In an attempt to raise awareness about the dangers of overindulgence in fast foods such as those offered at the restaurant McDonald’s, director Morgan Spurlock embarks on an experiment in 2004, eating food off of the McDonald’s menu for 30 straight days. All throughout the process, he is meticulously monitored by doctors and fitness experts to track the damage done to his body. For the experiment, Spurlock maintains a set of rules in an attempt to further realize the effects the food has on his body. The rules are as follows:
- He must fully eat three McDonald's meals per day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- He must consume every item on the McDonald's Menu at least once over the course of the 30 days (he managed this in nine days).
- He must only ingest items that are offered on the McDonald's menu, including bottle water. All outside consumption of food is prohibited
- He must Super Size the meal when offered, but only when offered (i.e., he is not able to Super Size items himself).
- He will attempt to walk about as much as a typical U.S. citizen, based on a suggested figure of 5,000 standardized distance steps per day, but he did not closely adhere to this, as he walked more while in New York than Houston.
So, Spurlock completes the experiment, eating nothing but McDonald’s for 30 days straight. Spurlock’s various troubles with completing the experiment are all documented, from vomiting one day, to struggling up stairs the next. The film also utilizes this time to give the viewer background on the fast food industry, providing insight into the corruption that has occurred within the industry for financial gain not only in America, but all over the world as well. Legal documents are examined, interviews are conducted, and the general atmosphere of the fast food industry are introduced to the viewer through clever pictures and animations. At the conclusion of the experiment, Spurlock has gained nearly 25 pounds, suffers from mood swings and sexual dysfunction, and has a loss of muscle mass, clearly illustrating the dangers of eating the food this often, which he indicates that a good number of people do.
From a cinematographic standpoint, the film is nothing to marvel at. It’s basic shots provide the visuals needed to understand the depth of the experiment Spurlock subjects himself to. Nothing more. However, with the addition of the film’s many animations to further display the points on fast food Spurlock attempts to convey, the film manages to grasp the attention of those who may not necessarily be interested in the financial or scientific aspects of the fast food industry.
The literary aspects of the film help to accentuate the messages portrayed throughout the course of the film. The mood, which reflects a sort of cynicism towards the nature of the fast food industry, furthers the impact of Spurlock’s experiment. For example, in the part of the film that examines how much money fast food companies spend on advertising, Spurlock speaks with an obvious bias towards the companies, which stresses the negative impact they are having on American society.
The characters are another literary aspect that have a large effect on the film as a whole. The main characters in the film, Spurlock, a cardiologist, a gastroenterologist, a general practitioner, and a nutritionist, each play a distinct role in communicating the messages of the film. For example, at the end of the film, when the results of Spurlock’s experiment are being displayed, each one of these characters help to emphasize how drastic the effect the food had on Spurlock actually was by comparing his start physique to his finish. The characters also help to add a sense of professionalism to the film, making the effects of fast food seem tangible and real.
The theme of the film is another literary aspect that enhances the understanding of its principal messages. The theme of the film is that the evolution of food to be produced more quickly and cheaply has only hindered our well-being and health as consuming Americans, evidenced through the experiment Spurlock undertook. So, this literary aspect ultimately lets the viewer understand the complexities of Spurlock’s arguments, and how vital nutrition really can be.
It is easy for me to recommend this film to anyone, as it may open many eyes to the dangers of a diet consisting of mostly “fast foods.” The film maintains its credibility by consulting with 4 professional doctors to track the progress of the experiment. Though the quality of filming may not be the best, it really does not need to be, as the message illustrated by the film is still abundantly clear: fast food is bad. The interviews conducted by Spurlock are meaningful in that they offer a perspective on the fast food industry that is unknown to many. Spurlock presents the viewer with enough evidence through the use of statistics, on site investigation of some of the McDonald’s restaurants, and the actual results of the experiment itself. In terms of a social impact, the film was successful in raising awareness of the dangers of consuming too many processed foods, though the fast food industry remains a large cause of obesity around the world. After the release of the film, McDonald’s even got rid of their “super size” option, though the company stated it had nothing to do with the release of the film. Super Size Me is a film that suits all, raising awareness of the dangers of fast food with a more radical twist.
Morgan Spurlock's "Super Size Me" 100 min IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
