Super Size Me (2004)

"There is a big, nappy hair in my sundae.", 10 April 2009

Super Size Me is the hugely successful documentary that follows Morgan Spurlock, a healthy 32 year-old filmmaker, as he goes on a month long diet consisting of nothing but food from McDonald's. If McDonald's doesn't sell it, he's not eating it. He's also set a goal of limiting his exercise to 5,000 steps per day. According to the movie this is the average amount walked by most Americans. The results: a 24.5 pound weight gain, increased cholesterol, liver damage, and, if you believe Spurlock and his girlfriend, depression and a decreased sex drive. If you believe the results the film presents, it's quite eye-opening.

After having watched Super Size Me for the first time, my initial reaction is that while it's a reasonably entertaining way to spend an hour and a half, the logic and methodology are so flawed that it's difficult for me to take it too seriously. To begin with, who eats at McDonald's three meals a day? And why go for the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese for your first meal? And do you really need to add a shake to every order? I'm not defending McDonald's at all – their food is some of the most unhealthy junk you can find. But if you're going to go into an experiment and eat like Spurlock does, the results are predictable. The most shocking thing to me about the outcome is how shocked his doctors appear. Spurlock set out to prove something and did everything in his power to make sure he got the outcome he desired. Otherwise his movie and efforts would have been a failure. In the end, I don't care what diet you're on or where you get your food, if you consume an average of 5,000 calories a day and limit your exercise, you're going to gain weight and do damage to your body. Is that really surprising?

As for Spurlock's claims of depression and a reduced sex drive, they're just that – claims. There's no empirical data to support these claims. They sound good, but can't be scientifically documented. Again, I'm no supporter of McDonald's, but if you're going to bash the company, you're going to need a little more "evidence' than this.

Even though I have problems with Super Size Me, it has made me re-think some of my own food choices – and not just for myself, but for my child as well. We still eat at McDonald's, but try to make smarter choices. So I suppose that on some level I have to admit that the movie worked on me. I guess a rating of 5/10 would be about right.

5/10