Chris Ware / McClatchy Tribune

Entertaining and at times tear-jerking, Michael Moore cannonballs into the dirty pool of mortgage and banking, revealing the lust and greed lurking beneath the surface.

From the director, producer and star of documentaries “Sickoâ€Â and “Fahreinheit 9/11â€Â, Moore’s latest film,“Capitalism: A Love Storyâ€Â which hit theaters nationally on Oct. 2, is more of his trademark smart-aleky, left-winged comedy. After viewing the film it’s safe to say that if capitalism had a Facebook page, its relationship status would be: “it’s complicated.â€Â

One phenomenon “Capitalismâ€Â highlights is the evil yet legal truth of corporate-owned life insurance policies. Otherwise known as “dead peasants insurance,â€Â where corporations literally make killings off the unexpected deaths of employees. Moore also draws attention to judges whose pensions benefit from wrongfully sentencing minors to for profit juvenile detention centers.

He also draws heavily on his first film, “Roger and Me,” which dealt the effect of mass layoffs at General Motors on his hometown of Flint, Mich.

The biggest allegation is that the $700 billion bailout was in fact a legalized bank robbery backed by a number of former corporate executives who serve as cabinet members. The audience may be tempted to reach for guns. However, that may be due to M.I.A.’s song “Paper Planesâ€Â being looped in the background of the film.

If you’re a fan of Glenn Beck’s new book “Arguing with Idiots,â€Â you most likely won’t be a fan of Moore’s narrative throughout the film. Despite several good laughs, the jokes of the film often go overboard.

For example, the animated backdrop that plays during former President Bush’s bailout speech, interviews with Flint priests and a cameo from Wallace Shawn, the teacher from “Clueless,â€Â turned “Gossip Girlâ€Â step-dad turned economist.

Whether he is hassling security guard̢۪s at The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. or making a citizen̢۪s arrest at American International Group, Inc., Moore knows how to turn controversial issues into a comedy routine. But is it effective?

Before credits roll Moore takes on the New York Stock Exchange by covering the building in yellow tape — labeling it as a crimes scene.

Moore leaves the audience with inspirational quotes in hopes to final thought, “Capitalism is evil, and you can’t regulate evil.”