Editing Michael Moore (section)

== Criticism ==
[[Christopher Hitchens]], a supporter of the Iraq War,  described the film ''Fahrenheit 9/11'' as "utterly [[propagandistic]]".<ref name="Slate, Hitchens, Jun. 21st, 2004">{{cite journal |last1=Hitchens |first1=Christopher |title=Unfairenheit 9/11 |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2004/06/the-lies-of-michael-moore.html |journal=Slate |date=June 21, 2004 |access-date=November 9, 2022 |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213102653/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2004/06/the-lies-of-michael-moore.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Daily Beast, Kirchick, Apr. 13th, 2017">{{cite news |last1=Kirchick |first1=James |title=Michael Moore Can't Make Good Propaganda Anymore |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/michael-moore-cant-make-good-propaganda-anymore |newspaper=[[The Daily Beast]] |date=February 14, 2016 |access-date=November 9, 2022 |archive-date=November 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109160712/https://www.thedailybeast.com/michael-moore-cant-make-good-propaganda-anymore |url-status=live }}</ref> In an article titled "The lies of Michael Moore" Hitchens rebuked Moore and his film for its contradictions and promotion of falsehoods. He also criticized Moore for his belief that [[Osama bin Laden]] should be considered innocent until proven guilty despite having taken credit for the [[September 11 attacks]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hitchens |first=Christopher |date=June 21, 2004 |title=Unfairenheit 9/11 |language=en-US |work=Slate |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2004/06/the-lies-of-michael-moore.html |access-date=November 28, 2023 |issn=1091-2339 |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213102653/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2004/06/the-lies-of-michael-moore.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Former Democratic mayor of New York City [[Ed Koch]], who had endorsed Bush for re-election, wrote an op-ed in which he described Moore's film as propaganda. Koch further maintained that ''Fahrenheit 9/11'' was replete with "blatant lies".<ref name="koch">{{cite web |last=Koch |first=Ed |author-link=Ed Koch |date=June 29, 2004 |title=Koch: Moore's propaganda film cheapens debate, polarizes nation |url=http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2004/guest_koch_6_28.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808035121/http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2004/guest_koch_6_28.html |archive-date=August 8, 2007 |work=WorldTribune.com}}</ref>

In 2003, ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' said that ''[[Bowling for Columbine]]'' was "filled with so many inaccuracies and distortions that it ought to be classed as a work of fiction."<ref name="auto1">{{cite news |last=Fund |first=John |title=Unmoored from Reality |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB122459994451554213 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151008210039/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB122459994451554213 |date=March 21, 2003 |archive-date=October 8, 2015 |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |access-date=September 19, 2024}}</ref> The ''[[Boston Review]]'' said the film contained "deliberate falsehoods", highlighting an interview in which Moore selectively edited and rearranged an interview with NRA president [[Charlton Heston]]  to "create the stupid, callous white guy he attacks."<ref name="auto1"/>

In 2009, Moore faced criticism for using non-union workers to produce his film ''Capitalism: A Love Story''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gurney |first=Matt |date=June 7, 2011 |title=Famously bad boss Michael Moore offers lousy employee DePape a job |work=[[National Post]] |url=https://nationalpost.com/full-comment/matt-gurney-notoriously-bad-boss-michael-more-offers-lousy-employee-depape-a-job |access-date=August 9, 2023 |archive-date=October 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231022122435/https://nationalpost.com/full-comment/matt-gurney-notoriously-bad-boss-michael-more-offers-lousy-employee-depape-a-job |url-status=live }}</ref> After his 2014 divorce, Moore was reported to have nine homes and a net worth of $50&nbsp;million. [[Aaron Foley]], writing in ''[[G/O Media|Jalopnik]]'', accused Moore of hypocrisy due to his anti-capitalist views.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Foley |first=Aaron |date=July 22, 2014 |title=Surprise! Michael Moore Is A Filthy Rich Hypocrite |work=[[Jalopnik]] |url=https://jalopnik.com/surprise-michael-moore-is-a-filthy-rich-hypocrite-1608888124 |access-date=August 9, 2023 |archive-date=August 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810232233/https://jalopnik.com/surprise-michael-moore-is-a-filthy-rich-hypocrite-1608888124 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In a review of ''[[Fahrenheit 11/9]]'', a film critiquing [[Donald Trump]], John Anderson wrote "Almost the entire movie is lifted from other sources, and then edited in a way that makes his enemies (do they know they're his enemies?) look as foolish as possible. ... Mr. Moore can't help himself, he uses footage of Adolf Hitler lip-syncing a Trump speech. Much has been made of Mr. Trump's questionable maturity. He has a kindred spirit in Michael Moore".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Anderson |first=John |date=September 20, 2018 |title='Fahrenheit 11/9' Review: Hot and Bothersome |language=en-US |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/fahrenheit-11-9-review-hot-and-bothersome-1537475396 |access-date=November 28, 2023 |issn=0099-9660 |archive-date=August 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210821071026/https://www.wsj.com/articles/fahrenheit-11-9-review-hot-and-bothersome-1537475396 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Conservatism in the United States|Conservative]] author [[Douglas Murray (author)|Douglas Murray]] criticized Moore for stating that "Every problem in the world, look at it and behind it you've got white men". In response to his comments Murray said, "Michael Moore is one of those who doesn't realize that other people have agency and can muck up the world and their own countries in their own ways, and he's obviously never heard of numerous countries, including [[North Korea]]".<ref>{{Cite web |title=The State of the West – Law & Liberty - Douglas Murray |url=https://lawliberty.org/podcast/the-state-of-the-west/ |access-date=November 28, 2023 |website=[[Law & Liberty]] |language=en-US |archive-date=November 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231127152657/https://lawliberty.org/podcast/the-state-of-the-west/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

