Fahrenheit 9/11 on general release

Michael Moore’s controversial film Fahrenheit 9/11 is now on general release in Ireland.

The movie has already broken box office records in the US. Now Irish audiences have the opportunity to see the documentary, a scathing attack on the Bush administration.

Moore portrays US President George Bush as a bumbling incompetent who, prior to September 11, spent almost as much time on holiday as he did on running the country.

The film accuses the President of using the September 11 attacks to justify going to war with Iraq.

Moore claims the real reason for going to war was oil, and exposes links between the Bush dynasty and the Saudi royal family.

The maverick film-maker hopes Fahrenheit 9/11 will lose Bush the presidential election in November.

On its opening weekend it took €17.8m and became the first documentary to open at number one at the US box office.

At its British premiere two weeks ago, Moore’s celebrity supporters were out in force.

Jude Law and Sienna Miller, Bianca Jagger and veteran actor Irish Peter O’Toole all turned up to praise Moore and denounce the US president.

The controversy was stoked when Disney refused to distribute the film through its subsidiary Miramax.

Miramax bosses Harvey and Bob Weinstein bought back the rights and struck their own distribution deal.

The movie received further publicity when it won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

Critical reaction has been largely positive but some have been scathing about its partisan content.

The conservative backlash in the US has already begun.

Right-wing film-maker Mike Wilson is planning to turn the tables by releasing his own documentary, Michael Moore Hates America.