Viewers react to ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’

Spokane resident Larry Westwood recognizes that filmmaker Michael Moore has an agenda, that some of the theatrical tricks he uses go to serve a political purpose.

But a film like “Fahrenheit 9/11” brings into focus people and events that even years of media coverage can’t, Westwood notes. It’s for that reason he attended a nearly sold-out showing of “Fahrenheit 9/11,” a controversial movie smashing box-office records in the category of documentary filmmaking.

“I think it was probably the most impacting movie I’ve ever seen,” said Westwood, who watched the R-Rated film Wednesday evening with his girlfriend and two children, the youngest an 11-year-old.

Westwood was one of about 300 to attend the midweek viewing of the film at the AMC River Park Square 20. Weekend showings sold out, and interest has yet to drop.

“Fahrenheit 9/11” focuses on a variety of subjects involving the Bush administration, the 2000 presidential election, the war in Iraq, the Sept. 11 attacks, and Bush family ties to Saudi Arabia. It has polarized the country, drawing the ire of conservatives – who say the film is political propaganda – and the praise of liberals angry with the administration.

The Republican National Committee calls the film “cinematic fiction.” An independent conservative group called Citizens United is crafting television and Internet ads questioning Moore’s motives.

“Look, this guy is simply producing and advertising this movie at this time to try to affect the election,” David Bossie, the group’s head and a former Republican congressional aide, told the Associated Press. “And so clearly organizations like mine … it seems to be left to us to make sure that the media is educated, as well as the American people are educated, as to just what they’re up to.”

Liz Gilbert of Spokane saw the film Wednesday night with her friend, Penny Reid, because of its political nature.

“We’re die-hard liberal Democrats and we can’t wait to see Bush get squished,” Gilbert said.

Reaction to the film has been mixed, and AMC hired a police officer to provide security during the movie’s opening weekend.

“It’s quite an eye-opener,” said one man, who refused to give his last name for fear of being associated with the film. The man, who gave a name of “Dennis,” said he didn’t wish to compromise his working relationships within what he labeled a conservative city.

“Fahrenheit 9/11” opened as the highest-grossing documentary ever, with $23.9 million in receipts. That knocks out the previous record-holder, Moore’s equally controversial “Bowling for Columbine.” Even before the film opened it had quite a buzz; “Fahrenheit 9/11” won the Palme d’Or at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival and Disney refused to release the film through its Miramax division.

Mike and Magen Schmidt drove from Post Falls to see the movie, and Magen Schmidt said the 30-minute drive was well worth it.

“We would have driven to Seattle,” she said.

Will Brandenburg, 17, of Mead High School, attended the film to learn more about politics, even though he won’t be 18 in time for the upcoming presidential election.

“I’ve been interested in the election and interested in the candidates and I don’t think it’s right that we’re in war, so I want to see what this guy’s talking about,” he said.

There is no mistaking Moore’s intended message.

“I’m coming out of the movie thinking that our president and the entire administration is immoral if not amoral,” said Mike Golden, who saw the film with his wife.

Golden left “Fahrenheit 9/11” with goose bumps on his arms, and he said it’s going to take him at least a few days to digest it.

Golden, a recently retired cardiologist, voted for Bush in the last go ‘round.

“Would I be prone to do it again?” he asked. “My God, no.”

This story was changed on Sept. 12, 2017 to correct an error regarding the work status of the police officer who was at the movie. The newspaper ran a correction in print on Aug. 28, 2004. The story did not immediately get corrected online. Here is the correction that ran in the print version of the Spokesman-Review: A Spokane police officer who worked at the June 30 opening of the movie “Fahrenheit 9/11” was on duty, although AMC, which owns the theater, covered the cost. Due to an editing error, the story indicated otherwise.