Mike Bonanno and Andy Bichlbaum founded the Yes Men, a loose coöperative of cultural agitators who fake their way into business conferences and make outrageous proposals in an effort to call attention to corporate malfeasance. This documentary, which they co-directed with Kurt Engfehr, showcases some of their latest targets, including the New Orleans housing-recovery program and Halliburton. The Yes Men’s best gonzo act is aimed at Dow Chemical’s refusal to clean up a factory in Bhopal, India, where, in 1984, the largest chemical accident in history occurred (five thousand people died): Bichlbaum poses as a representative of Dow on the BBC and promises billions to the victims. Both men possess a friendliness of manner that puts many people at ease and allows their high jinks to take on a note of absurdist fun, but their hoaxes are biting critiques that call out many a greedy corporate hand.
The Film File
The Yes Men Fix the World
(directors: Mike Bonanno and Andy Bichlbaum; 2009)
by Bruce Diones October 12, 2009
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