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The movie ‘Boiler Room’ by Ben Younger Moral issues are part of our lives every day. However, dealing with these moral issues is often perplexing. They create controversies because, sometimes, it is difficult to get the real facts. However, these facts tell us what it is and not what it ought to be. Resolving ethical issues requires us to appeal to values. Boiler Room the 2000 feature film directed by Younger is a drama that explores greed and corruption in American business. A movie entailing illegal activities of a con artist by engaging in get rich quick telephone swindles.
The people operate inside rented offices, apartments and con people off, their hard-earned money, including retired folks who are depending on their savings, to survive. The purpose is obtaining all the money through persuasion by sale on none existing stocks (Berardinelli and James, 23). The movie focuses on how con artists persuaded selling fiction stocks. The movie looks to provide viewers with an in-depth portray of stock selling making it end up like a lousy business. Seth one of the actors, who is a former casino operator in his own apartment at the basement, tries to amend the relationship with his father.
His dad was disconcerted with the life that his son led. Seth lied to his family that he was attending college, yet he had been running an illegal casino (Ebert, par 3). He catches J.T Marlin who promises to make him a billionaire as long as he had the drive to work. Seth sees this as a good opportunity to please his dad that he never seems to please. J.T. Marlin has a brokerage shop, recruits other employees and assures them that he will make them rich (Berardinelli and James, 27). Seth is intrigued by the firm prospect of becoming rich and thus, gets to the extent of becoming a full-fledged professional stockbroker.
He becomes so good that he does not need help from his resentful boss Greg. After the success and wealth in the business, things start to get bad. Seth realizes that he is involved in a fake firm of brokerage chop shop that sells stock options on nonexistent companies. He is worried of what his dad will think about him if he realizes the truth. Utilitarian approach has been used in the movie. This approach is objective, efficient and suited for business decision. However, it tries to ignore rights, justice and negative consequences and impacts the results.
This approach of ethical decision-making suggests that ethical actions are those that provide the best balance of evil and good. This is evidenced from the conversation like ‘Greed is good’ ‘Lunch is for wimps’ and when marlin tells his employees ‘anyone who tells you that money is a root of all evil does not have it’ in the movie (Ebert, par 3). The actors in the movie could have used social justice, fairness and virtue of ethics as moral philosophies to act. This implies fairness and mutual obligation as well as acting for the good in the society.
It entails individuals being responsible for each other and ensuring equal chances to succeed in life. J.T Marlin ought not to be taking the money of old folks but find other ways of helping them increase their wealth even after retirement. Seth would have gone to school rather than engaging in illegal business of a casino. Boiler Room would have dealt with Seth’s complex relationship with his father and his owner struggle between deception and truth.ReferencesEbert, Roger. Roger Eberts Movie Yearbook 2007 Kansas, Mo: Andrews McMeel, 2006.
Berardinelli, James. Reelviews: The Ultimate Guide to the Best 1,000 Modern sMovies on Dvd and Video. Boston: Justin Charless, 2003. Print.
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