No lie:

No matter what you may think of documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, the man knows how to put together an intelligent film in an entertaining yet thought-provoking way.

Never one to soft-pedal his viewpoint, Moore presents a convincing portrait of an America that has gone to the dogs — in this case, a greedy pack of dogs that have recklessly undercut our economic system — in “Capitalism — A Love Story.”

His evidence is hard to refute, given the spate of corporate and financial institutions that have gone under or “needed” a bailout. There are some jaw-dropping revelations — one is a “dead peasant insurance” where companies take out policies against their own rank-and-file employees and rake in profits when they die, unbeknownst to their struggling families. It may be legal, but is it right?

Moore is good at stirring things up, and yes, sometimes for his own benefit. Yet he cares deeply about his country and wants to get us thinking and talking about the problems and possible solutions.

The richest 1% of Americans have more wealth than the bottom 95% combined. Perhaps the movie’s title refers to that elite group, as it doesn’t seem like much of the rest of the country is feeling the love these days.

JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office. SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company.