Although it has been widely recognized Super Size Me borrows liberally from the style of Michael Moore, in many ways the film also reminds one of the classic mad scientist movie. As producer and director Morgan Spurlock embarks on a 30-day experiment in which nothing but McDonald’s meals are eaten three times a day, you might think of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or comic variations on this theme, like The Nutty Professor. Instead of being turned into a monster, the lean, healthy star and narrator of this astute documentary is turned into a depressed, overweight man addicted to foods that might kill him -- according to the team of doctors who are seen throughout the film monitoring his steady decay.

Spurlock decided to conduct this experiment after becoming aware of the obesity epidemic in the U.S.A. He draws attention to three overlapping phenomena that account for this: the widespread availability of fast food outlets, their tendency to push oversized portions, and the sedentary habits of an American population ever more reliant on the automobile.

Since McDonald’s has the lion’s share of the fast food business, Spurlock decides to only dine there. He has some simple ground rules. He will not eat anything except what is on their menu for a 30-day period. He will try to avoid exercise as much as possible -- a walk to and from the Golden Arches to pick up his meal becomes his daily workout. If offered a super sized meal, he will never say no.

On the third day, the accumulated impact of a high caloric intake catches up to him. Sitting at the wheel of his car trying to finish an oversized sandwich becomes too much for him and he throws up through his window. The camera lingers over the remains on the street. This scene and a scene later in the film of stomach-reduction surgery are not for the squeamish.

Although Spurlock has a completely different film presence than Moore, he is very much an effective character in film terms. He supplies almost no autobiographical material and tries to come across as just a regular guy. With his Fu Manchu moustache and rugged good looks, the 30-something Spurlock will remind you of a contestant on TV’s Fear Factor. In his case, the contest is even more daunting. If you had the choice of eating worms for two minutes or McDonald’s three times a day for a month, you would most likely opt for the former after seeing this film.

Despite his almost frat-boy sensibility (you can see him being interviewed on David Letterman’s show), you can sense a kind of outrage simmering beneath the surface, especially when it comes to the damage fast food does to children. He visits a school cafeteria that serves French fries, soft drinks, and other junk foods without the slightest compunction. We eventually discover that the vendor is none other than Sodexho, whose parent company is one of the largest players in the privatization of American prisons.

Although McDonald’s food threatens to kill him, he plods on until the thirtieth day. One of the things that keep him going is that he soon becomes addicted to the stuff. Heavy doses of sugar and caffeine can hook you just as easily as nicotine or crack cocaine. On the final day, his doctors weigh him. They inform him that he has gained 25 pounds and exhibits unhealthy symptoms across the board. His liver has begun to look like the one belonging to a serious alcoholic.

Louis Proyect lives in New York and runs the Marxmail website (www.marxmail.org/) and Internet discussion group.

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