Food, Inc. (2009)

Robert Kenner's documentary food film demonstrates once again the public's hunger for a food ethic. As in previous films like Supersize Me and King Corn, the recipe for success is tried and, unfortunately, all too true. A few multi-national conglomerates, with the complicity of our federal regulatory agencies like the FDA and USDA, control a disproportionate amount of our food supply from farm to fork, to the detriment of public health, local farmers, international economies, exploited workers, the environment, and respect for animals. The sole corporate concern is a fat profit. If you are a farmer, you ought to think twice about challenging Monsanto. If you have children, consider that because of their "normal" diet, they have a 1 in 3 chance of developing diabetes (1 in 2 if you are a minority). Much of this film is narrated by the understated Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food) and Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation). Although the film includes some very brave and creative alternatives, it's been a long time since I left a movie theater feeling so angry and (the real tragedy) so helpless to do much about the problem. Manohla Dargis of the NYTs described Food, Inc. as "one of the scariest films of the year."