Film review: Food, Inc

BY LINDA BURGESS

Just when the adorable Julie and Julia made you feel it was safe to go back into the kitchen, we have Food, Inc, and it's taking no prisoners. Whichever way you turn, it's "gonna getcha".

When the documentary began with scenes of pastoral bliss (albeit American Gothic-style), I perked up. I like barns and pretty countryside.

Within minutes, I was being put in my place. While the food we eat has changed enormously in the past 50 years, the imagery used to sell it hasn't.

There is an unrelenting spinning of a pastoral fantasy: the word "barn" sounds charmingly down home, until you see what barn-raised chickens actually means. Corn-fed? Stop! Now!

In Food, Inc, film-maker Robert Kenner sets out to lift the veil on the United States food industry, and because there's so much to say on the subject, he probably says too much, leaving the viewer overwhelmed and feeling that the only thing to do is hunker down with home-grown silverbeet and home- made muffins.

But wait! Don't you have to use baking powder to get them to rise, and doesn't that contain hidden evils?

And it's not just the toxins. At the heart of this movie is what the corporatisation of food production - the US is in the thrall of a handful of major players, all astutely politically aligned, whoever's in power - has done to food and to the people who produce it.

There is the nightmare that is genetic engineering (or modification, depending what side you're on). There is the appalling treatment of animals - the shots of bare paddocks crammed with cows, along with the usual shots of pigs and hens crammed inside windowless barns, are enough to turn you vegan over night.

There is the crushing of those who disagree and the inhumane treatment of (often illegal immigrant) workers.

It felt longer than its 94 minutes, but nevertheless, it is a well-made and compelling documentary.

Not all is bad. The dark side, as represented by huge supermarket chains like Walmart, are shown to be able to be manipulated if we try hard enough.

I loved the scenes when the bigshots from Walmart went down to the farm all country casual in their jeans and wellies because shoppers were telling them that they wanted to buy organics. It's all market driven: say after me, "We are the market".

Read the labels. Buy wisely, locally, seasonally. Tell your supermarkets what you want.

Go and see this film, then head back home to your bunker.

Food, Inc
Director: Robert Kenner
Starring: Eric Schlosser, Michael Pollan, Gary Hirshberg, Joel Salatin
Time: 94 minutes
Rated: PG
Trailer: Flicks.co.nz

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