Movie Review

Thank You for Smoking

Thank You for Smoking is a satire on the tobacco industry and follows chief spokesman Nick Naylor?s (Aaron Eckhart) wonderful ability to spin illegal arguments and promote smoking. The film is a dark comedy, and it is a clever piece of work that borders the line of David Mamet?s writing and provides Aaron Eckhart with a platform that will hopefully earn him some Golden Globe/Oscar talk by the end of the year. Thank You for Smoking doesn?t go as far as it could in terms of edgy material or on profound commentary, but is still a nicely-done intellectual comedy.

Nick Naylor compares himself to the likes of Michael Jordan and Charles Manson; he?s a pro ?on the courts,? so to speak, but also happens to be killing thousands of people every day. When a new ad-campaign for cigarettes requires him to go out on the road, his son wants to tag along to see what he does for a living. This starts to form a moral argument on Naylor?s part, as his son could start to smoke and Nick?s job is to push nicotine inhalation; what would he say?

Thank You for Smoking mostly focuses on a court case led by Senator Ortolan Finistirre (William H. Macy) against Naylor for his ?cigarettes are cool? campaign and for pushing the image of sex into cigarettes. It?s no surprise to see Macy here given the comparison to Mamet in the writing, and the one complaint I have is that it comes off like every other role he has played in the last ten years (then again, he ?is? a character actor). The character?s pretty much verbatim like his role in Wag the Dog (B) in which he tries to trap Robert DeNiro and Dustin Hoffman and end their ?fake war.? Macy does a good job, but it?s nothing new for him, and it feels like an under-used role.

Still, though, Thank You for Smoking is mostly a platform for Aaron Eckhart, and his rock solid performance carries the film and makes you want to see more of him after the film?s over. Eckhart?s had an interesting career thus far, having mostly been recognized on the independent-film-front with In the Company of Men (B). In Thank You, he has an easy likeability factor and his charm here makes you like him even despite his dark professional intentions. The casting here was clearly going to be a big deal, as while the writing is sharp and engaging, the film was likely going to sink or swim based on who played the role of Nick Naylor. This is one of the more ideal actor roles performers yearn to do, as it provides quick one-liners and a real opportunity to get behind a controversial persona and make him the audience?s best friend.

Dark comedies are very hard to pull off, and writer/director Jason Reitman handles the tone and pacing very well (and never goes over the top or gets too awkward). He applies a classy and cool style right from the opening credits that?s fun for the eyes, and combined with the performances and intellectual humor, it all makes Thank You for Smoking a fairly entertaining viewing even if you are against everything this story stands for. Its audience will be limited, but the film should be enjoyed most by moviegoers in the big cities.

Lee's Grade: B
Ranked #6 of 177 between Babel (#5) and Stranger Than Fiction (#7) for 2006 movies.

A	0.4%
B	30.0%
C	61.7%
D	8.0%
F	0.0%