Spirituality and the Workplace Film: Man of the Year

Man of the Year is a film about a classic dilemma relating to the workplace: What do you do when you get something you don't deserve and didn't earn?

Who hasn't had that happen at work? It happens all the time. I suppose there are a couple of possibilities:

a. You give it back.
b. You actually earn it and consequently deserve it.
c. You take it and don't care that you didn't earn it.

This movie chooses the obvious and easy answer, skips the morally gray area, which is of more interest, and then decides it's some sort of psychothriller.

One of the most astute and endearing thoughts I've ever heard about movies was Kevin Smith's observation (in Kirby Dick's documentary, This Film Is Not Yet Rated) that violence against women should make a film rated NC-17, yet was a common device that screenwriters use (when in doubt, throw in some assault).

Man of the Year is a classic example. When they ran out of plot and chose to avoid the moral dilemma (and Williams came off his high), they decided to make it a film about stalking Laura Linney, which includes breaking and entering into her house, later her hotel room, and assaulting her, drugging her, and then running her over with a truck. Those events are just thrown in. It's not essential. That's lazy-ass writing. And trust me, I know all about lazy-ass writing.