n November 7th, 2016, the night before the U.S. presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton was already celebrating her victory in Philadelphia. After all, the pundits in the media had already called the contest. Republican candidate Donald Trump simply didn’t have a chance (or, as the New York Times opined, he had a 15% chance of winning). Many of her supporters were in tears, having lived through the groundbreaking experience of voting for a woman to be president. Even Fox News seemed relieved that they wouldn’t have to support Trump for the next four years – and Trump’s own team virtually conceded with their defeatist attitudes. But then, at about 10:15 PM on election night, the tide started to shift.

“Dismiss him at your own peril,” writer/producer/director Michael Moore had repeatedly warned. With his recognizable sarcasm and cynicism, the veteran documentarian gathers together a heap of information to analyze and shape into a picture that is as much outright comedy as it is a horror story. He alternates striking emotions with the humor of Hillary thanking Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Chance the Rapper at a party – celebrities whose popularity is likely the only thing she could properly comprehend. With comically contrasting music, clever editing, an abundance of interviews, and plenty of news clips, Moore promises to unveil the secrets behind Trump’s unanticipated presidential win. How exactly did it happen?

“Yes, it was the Russians,” he drones morbidly. In truth, “Fahrenheit 11/9” doesn’t reveal any smoking-gun secrets. Everything Trump did to achieve his position of power was done in broad daylight. And at the heart of the matter is the inconvenient truth that the wealthy (almost unavoidably steeped in self-serving ploys and greed) make all the decisions in government; no one familiar with the common man’s plight is actually involved in the world of politics. What is a bit of a surprise to those who never knew, or to those who had forgotten, is some of the details involved in Trump’s presidential aspirations. Moore jokingly blames Gwen Stefani for Trump’s inspiration in the matter, as his original run for office was fueled by the knowledge that Stefani was paid more money for her spot on NBC’s “The Voice” than he received on “The Apprentice.” And the run itself was a spoof, designed as a ratings stunt. But when his racist comments absorbed too much negative publicity, he found himself without a television gig, allowing him the spare time to pursue a presidential bid for real.

“Profits reign supreme.” With no thought of the positive or negative aspects for the American people, it was the big TV networks that helped him along the way; his heavily publicized rallies kept making money. Network profits soared, paving the way for continued, free advertising for Trump’s goal. Tragically, most news outlets are a for-profit business, which means that news in general isn’t motivated by the search for knowledge or truth; it’s propelled by which articles generate revenue. And, as Moore points out, numerous influential magnates have been subsequently toppled, having been exposed as sexual predators – accusations right in line with Trump’s own behaviors.

“When did this turn into an episode of ‘Veep’?” While opponents of Moore’s views may fault the strategic editing of newsreel footage and interviews, there are plenty of shots that run uninterrupted for long enough that indefensible components cannot simply be disregarded. As the documentary shifts into somewhat unrelated areas (though they’re no less fascinating), including Rick Snyder’s involvement in the Flint water crisis (he was also a businessman with no political experience, running on a governorship platform that highlighted his intentions to run a city as if it were a business); the grotesque ways in which the DNC refused to represent its constituents’ wishes, instead reinforcing the fact that it’s nothing more than a private club with specific agendas, for which membership has no actual voting powers; Obama’s failures in Michigan and his obvious allegiances not only to corrupt politicians but also to the pocket-lining influences of Wall Street (yes, Moore definitely criticizes Obama in this film); teacher strikes; and school shootings and the marches that followed, it becomes a comprehensive look not just at Trump, but also at many of the major events that have shaped the political climate in the United States.

By the end of it all, it’s clear that Trump’s victory was largely due to the public’s loss of faith in the system. Moore includes some questionable publicity stunts (such as an attempted citizen’s arrest of Snyder), a touch of disorganization that gives the project an overlong feel, and a significant level of theatrics that his detractors will likely use as criticism (the more cinematic the movie feels, the more it will surely be called out as “fake news”; discrediting the opposition has become a powerful weapon in this age of disinformation), but the details, the humor, and the entertainment value are mesmerizing – and depressing. From the impact of social media to hopeful protests to the bombardment of facts and figures, “Fahrenheit 11/9” makes some deeply profound, altogether terrifying assessments of Trump’s presidency. It’s as horrifying as it is hilarious, even managing to work in a Hitler comparison that, while not a perfect parallel, is a relevant likening worth scrutinizing.

– Mike Massie