Tag Archives: work and family

Internal Dynamics of Families

27 Dresses

Title: 27 Dresses

Date: 2008

Media type: Film

Format: Complete

Category: Internal Dynamics of Families

Keywords: adulthood, fathering, response to crises, single parenting, stress and coping, work and family

Rating: PG 13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned

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

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: Jane is a perpetual bridesmaid. She is constantly planning her friends’ weddings, and she’s been a bridesmaid 27 times. While she’s not planning weddings, she’s at work swooning over her boss, George, who she has been in love with for longer than she would like to admit. Then Kevin comes along. He finds her attractive, but she wants nothing to do with the cynical writer that cannot stand the thought of marriage. One-day Jane’s sister Tess comes to town. Tess is the beautiful girl that every man falls in love with. Much to Jane’s dismay, Tess and her boss George hit it off. However, Tess lies about her entire life to get George to fall in love with her. Eventually, the two get engaged and start the wedding planning. Kevin interviews the couple for the wedding and engagement column in the newspaper. To Jane’s disdain, she runs into Kevin while he is interviewing the couple. The two end up having fun and he comes back to her apartment, where he sees her 27 dresses. Without her knowledge, he starts writing a story about her, and eventually she finds out. Will the two end up together, or will Jane forever be a bridesmaid and never a bride?

Comments or Recommendations for Teaching: In what ways was Jane a mother to her younger sister Tess? How did the death of their mother affect Jane and Tess differently. How did their father have to shift roles into being the sole caretaker of the two?

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

Contributor: Krista Hamann

Ethical Issues and Dilemmas

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

Internal Dynamics of Families

17 Again

Title: 17 Again

Date: 2009

Media type: Film

Format: Complete

Category: Internal Dynamics of Families

Keywords: adolescence, adulthood, divorce, parenting styles, work and family

Rating: PG 13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned

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

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: At the age of 17, Mike O’Donnell loved his life. He was the star of his high school basketball team on the verge of getting a college scholarship for playing ball. He also was dating his soul-mate, Scarlet. At the game, Scarlet reveals that she is pregnant with Mike’s child so Mike proposes to his girlfriend. Fast forward 17 or so years, Scarlet has kicked him out of the house for being a poor husband and father and Mike has also lost his job. Mike returns to his high school, the last place he remembers being truly happy. A janitor asks him if he wishes he could be 17 again and he says yes. One rainy night, Mike is driving across a bridge where he sees the janitor about to jump and jumps in after him. After the fiasco, he goes to his high school best friend’s house and realizes he has transformed into his 17-year-old self. The movie follows Mike as he tries to get his wife and children back in his 17-year-old body.

Comments or Recommendations for Teaching: How does Mike try to parent his children even though they don’t recognize him as their father?

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

Contributor: Krista Hamann