his work.

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