The American health care system is, by common consent, dysfunctional. It presents an easy target for any campaigner to scandalize us with its sometimes corrupt, arbitrary and venal practices. However, to be persuasive, the arguments need to be accountable, honest and evidence-based.

Michael Moore's production is gimmicky and superficial. Moreover, it is shamelessly manipulative, treating us to heart-jerking scenes of tearful, hopeless cases bankrupted by medical bills or grieving over someone who died from treatment refused. He then tours other countries health systems viewing them without exception through rose-tinted spectacles. As grateful, sobbing American patients scoop up cheap medicines in Cuba, he comes to the conclusion that "socialized medicine" not only can work, it is to be welcomed.

But the truth is that no country has a fully socialized system and those that are closest to it (like the UK) are also approaching melt-down. Every advanced country in the world is wrestling with the intractable problem of finite resources colliding with infinite demand.

American insurance companies need to reduce the number of policy-holders falling sick, and of ex-patients having relapses. They therefore have a powerful incentive (not present in socialized systems) to undertake sickness prevention programs.

The big diseases that health systems have to deal with are eminently preventable, in fact they are self inflicted: cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and so on. I, as a nutritional anthropologist and a Brit, find myself frequently commissioned by the American health system to give courses to doctors and their patients, something that never happens in my own National Health Service - or "National Sickness Service" as some wags call it.

Michael Moore certainly gives many good reasons for not falling into the clutches of the American healthcare system: the politicians in the pay of Big Pharma and the Insurance Companies, the arbitrary nature of health cover, the total absence of cover for many citizens. But the bigger message is that it is no fun for anyone to fall sick wherever they are in the world - and it is possible, in large part, to avoid it! Deadly Harvest: The Intimate Relationship Between our Health and our Food One only has to contemplate an obese Michael Moore shambling around before the camera to wonder how long before he too will succumb.

There is an intelligent, thoughtful and well researched documentary to be done on health systems (by all means holding up the American system as one to be avoided) - but this is not it.

This is, to use an overused term, a must-see documentary. Moore powerfully shows how bad the U.S. health care system is at this time. He shows how different (and) better things are in European countries with "socialized" medicine. If Sicko doesn't convince you that we need health care reform nothing will. Having said this, I disagree with Moore's sanguine view of Cuba's health care system. The World Health Organization actually rates Cuba's system as worse than ours. Notwithstanding this criticism, I highly recommend Sicko.

Many people find Michael Moore annoying and dislike his political point of view but this documentary is more about the people than anything else. Fact, millions don't have health coverage in one of the most riches countries in the world. Fact, people are dying while few get richer and richer and FACT, the goverment so far has done nothing to improve the situation thousands have to face every day with a lack of health insurance. Choosing between keeping your house or getting that urgent medical treatment is something that should never happen. This documentary is really touching because of the human stories. Although I honestly doubt prisoners in Guantanamo get the first class treatment depicted here. Good health and the best medical treatments are not a luxury only for the rich but a need and a right all americans should have. Well done Mr. Moore.