Super Size Me (2004) - Oscar® Nominee

Editor's Note In this hilarious yet informative documentary, debut director Morgan Spurlock makes himself the victim of a cruel experiment: he puts himself on a 30-day diet of nothing but McDonald's food. Eating three meals a day exclusively from McDonald's, Spurlock's health quickly deteriorates. The film documents the process from beginning to end, with Spurlock and his doctors making observations and monitoring the changes to his energy level, moods, liver and kidney function, and obviously his weight. As viewers might predict, Spurlock gains weight at an alarming rate, and during this process he offers a shocking lesson about the serious problem of obesity in America. Clearly McDonald's receives the brunt of the blame, as Spurlock shows how the fast-food restaurant directs its advertising at small children, who are converted into faithful consumers of the brand--and its free toy giveaways, bright colors, and Ronald McDonald clown--for life. Spurlock also examines the quality of the food itself, showing the processes by which favorite products like McNuggets are made. He also shows the proliferation of McDonald's chains both in the U.S. and worldwide. Meanwhile, Spurlock's girlfriend--a vegan chef--observes Spurlock's experiment with disgust and disdain, providing one of many comic elements to the film. Educational, fun, and at times downright gross, SUPER SIZE ME takes a different approach to illustrating America's obsession with fast food.

Morgan Spurlock - Director

Entertainment Weekly
"SUPER SIZE ME is a deliciously amusing socio-culinary prank....Witty, gross, smart, outrageous, and so clever it just about pops." 05/14/2004 p.47-8

New York Times
"[The film] goes down easy and takes a while to digest, but its message is certainly worth the loss of your appetite." 05/07/2004 p.E18

Los Angeles Times
"SUPER SIZE ME packs a lot of good information, witty visual aids and expert testimonials into its fast 96 minutes..." 05/07/2004 p.E1

USA Today
"Riveting and darkly comic SUPER SIZE ME is a whip-smart documentary in the tradition of Michael Moore's ROGER & ME." 05/07/2004 p.8E

Rolling Stone
"It's one of the blackest comedies to hit the screen since DR.STRANGELOVE. Spurlock proves himself a major talent..." 05/27/2004 p.90

Movieline's Hollywood Life
"[A] hilarious indictment of the nauseating excesses of our increasingly obese society." 06/01/2004 p.104-6

Uncut
"[G]ripping viewing..." 10/01/2004 p.140

Sight and Sound
"[A] rigorously argued portion of investigative journalism that hits the spot, served up with a smile by Spurlock..." 10/01/2004 p.68-9