SMOKIN' GOOD TIME
Thank You for Smoking proves to be insightful, offensive and quick-witted
BY LAUREN ALLEN
Rookie director Jason Reitman has hit one out of the park with Fox Searchlight's latest release Thank You for Smoking. I can't remember when I enjoyed a satirical comedy more. Not only is it well-written, insightful and quick-witted, I think it actually may convince a few out there that people should still be allowed a freedom of choice even if it's not a great choice. There is still such a thing as personal responsibility in this country no matter how many out there think they know best.
Aaron Eckhart is fantastic as Big Tobacco's No. 1 lobbyist and spin doctor, Nick Naylor. Our first look at Nick finds him defending the tobacco industry on the Joan Lundon show. He's joined on stage by a group of anti-smoking Nazis and a bald 15-year-old named Robin, a.k.a. "Cancer Boy." Before our hero has even been afforded an opportunity to speak, the studio audience has already begun to boo him. With the passion of a southern Baptist minister, Nick soon convinces the audience that the only group interested in keeping Cancer Boy alive is the tobacco industry itself because without him, they have no customer. In fact, it's the anti-smoking groups that want him dead because that's the only way they can raise money and continue to fight. The show ends with Cancer Boy and Nick smiling at each other and exchanging a big high five.
While spending his days defending tobacco, Nick's weekends are spent trying to create a close relationship with his young son, Joey, played by Cameron Bright. The son now lives with his mother and her new husband.
In one scene, Nick arrives at Joey's school for career day. As he sails into the classroom, Joey looks up with just a hint of despair and whispers under his breath, "Please don't ruin my childhood." After launching into the description of his job, one little girl announces, "My mommy says cigarettes kill!." Without missing a beat, Nick asks, "Is your mommy a doctor? Is she a scientist?" A quick flash to Joey finds him laying his head down on his desk, waiting for the floor to open up and swallow him whole.
Throughout the film, Nick keeps a standing dinner reservation with his two best friends, the mouthpieces for the alcohol and firearms industries, played by Maria Bello and David Koechner. The energetic trio even refers to themselves as the "M.O.D. Squad" (a.k.a. Merchants of Death). The three spend their time together consoling and helping one other figure out new and improved ways of defending their respective bosses. Maria Bello's latest challenge is trying to figure out how to counter an upcoming Diane Sawyer story on fetal alcohol syndrome. Koechner advises that she should make sure to kiss the kids before Sawyer does. The scenes with the M.O.D. Squad are chalk full of sharp conversation and humor and are truly some of the best in the film.
Other great characters include Robert Duvall (the "Captain" of Big Tobacco), William H. Macy (a Birkenstock-wearing U.S. Senator from Vermont bent on bringing Big Tobacco down), Rob Lowe (a powerhouse Hollywood agent who's going to aide Big Tobacco in making smoking sexy in movies once again), and Sam Elliott, the former Marlboro Man now dying of cancer. The only person who seems a bit out of place is Katie Holmes, who plays a Washington reporter who seduces Nick and publishes a very ugly story made up of pillow talk and off-the-record conversations.
The thing I loved about this picture was that I really expected to be hit with a big liberal punch at the end. I thought for sure that Nick was going to wake up and realize that any defense of big corporations was evil and we should be holding hands and planting trees instead. I'm very glad to report that I was wrong on both counts. The film is both smart and very well-acted. It's a real shame that it's not being promoted more than it is. Not only do I highly recommend this film, but you should tell a friend after you've seen it.
P.S. Not one cigarette was harmed, destroyed or even lit during the entire film. LW
