Morgan Spurlock has the ability to make immensely entertaining documentaries, and this one is no different. It was funny, insightful and chock full of greed. Where else but Hollywood?Spurlock has an idea for a documentary film. One about product placement in movies. From indie films to blockbuster popcorn flicks, product placement is everywhere and Spurlock wants in on the action. He decides to make a doc about PP paid for by the companies themselves (hence the title). The hard part, of course, is finding that first sponsor who'd be willing to let their meetings on the subject of PP, as well as their company name, appear in a film by the guy who told people McDonald's makes you fat. But once that first domino (which I believe was Sheetz) falls, the rest follow suit. Companies start trying to outdo and outbid one another and eventually the target is the title. Obviously, POM Wonderful won that battle, but it was fun to watch.
Spurlock manages to intersperse the uniqueness and greed of product placement into a documentary that's easy for the viewer to follow. What else could you possibly ask for? If you've seen any of Spurlock's other works (Super Size Me, "30 Days") then you know how he works. It's very straightforward, yet also has an intensity that shines through at key moments. It's a shame this film didn't make the final cut of candidates for the Oscars. You will enjoy this. Grade: A-
