Category Archives: Ethical Issues and Dilemmas

We’re the Millers

Title: We’re the Millers

Date: 2013

Media type: Film

Format: Complete

Category: Ethical Issues and Dilemmas

Keywords: decision-making, family functioning, response to crisis, types of parents, dysfunction

Rating: R-Restricted

Audience(s): College Age, Adults, Parents, Couples

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: David is a small pot dealer that just got robbed of a week’s worth of profit. David’s dealer forces him to go to Mexico to pick up a large supply of marijuana to make up for the loss. David things ahead and tries to create a plan to make him look less suspicious at the border. He asks his neighbor Rose, who is a broke stripper, and two teenagers, Casey and Kenny, that live in the area. In exchange for their assistance, he plans on paying them some of the profits. The four embark on a journey as a pretend family to collect marijuana for David’s dealer.

Comments or Recommendations for Teaching: Even though David and Rose aren’t real parents, in what way are they parents, or influences, to Casey and Kenny?

Places to view: Itunes, Youtube, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play

Contributor: Krista Hamann

The Switch

Title: The Switch

Date: 2010

Media type: Film

Format: Complete

Category: Ethical Issues and Dilemmas

Keywords: decision-making, single parenting, types of parents

Rating: PG 13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned

Audience(s): High School Age, College Age, Adults, Parents, Couples

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: Kassie hasn’t found the love of her life yet, but she’s ready to have kids. She decides to parent on her own and go with artificial insemination. However, her best friend Wally doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Wally can’t admit to Kassie that he’s in love with her, let alone admit it to himself. Wally gets drunk at Kassie’s insemination party and ends up spilling the sperm. While he was too drunk to remember what he did that night, he ended up replacing the donor’s sperm with his own. Kassie moved away from New York City because she didn’t feel that it was the best place to raise her son. Seven years later, Kassie has decided to move back to the city with her son, Sebastian. While in the city, she tries to get Ronald, the original sperm donor, involved in Sebastian’s life. It is quite apparent that the two don’t have much in common. Then, Wally starts to discover some striking similarities between himself and Sebastian.

Places to view: Itunes, Youtube, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play

Contributor: Krista Hamann

The Heat

Title: The Heat

Date: 2013

Media type: Film

Format: Complete

Category: Ethical Issues and Dilemmas

Keywords: Adulthood, conflict management, decision making, family demographics, work and family, social and cultural influences, parent child relationships

Rating: R – Restricted

Audience(s): College Age, Adults, Parents, Couples

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: Sarah Ashburn is an FBI agent with her eyes on a promotion. However, her conflict with coworkers is keeping her from that promotion. He boss senders her to Boston on a mission to uncover the identity of a drug lord, Mr. Larkin. Agent Ashburn is forced to work alongside agent Shannon Mullins, who is from the area and very territorial about where she grew up. The pair are in constant disagreement on how to go about finding Larkin. The movie follows Ashburn and Mullins as they track down Larkin and try to shut down his drug trade.

Comments or Recommendations for Teaching: In what ways do Ashburn and Mullins value family differently? Even though everyone in Mullins family are all adults they can never seem to get along and behave. How does Mullins family feel that her job is creating a wedge between them?

Places to view: Itunes, Youtube, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play

Contributor: Krista Hamann