RBH: I'd have to watch Roger and Me again to find out if the Roger and Me-era Flint Mayor makes any appearances in that documentary

In 1989, midway through Collier's four-year term in office, Michael Moore's movie, Roger & Me, premiered nationally. The film described the effects of General Motors' cutbacks on Flint during the 1970s and '80's. According to Collier, the film "crippled the city's self-image and demoralized Flint as a whole." Collier stated that "the film ultimately made it increasingly difficult for him and his administration to champion the city's successes." Collier's administration starting receiving the sympathy of the nation and his administration was getting phone calls offering to donate literally $1 at a time to the city.

In response to the film's release, Collier was quoted in newspapers and magazines throughout the United States, including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Time Magazine, and Collier was featured on ABC-TV's Primetime Live, and other national television programs, challenging the accuracy of the movie. The film did not directly criticize Collier's mayoral performance and the events portrayed in the film took place just prior to and up to the very first months of his term as mayor.