After the [[killing of Brian Thompson]], former CEO of [[UnitedHealth Group]], ''[[Reason (magazine)|Reason]]'' wrote:<blockquote>Eliding the question of whether it's appropriate to murder an apparently random executive as a synecdoche of the entire health insurance industry, Moore merely says the anger felt by Mangione and others is "1000% justified" and "I'm not going to tamp it down or ask people to shut up. I want to pour gasoline on that anger."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Lancaster |first=Joe |date=2024-12-18 |title=Prominent progressives struggle to condemn murder without defending the murderer |url=https://reason.com/2024/12/18/prominent-progressives-struggle-to-condemn-murder-without-defending-the-murderer/?utm_medium=reason_email&utm_source=new_at_reason&utm_campaign=reason_brand&utm_content=Prominent%20Progressives%20Struggle%20To%20Condemn%20Murder%20Without%20Defending%20the%20Murderer&utm_term=&time=December%2018th,%202024&mpid=38717&mpweb=2534-5298-38717 |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=Reason.com |language=en-US}}</ref></blockquote> The alleged shooter of Thompson was found to have had in his possession at the time of being captured by law enforcement, a document in which the shooter cited two people, Moore and [[Elisabeth Rosenthal]], as those who had "illuminated the corruption and greed" of the healthcare/health insurance industry.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lancaster |first=Joe |date=2024-12-18 |title=Prominent progressives struggle to condemn murder without defending the murderer |url=https://reason.com/2024/12/18/prominent-progressives-struggle-to-condemn-murder-without-defending-the-murderer/?utm_medium=reason_email&utm_source=new_at_reason&utm_campaign=reason_brand&utm_content=Prominent%20Progressives%20Struggle%20To%20Condemn%20Murder%20Without%20Defending%20the%20Murderer&utm_term=&time=December%2018th,%202024&mpid=38717&mpweb=2534-5298-38717 |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Reason.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Bob Herman |author2=Tara Bannow |date=2024-12-11 |title=Suspected killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO cites prominent U.S. health care critics in manifesto |url=https://www.statnews.com/2024/12/11/unitedhealthcare-manifesto-luigi-mangione-elisabeth-rosenthal-michael-moore/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=STAT |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Klippenstein |first=Ken |title=Exclusive: Luigi's Manifesto |url=https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/luigis-manifesto |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.kenklippenstein.com |language=en}}</ref>

In January 2025, Michael Moore's endorsement of the Palestinian anthology film ''[[From Ground Zero]]'' drew swift criticism from [[Christians United for Israel]] (CUFI), which accused the film of "populist propaganda" in an email campaign aimed at [[Academy Awards|Academy]] voters and exhibitors and urged its removal from awards and theaters.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wiseman |first=Andreas |title=Michael Moore On Palestinian Film 'From Ground Zero', U.S. Distribution's Self-Censorship Crisis & Making His First Movie In Seven Years |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |date=January 24, 2025 |url=https://deadline.com/2025/01/michael-moore-from-ground-zero-distribution-self-censorship-crisis-new-movie-1236266282}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Vlessing |first=Etan |title=Michael Moore Boards Palestine's Oscar Entry 'From Ground Zero' as Exec Producer |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |date=December 30, 2024 |url=https://deadline.com/2024/12/michael-moore-boards-palestinan-oscar-entry-from-ground-zero-exec-producer-1236261262}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Staff |title=Michael Moore-produced film on Gaza hardship meets instant backlash |publisher=Jewish News Syndicate |date=January 6, 2025 |url=https://www.jns.org/michael-moore-produced-film-on-gaza-hardship-meets-instant-backlash/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Michael Moore Boards Palestinian Oscar Entry 'From Ground Zero' |publisher=IMDb News |date=December 30, 2024 |url=https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65040638/}}</ref>{{rs|date=April 2025}}

Moore dismissed CUFI's charge that the film downplays [[Hamas]]'s [[October 7 attacks]]—insisting instead that "the shadow of October 7 hangs over the whole film" while blaming the [[Government of Israel|Israeli government]]'s policies for the suffering of civilians in the [[Gaza Strip|Gaza]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |title=Michael Moore Has Boarded Palestine's Oscar Entry 'From Ground Zero' as Exec Producer |publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=January 30, 2025 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/michael-moore-from-ground-zero-exec-producer-1236095675/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Variety Staff |title=Michael Moore Joins Palestinian Oscar Entry 'From Ground Zero' as Executive Producer |publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=December 30, 2024 |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/global/michael-moore-from-ground-zero-palestinian-oscar-entry-1236261265}}</ref>His comments—and his warning about [[Self-censorship|self-censorship]] in U.S. [[Film distribution|film distribution]]—sparked debate over the role of [[Documentary film|documentary]] filmmakers in political conflicts, earning both praise for his moral courage and criticism for perceived one-sidedness.<ref>{{cite web  |last=Wiseman |first=Andreas |title=Michael Moore On Palestinian Film 'From Ground Zero', U.S. Distribution's Self-Censorship Crisis & Making His First Movie In Seven Years |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |date=January 24, 2025 |url=https://deadline.com/2025/01/michael-moore-from-ground-zero-distribution-self-censorship-crisis-new-movie-1236266282}}</ref>