Spider-Man 3

SmokeScreeners review:  

Year of Release:  2007

MPAA Rating:  PG-13

Director:  Sam Raimi

Distributor:  Sony

The film was reviewed by Dr. Barry Hummel on 5/20/2007.

Dr. Barry Hummel posted the following additional comments:

"Spider-Man 3 has one incredibly interesting scene of smoking.  In this scene, Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) is competing for his free-lance job with Eddie Brock (Topher Grace).  Both men are trying to persuade their boss, J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) that they are the right man for the job.  Watch what happens:

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So the big boss is smoking in his office, and the heck with anybody who wants to say anything about it!

The problem is, the Spider-Man films take place in New York City.  By 2007,  the year in which Spider-Man 3 was released, New York had passed a ban on smoking in the workplace.  So, techinically Mr. Jameson is breaking the law himself even as he pleads for his staff to "catch Spider-Man in the act."

So, the question is, which of these people are going to say something to Mr. Jameson?  Do you think it will be one of two guys fighting for a full-time job?  You can alsmost bet that the guy who says something will be the guy who is not hired.  Maybe Mr. Jameson's secretary will tell him to stop?  Not likely, given that he dismissed her with a wave.  How about the guy who pops in and announces that he really cares what Mr. Jameson wants before being told to 'shut up' and 'get out'.  No, I suspect Mr. Jameson will simply continue to flaunt the law at the expense of the health of his staff."