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Conflict of Interest

Watched an interesting movie called 'State of Play'.  I may have blogged about this few years ago when I first saw it.  But since I forget what I saw and what I remember this may be a repeat title /topic - except that it might be a bit different take on the same story.

So this story with a wonderful cast (Ben Affleck, Russell Crowe,  Robin Penn and Helen Mirren) is about a truth seeking journalist (Crowe) who is friends with a now Congressman (Affleck) from Pennsylvania.  At the heart of the story is two unrelated incidents or so it seems.  A couple of guys get shot in a Washington alley and a lady staffer on the congressman's research team dies in a mysterious train accident.  The journalist smells it and gets on it because he is only trying to earn his living.

The story was originally written as a BBC series and Hollywood made a movie of it.  Who says the left coast does not copy a good story?  I have not seen the original deal but this movie production is not bad at all.

Multiple conflict of interest  themes weave across the storyline as the protagonist tries to get to the bottom of the pool and see what is what.  Confounding his research and diligent hunt is his once sexual affair with the congressman's wife who is also good friends to both in a past life. 

In a parallel story another legislator on the hill position's the lady staffer on this congressman's team to spy on his activity to discredit overpaid mercenary outfits contracted by the government to fight their wars.

Somewhere in the storyline is also this question that makes you wonder - whether there is any room left for morality and ethics to coexist with capitalism and consequently greed?

What is showcased is not far from some of the truth around how the world of politics, power and armed might might work.  Something about absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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  1. RajendraJune 7, 2014 at 10:45 PM

    now that capitalism is unchallenged, chances are it will get worse around the world. Gun production and use shows no sign of abating in our civilised world!

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