Click to read the article
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:159
Fresh:153
Rotten:6
Average Rating:8.2/10
Consensus: Though it may not always convince, Bowling for Columbine asks important questions and provokes thought.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for some violent images and language
Runtime: 2 hrs 5 mins
Genre: Education/General Interest
Theatrical Release:Oct 11, 2002 Limited
Box Office: $21,244,913
Synopsis: Filmmaker and leftist activist Michael Moore asks some serious questions as he probes the depths of America's trigger-happy gun culture in the insightful and amusing documentary, BOWLING FOR... Filmmaker and leftist activist Michael Moore asks some serious questions as he probes the depths of America's trigger-happy gun culture in the insightful and amusing documentary, BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE. Guns in America are used to kill an average of more than 11,000 people per year. This death toll is obscenely out of balance with other first world countries, which generally average a total in double digits. Experts and analysts have pointed to America's bloody history as a reason, but how does that explain the lower murder rate in Germany? Violent entertainment has also been fingered, but how does this account for staggeringly low numbers in Japan, home of the most violent entertainment video games on the market. Moore's trademark comedic tone is razor-sharp as his quest leads him everywhere from Littleton Colorado's Columbine High School to the home of NRA President Charlton Heston. Moore, oddly enough a lifetime NRA member, makes his main target the news media, but also fires away at inefficient welfare programs, Dick Clark, and Kmart. The latter is even compelled to make a major policy change in their stores due to one of Moore's confrontational stunts. This exploration into America's obsession with guns is disarmingly humorous, but Moore also asks challenging questions and fearlessly seeks responsible parties, making the film an effective call for more social awareness as well. [More]
Starring: Charlton Heston, Marilyn Manson, Matt Stone, Dick Clark
Starring: Charlton Heston, Marilyn Manson, Matt Stone, Dick Clark, James Nichols, Jeff Rossen
Director: Michael Moore
Director: Michael Moore
Producer: Kathleen Glynn, Michael Donovan, Charles Bishop, Jim Czarnecki
Studio: MGM/UA
Get This Movie
Reviews for Bowling for Columbine
I hope the movie is widely seen and debated with appropriate ferocity and thoughtfulness.
Here lies the charm of Michael Moore’s style, he uses guerilla style journalism to ask the questions no one seems to be asking, of the people no one seems to have the balls to ask.
All in all, Mr. Moore has given us a lot to think about in Bowling for Columbine, and he has entertained us royally in the process.
Even Moore's detractors, should they be inclined to see the film, will admit that he takes a refreshingly nuanced view of the issue.
Will those on the right dismiss Moore as a propagandist? Will those on the left flock to the theater and accept Moore's word as gospel? Either scenario is depressing.
With 'Bowling for Columbine,' Michael Moore gives us the perfect starting point for a national conversation about guns, violence, and fear.
Fascinating, thought-provoking, often fitfully funny and sometimes devastatingly sad.
Stuffed to the brim with ideas, American instigator Michael Moore’s film is a rambling examination of American gun culture that uses his usual modus operandi of crucifixion through juxtaposition.
Michael Moore has perfected the art of highly entertaining, self-aggrandizing, politically motivated documentary-making, and he’s got as potent a topic as ever here.
[Moore's] better at fingering problems than finding solutions. But though he only scratches the surface, at least he provides a strong itch to explore more.
When Bowling For Columbine hits its stride, which is to say, during the bulk of its running time, it’s funny, incisive and fairly devastating.
There are some inconsistencies in Moore's points and his arguments jump around a lot to support his view of the world (like any good documentary), but it's still very thought provoking.
Latest News for Bowling for Columbine
June 25, 2007:
Michael Moore Talks "Sicko," Heath Care, Edutainment, Cuba
There isn't much middle ground on Michael Moore; his bromide-laden documentaries have earned him both an enthusiastic following from many on the left and unvarnished vitriol... More...
May 20, 2007:
Cannes Wrap-Up: Michael Moore's Latest And Leo's Global Warming Doc
Michael Moore's latest doc, "Sicko," has stirred up more controversy for the Michigan muckraker. Is he onto something with his evisceration of the US healthcare... More...
August 14, 2006:
Box Office Wrapup: "Talladega Nights" Stays #1, "Step Up" Surprises
Despite a pair of newcomers close behind in its rearview mirror, Will Ferrell's hit comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby finished in first place for the second... More...
July 31, 2006:
Box Office Wrapup: "Miami Vice" Knocks Pirates From #1 Spot
Detectives Crockett and Tubbs shot their way to number one in North America with the cop thriller Miami Vice which finally managed to knock the megablockbuster Pirates of the... More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Bowling for Columbine at Rotten Tomatoes
- Bowling for Columbine at IGN
- Bowling for Columbine at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

MSN Movies offers a little background on the success of Disney Animation.

TIME takes a look back at the history of vampires on film.

Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.

AOL put together a list of 10 recent news items that would be perfect as TV Movies.

Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill explores how remakes and reboots have warped our thinking.
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic


