A woman stands in front of the White House, crying for her fallen son, a soldier killed in Iraq. The camera doesn't turn away as she doubles over with emotion, caught in the moment and pleading that she needs her son.
For many who went to see Michael Moore's documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" opening weekend, this is when they broke down into tears, overwhelmed with sadness or anger, or both.
Others who saw the movie believed this was exploitation on Michael Moore's part, that he never should have shown this mother grieving, and that it added insult to injury in a movie that was already filled with lies and state-of-the-art editing.
Whether viewers are Michael Moore or Ann Coulter fans, whether they are liberal or conservative, for Bush or against him, no one can deny that "Fahrenheit 9/11" is breaking box-office records all over the country. It is the highest grossing documentary ever, earning the title in one weekend. People are heading to the theater in droves.
"What surprised me is that it was a full theater, and they were turning people away," said Melinda Boatright, who saw the movie on Friday, opening night. "There were people signing up others to vote outside of the theater."
"It's Michael Moore," she said. "So I always take what he has to say with a grain of salt. But there were things in the movie I didn't know that were probably part of the truth."
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The premise of "Fahrenheit" is that the Bush administration lied to the American people, made us believe that Saddam Hussein's regime was connected to the events of Sept. 11, and now hundreds of American soldiers are dying in an unnecessary war.
Moore, a director known for "Bowling for Columbine," "Roger and Me" and the NBC series "TV Nation," made a name for himself by supporting the underdog and taking on corrupt corporations and shady government officials.
"Fahrenheit" is no different. In one scene, Moore follows two military recruiters around a poverty-stricken town, showing how ruthless they can be when recruiting young men and women.
He then goes to Washington in a cynical attempt to recruit the children of Congress members into the military because, as he points out, only one member of Congress has a son on active duty in Iraq.
The movie is typical Moore material, emotionally charged but with enough humor to keep the audience from crying throughout its entirety. As usual, Moore skews the facts in favor of his argument, but this is a documentary based on his very liberal opinion, and competent fans understand this.
"Fahrenheit" is the first film where Moore seems less preachy, staying off camera for much of the movie. He lets the facts, interviews and graphic war clips speak for themselves.
Even all the media hype surrounding the release of the film and public outcries that Moore is a liar and an editing genius don't affect the powerful statement the film has made. As the mother of the fallen soldier said: Her son is dead, and that is no lie. All the editing in the world can't change that.
Moore is one of the rare political activists who has the ability to reach people on an emotional level and make them listen. Time and time again, his documentaries have struck chords with audience members, and "Fahrenheit 9/11" is no exception.
