In the United States, food portions are larger than in any other country, and so are the people. Some have coined America’s rapid increase in obesity a “sudden epidemic,” and most pin this outward expansion exclusively on the fast food industry.
To prove that fast food is the driving cause of Americans’ growing girth, first-time writer/director/producer Morgan Spurlock attempts a 30-day McDonald’s binge (or as one doctor calls it a “Mac Attack”). Before overindulging in nothing but Mickey D’s, Spurlock lays out a few rules. He must eat three meals a day—entirely comprised of items on McDonald’s menu. He must order every item on the menu at least once, and he must “Super Size” a value meal when asked upon ordering.
Prior to partaking in this gluttonous experiment, Spurlock enlists himself under the care of three different physicians: a cardiologist, a gastroenterologist, and a family practitioner. Spurlock also seeks additional counsel from a dietician and an exercise physiologist. In each of the doctor’s professional opinion, Spurlock shows outstanding general health—spot-on blood pressure, normal cholesterol, low triglycerides, and flawless liver and kidney functions. However, by the end of his McDiet, the results are shocking.
Throughout his month-long pig-out on quarter-pounders, Spurlock maintains both a witty attitude and a lack of concern in depicting his degradation. Surely, vomiting out of a car-window and hearing your girlfriend complain about your energy-level in the bedroom is embarrassing. Nonetheless, Spurlock willingly depreciates himself, and in doing so, he keeps viewers entertained and enthused.
While Spurlock’s ingestion of fat is the film’s primary focus, the picture’s most intriguing moments are derived elsewhere. Through a series of various interviews with lawmakers, health experts, kids, and cooks, Spurlock reveals stunning facts and numbers. His conclusions – concerning the overall declining health of our nation and the impact that a corrupt and immoral food industry poses – are both informative and captivating. Spurlock’s interview with a few kids sums up the shock value best, when the children instantly recognize a picture of Ronald McDonald over a depiction of Jesus Christ.
Article comments