Matthew Groff and Ami Horowitz's doc "U.N. Me," which had its world premiere here this weekend in the festival's First Appearance Competition, is a full-scale indictment of the world body's rampant corruption, ineptitude and downright perversity.I have to admit, when I first read the film's description, I was skeptical.
Hating the U.N. has long been a pet enemy of the far right in the United States and flashbacks to tired old diatribes about "creeping internationalism," "loss of sovereignty," "international socialism," and those mysterious "black helicopters" instantly came to mind. I have heard about corruption at the U.N., and although any corruption is never acceptable, I assumed its extent was wildly exaggerated by American right-wingers who seem to think any engagement with the world community beyond the U.S. simply dictating the rules is tantamount to traitorship.
I have to say, this is one of those rare moments when a film seriously has challenged my personal view.
Reviewer Brian Brooks concludes that "U.N.Me is surprisingly entertaining, employing Michael Moore-esque populist appeal in tackling a complex and not necessarily sexy topic as the U.N."