Jason D.

Osuna

BSA 4

Reaction Paper: Flywheel

The movie entitled “Flywheel” is about a second hand car dealer named Jay Austin who
has a wife named Judy and a son. He routinely overcharges his customers and even led doing
the same with his pastor. Jay thought this kind of dealership with his two employees named
Bernie and Vince. Jay also rarely attends church unless his wife requests for him to attend.
Faking donations to the church, having the kind of job he has and with the disapproval of his
family about it made Jay’s relationship with his family deteriorate. These habits made me feel
unhappy because Jay lacks transparency and integrity upon doing such scams and making his
employees do the same. His problem even worsens because of the threat of the foreclosure of
his lot by the bank he is indebted to. One time, while being troubled in mind and conscience, he
started flipping the television channels, he sees his pastor preaching that "you're in the shape
you're in today because of the choices you've made." This was the turning point of the movie
that gave me chills because it’s the word of God that made him realize of how unprofessional
and dishonest he’s been.

Jay becomes personally convicted and becomes a born-again Christian, prompting him
to change his business practices. Jay started with apologizing with his wife and kid, having
prices with his car at fair price and applied change with his employees who resist of doing so
thus making them quit the job. With the downsizing of his employees, he unknowingly hired a
news investigator about car dealerships named Kevin. Jay was asked about questions about his
business practices with a hidden camera with attached to Kevin, Jay answers by saying, "Just
sell the car to them by its real price and God will decide." The interview was televised about Jay,
the one who only has an honest dealership. The sales boomed having all the cars sold in one
day which in turn having repaid his bank debt and saved him for foreclosure. Having consistent
high sales made him more profitable thus making him realize the wrong pricing he did with his
past customers. Jay returned all the overpriced money to his past customers and having
apologies made. A day came when Jay was asked to make a live interview with Hillary, he then
sees his former employee Bernie saying that Jay’s a cheater leading to a bad review to Austin’s
business. He and his family quickly talked to God and let Him handle the circumstances. This
part of the movie shocked me and my classmates upon witnessing how God works in different
ways. All of Austin’s past customers whom he returned money to come to where the interview
happened and making Hillary cover another part of the story thus clearing Jay’s name and his
business. He made amends with everyone especially with his family and God.

The Corporate governance principles relates to the movie in multiple times. Having the
business’ integrity on the line, the breach of fairness, lack of transparency, and in the end of the
movie having Jay Austin realizing his accountability for his wrong doings. It made us realize how
important corporate governance is to the business. Opening up our minds to the different
possibilities would occur upon bad governance. The moral lesson in the story is to always be
fair, prioritization of honesty and accountability because everyone around us has different
battles that they’re trying to overcome, be good and do good is the only thing we can do to
help them. Always put trust to God and His doings. I can apply this to my everyday life,
manifesting the characteristics of a Good Samaritan. That no matter how much pain the world
gives you, never give the pain back to anyone.