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 (032306) Thank
You for Smoking is the feature debut of Jason (son of Ivan)
Reitman, who has assembled an impressive cast. In addition
to Aaron Eckhart, who has the lead, the credit list includes
the following names: Katie Holmes, Cameron Bright, Sam
Elliot, Rob Lowe, Maria Bello, William H. Macy, and Robert
Duvall. Now, that's star power! While so much wattage
doesn't guarantee a home run, a double or triple should be
the minimum requirement. Yet, at best, Reitman delivers a
bleeder up the middle. It is a disappointment.
There are few things less inspiring than flabby satires. And
that's what Thank You for Smoking is. It chooses easy
targets (What's less controversial than going after big
business, cigarette manufacturers, politicians, and
lobbyists?) and lobs soft bombs. There's nothing
hard-hitting about any of Reitman's material. His blades are
dull and most of his attacks echo those done in more edgy
material. Good satire demands envelope pushing. There's
nothing like that in Thank You for Smoking. It plays it safe
(although Reitman would probably argue otherwise). In fact,
as an attack on the practices of American corporations, it
lacks half the punch delivered by the Oscar nominated Enron
documentary.
Nick Naylor (Eckhart) is a spin master par excellence. As a
spokesperson for the Academy of Tobacco Studies, he is
viewed as a "yupppie Mephistopheles" and is often called
worse. In the publicity war being waged by Big Tobacco, he's
weapon #1. But the road ahead is not smooth. A dying tobacco
baron (Duvall) wants him to bribe the cancer-stricken
original Marlboro Man (Sam Elliot) to keep him from
badmouthing the cigarette companies. He has to convince a
Hollywood exec (Lowe) to make smoking sexy in movies again.
He has to spin an expose being written by a reporter
(Holmes) with whom he's having sex. And he has to baby sit
his son (Bright). All this, plus a kidnapping and a subpoena
to testify in front of a Senate committee chaired by a
Vermont moralizer (Macy).
Just because it isn't edgy doesn't mean it's not funny.
Thank You for Smoking delivers some laughs, and there are a
few instances when Reitman sinks his teeth into a worthwhile
concept. For example, the trio of Nick, an alcohol lobbyist,
and a firearms lobbyist, comprise a group nicknamed the "MOD
Squad." "MOD" stands for "Merchants of Death." And the scene
in which Nick talks Mr. Marlboro out of pursuing his
grievance against the Big Tobacco is slickly written.
Unfortunately, the high points don't obscure the instances
when Reitman becomes sloppy or doesn't push the material
hard enough.
The acting is solid. Aside from Eckhart, who is in top form,
special notice should be made of Lowe and Macy, each of whom
steals most of the scenes in which they appear. The only one
who seems out-of-place is Katie Holmes, who lacks the brio
required to pull off her backstabbing part (or maybe the
problem is that she's overexposed at the moment) whatever
the reason, she's the lone acting misfire. Yet, despite its
many strengths, Thank You for Smoking hovers somewhere just
above mediocrity, and its lasting impression is like a puff
of smoke that is dissipated by a strong gust of wind.
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