Film Critique

Ethics Analysis of Fair Game:

Joe Wilson, (Sean Penn) former ambassador and husband of Valerie Plame

Issues to consider in your critique:

1. Joe Wilson, after conducting a fact-finding’ mission in African on whether Niger sold uranium to Saddam’s
regime in Iraq, wrote an op-ed piece for the New York Times in July, 2003 entitled, What I Didn’t Find in
Africa. The piece angered the Bush administration, which presumably prompted Bush aide Karl Rove to leak Valerie
Plame’s identity to columnist Robert Novak. (Novak’s commentary can be found on BB.)
2. What ethical philosopher and/or philosophy did Wilson follow in making a decision to write and publish his
piece? Provide specific examples to support your claim.
3. Place yourself in Wilson’s position. What kinds of decisions/choices would you make if you were in the
same situation? Would you have written the piece? What ethical philosopher and/or philosophy help guide your
decisions?
Ethics Analysis of Ides of March:

Stephen Meyers, (Ryan Gossling) Gov. Morris campaign manager
Paul Zara, (Philip Seymour Hoffman) Gov. Morris campaign aide

Issues to consider in your critique:

1. Obviously, all of these characters engaged in unethical behavior of some kind. Select one of these
characters and analyze his behavior.
2. Identify which action(s) was unethical.
3. Identify a philosopher to help explain the character’s action(s). How do you think your character would
explain himself?
4. Which character engaged in the most egregious behavior? In other words, whose behavior was the worst or
who committed the greatest breach of ethics? Support your response.