As "This Divided State" notes, the student body leaders at Utah Valley State College who helped bring controversial "Fahrenheit 9/11" filmmaker Michael Moore to campus believe they achieved their goal of promoting free speech.
And the film does the same thing. While it isn't groundbreaking documentary work — its low-to-no-budget roots are glaring at times — it's still competent, surprisingly cohesive and coherent and it does its best to tell all sides of the story.
It shows as much as it can of both Moore and conservative talk show host Sean Hannity's speeches, which is nice for those who weren't able to watch or hear them at the time. (Although the film has been shown previously at one-day events locally and on nearly a dozen college campuses, this is its first extended theatrical run. The film is being released on DVD locally in August.)
Director Steve Greenstreet, who at the time of the event was a student at nearby Brigham Young University, chronicled the controversy over Moore's Oct. 20 speech, just two weeks before the U.S. presidential election.
Aided by UVSC students, who served as his camera and sound crews, Greenstreet interviewed students and college administrators, as well as members of the community at large, to get as many sides of the controversy as possible.
In addition to student Sean Vreeland and Orem resident Kay Anderson, who were the strongest, most prominent voices opposing Moore's UVSC appearance, Greenstreet gives student body president Jim Bassi and student Michael Nagro an opportunity to share their opposing views.
And as expected, a segment deals with the speech given by Hannity, who agreed to appear at UVSC on Oct. 11 for free, as compared to the $40,000 spent to bring Moore. (It should be noted that Hannity's security and travel expenses were underwritten by the college, while ticket sales helped cover Moore's expenses.)
There are a few silly diversions, such as a brief interview with Ken Moore, a genial UVSC student who bears a striking resemblance to Moore.
Greenstreet allows the interview subjects to speak their mind, and he stays as impartial as he can, which is what a documentarian (at least under the strictest meaning of the term) is supposed to do.
"This Divided State" is not rated but would probably receive a PG-13 for a handful of profanities (including a sign bearing the so-called, "R-rated" curse word) and adult themes. Running time: 86 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com
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