Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price

Robert Greenwald might make political documentaries with a staunchly progressive point of view, but he's no Michael Moore. That's both a good and bad thing. Good because too many documentarians today think of themselves as little Michael Moore's (that's not a fat joke, I swear), trotting around the nation with their camera crews challenging people who don't think like they do, and pausing occasionally to crack wise to their imagined one-day audience.

It works for Moore, because he's a geniunely funny and likable guy, and because he has created a persona that works well as a narrator for his films. They're about all kinds of things, but you know what you're going to see because it "stars" Michael Moore. It doesn't work as well for Moore's legion of imitators, particularly those on the Right trying fruitlessly to turn his tactics against him in a series of increasingly shrill, pathetic wannabe non-fiction films. (Michael Moore Hates America was a particularly sad example).

But back to Greenwald. As I said, it's good that he's freed himself from the Moore formula, and makes documentaries that, while similarly political and opinionated, are more straight-forward, informative and anecdotal in nature. But he could take a cue from Moore in terms of entertainment value. While Moore manages to turn even a harsh polemic like Fahrenheit 9/11 into a fairly satisfying, moving cinematic experience, Greenwald can't get past the documentary-as-Power Point presentation. His films are fascinating, important, smart, crafty and above all passionate. The person putting together this footage, making these arguments, is doing so not as a means to gain fame, attention or donations. He wants you to understand this information that's vital to the future of our nation.

What they are not is gripping, fun or cinematic. In fact, at times they are shockingly amateurish. As well, Greenwald occasionally turns shamelessly manipulative. He doesn't need to, as he's just about always on the logical side of an argument and brings significant evidence and data with him to prove his points. He could make films that were highly persuasive without resorting to cheap political-ad tactics so frequently.



His latest film, taking on retail mega-ultra-giant Wal-Mart, stands as a fine example of my point. Wal-Mart is clearly a villainous, evil corporation. A destroyer of local businesses on a massive scale that succeeds not by winning out in a fair competition for consumer dollars, but by cheating in every imaginable way. Greenwald doesn't need to over-emphasize his point through grainy, black and white footage, deep ominous music or bold-faced type zooming towards the screen. Just tell us the truth, Rob, and let it set us free!

That being said, there is much to recommend this film. I thought I knew why Wal-Mart was a villainous, evil corporation, but honeslty, I didn't know about at least half of the information in this film. Some of it will absolutely turn your stomach.

For example, though I had heard about the immensely low wages and unfair labor practices at Wal-Mart (particularly in terms of their intolerance of even discussions about unionizing), I was not aware that Wal-Mart managers actively encourage their full-time employees to go on public assistance (welfare, food stamps, etc.)

We're talking about the largest retailer in America, a company worth literally billions of dollars. The family that owns Wal-Mart, the Waltons, are among the richest people in the world. 5 Waltons (the widow of the store's founder and her four children) are on the list of America's 10 richest people. They can't afford to pay their help a subsistance wage? They can't provide reasonable insurance coverage?

So when you're paying those low, low prices at Wal-Mart, you're making up the difference when you pay your taxes. That money goes to programs that supplement Wal-Mart's payroll, so it doesn't have to pay its employees enough to survive and support their families.

And that's not the only way that Wal-Mart leeches off of the public dole. Wal-Mart receives grants from community leaders to build stores in their area. Cities have turned over as much as $1.7 million to build a new Wal-Mart, an eyesore that will rout the area's small businesses. I'll have to ask Ron tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure the city of Los Angeles hasn't kicked him any money to make sure Laser Blazer's operating smoothly. But like I said, I'll ask...

The movie is 90 minutes long, and it is chock full of unbelievably aggravating factoids such as these. I'd recount more of them for you, but Greenwald does a better job of exposing this corporation and its owners for the greasy slimebags that they are. You can click on that icon above to learn more about the film and how to obtain a copy on DVD (or you could just come pick up a copy at The Blazer...)

I would also recommend, if you're interested in the subject of how much Wal-Mart sucks, that you watch the classic "South Park" episode in which a Wall-Mart is built in town. Hilarious stuff.

Greenwald, regrettably, offers little in terms of real solutions. Of all the recent fiery political rant type films I've seen, only The Corporation painted a bleaker picture. In a final montage, Greenwald shows us a list of all the communities that have successfully kept Wal-Mart out (along with a bunch of cheesy WordArt reading "Victory!"), and it's a long list, but that's sort of a pyrrhic victory. It would take every community in America simultaneously rising up and saying no to extremely low prices on popular items...Not a very likely scenario. Everyone likes a bargain.