Review: Food Inc.
November 21st 2009 03:12
Food Inc. (2009, Kenner)
Written November 20, 2009
I am a non-strictly vegetarian. I eat chicken and turkey. I started out as full vegetarian when I was 12 years old. A few months later, I realized my options for food were rather limited and since I’m not a huge bean eater, I had to succumb to chicken and turkey, which I like so it isn’t a chore. Watching Food, Inc. made me want to be a full vegetarian again. Already I don’t eat poultry very often so perhaps I’ll abstain even further after watching this documentary.
Food Inc. bounces around the United States, uncovering the truth behind what we put into our bodies on a daily basis. It reveals the secrets of what we eat. We learn that chickens are genetically altered now to grow larger than they did 50 years ago. They are pumped full of antibiotics to the point where they can’t even walk. Most die due to these conditions. They’re lives span a mere 6 weeks or go. The depictions of the chicken houses are horrific.
We learn that McDonalds is the main buyer of beef, poultry, lettuce, tomatoes, and apples in the country. We also learn that there are about 4 or 5 main suppliers of beef and poultry in the world. In supermarkets, you may think you’re seeing hundreds of different items but most are coming from a handful of suppliers. In fact, many items in Supermarkets originate from the cornfields in Iowa due our mass consumption of high fructose corn syrup. Moreover, the majority of products in Supermarkets, even the fruits and vegetables, are highly processed. Many of these products use imagery of rural farmlands yet the products originate from modern farms that are all about genetic alterations of their cattle and crops.
Food Inc. emphasizes the only way you’re going to insure you’re eating natural food is to buy originally grown products, either from your local farm stand, a farmer’s market, or seeking out ‘organic’ labeled items in the supermarket.
Food Inc. humanizes its position by segments concerning a woman who lost her son due to Ecoli and Spanish family who have no time to cook and must succumb to consuming the dollar menu. It’s cheaper and quicker, they say. When they try to buy fresh fruit and vegetables at the Supermarket, they can’t afford it. They can eat a cheeseburger for a buck but a head of broccoli goes for $1.29 a pound. Food Inc. exposes what everyone has known for quite some time: it costs a lot more to eat healthy. This doesn’t occur just in supermarkets vs. fast food chains. If you want to substitute regular pasta for whole wheat pasta at a restaurant you’ll usually have to pay 2 to 3 dollars extra. If you want egg whites or beaters instead of regular eggs, be prepared to pay a minimum of $1 more.
In terms of style and structure, this documentary is less than stellar. The film begins with multiple omnipresent narrators during the first few minutes. There are numerous shots of supermarkets and computer generated imagery. This alienates the viewer rather than drawing them in. There’s a minimal amount of camera interviews; the film chooses to rely on its voice-over. Thus, the feel of the film is significantly less immediate than most documentaries. However, in terms of enlightening viewers of important issues, Food Inc. is a perfect documentary. It’s important and can change how people live.
I drink organic milk. I eat organic yogurt. These products I buy are made by Stonyfield Farms, an eco-conscious company. Stonyfield Farms uses the idyllic image of farming in its logo, as many products do. The difference is Stonyfield Farms is the closest you’ll get to a real farm out of all these other manufacturers.
Food Inc. gives us the blueprints to make small changes regarding what food we consume. It will be difficult to completely change. There are those days that you barely have time to eat and of course a stop at the nearest fast food chain is the easiest solution. Then there’s the fact that most of us live from paycheck to paycheck and seeking out those coupons in the local circulars for fruits and vegetables is much more convenient than paying top dollar at a local farm stand. But if we start small, we can make conscious changes in our everyday lives. This is the point of Food Inc. This is why it is a highly effective documentary that’s message and imagery will stay with viewers for the rest of their lives.
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