Watch Bowling for Columbine

Bowling for Columbine is a documentary film written, directed and narrated by controversial documentary maker Michael Moore. The film delves into the infamous Columbine High School shooting in Littleton, Colorado and then widens the scope to investigate the causes and reactions to violence in the United States. The documentary opens up with a discussion of the Columbine High School massacre and the activities of the two identified shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. It lists (mistakenly as it later turned out) that the young men went bowling before shooting up the school, killing several people and injuring many more. This segued into questioning what supposed causes of violence people were pointing fingers at in the mass media, covering violent movies and video games, as well as heavy and death metal music popular among the age group of the shooters.

Bowling for Columbine spirals out from the school shooting, connecting different events and fallacies together to paint a picture of America's attitude towards violence and towards guns. Whether it was the rallies and political rhetoric of the National Rifle Association, or offers at banks such as one filmed in Michigan where savings deposits of a certain amount were given a free gun, the film portrays America as a country that loves guns. Moore also interviews militia groups, Congressmen and others involved in the use or regulation of guns to try to understand the American viewpoint on why gun ownership is so popular and so heartily defended.

Moore also presents laws and facts on gun violence from around the world, including America's northern neighbor Canada, a country with nearly as much gun ownership by percentages but much less fear (according to Moore) than America has, a country where crimes are committed much more rarely with guns, and where people leave their front doors unlocked.

Bowling for Columbine explores many questions, but in Moore's own words doesn't provide definitive answers. Culturally, politically and otherwise, the question of institutionalized violence, aggression and gun use seems to be part of America's makeup. The question that Moore asks is whether or not that should continue.