Very good movie - lots of fun.

Nice to see Katie Holmes getting screwed - 2 ways > Wonder if this will be Katie Holmes last movie for awhile.

****************

This was part of a 3 part A rated triple-header > Just couldn't leave the theater as there were more movies to see.

Thank You for Smoking
V for Vendetta
Inside Man

"We have the best government money can buy."

...love that sign posted behind the M.O.D. meetings from this film!

What a well done satire on lobbyists and spin. It is hilarious and biting. And I hear the book it's based on is even better.

If you're interested in seeing a great primer on our daily brainwashing procedure, check this movie out - if you don't, the freedom haters win!

6 out of 5.

(My newest 2006 top ten list member - joining World's Fastest Indian, V for Vendetta, and Last Holiday...)

B+

It never really matches the manic and utterly hilarious opening fifteen minutes or so, but it does have bursts of gut-busting humor throughout. Aaron Eckhart is absolutely brilliant here and deserves an Oscar nomination. The script is also Oscar worthy. The direction feels trite at times, though (it's definitely a first time feature), and as I touched on before, it's pretty inconsistent with one too many slow points. Still, when it's on, it's a tough act to top.

I actually thought the film didn't take hold until the LA sequence.

A-

That was one of the funnier sequences in the film ("So, as you can see... Jack really likes Asian shit."), but I seem to recall a pretty big lull in getting there. Like I said, it's sporadically hilarious. At least for me.

Well made movie.

Great Script, great acting.

A.

It was one of those quirky films that is weird in moments but overall you end up loving it.

I loved it

9.4/10 A

A remarkably good mix of satire and a real story. The relationship between the father and son was done well. The MOD Squad was hilarious (arguing over who has it harder due to yearly deaths, lmao). And the second half of the film was better than the first half, so I left feeling great. Very well constructed movie, awesome characters. Mario Bello is wonderful. Top notch script too. I mean, the dialogue was just a pleasure to listen to. The film had me smiling the whole time.

A-

PEACE, Mike.

Does anyone else think that one of the most akward parts.. yet most funny part was when they were waiting in LA and watching the Killer Whales eat the seals?!

Tehe I couldn't stop laughing

The pace is erratic. The scenes with the three MODs are quite good, especially the one about the number of deaths caused by their respective industries.

The director seems confused at times. The senate scenes towards the end are pitiful. At that point the movie feels like a very poorly conceived effort. Aaron Eckart is charming and gives a good performance.

B

The is yet another reminder of why I love Aaron Eckhart.

I was rather impressed with Cameron Bright.

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING (2006)



Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) is good at what he does. A lobbyist for all major tobacco companies, he is the undisputed "face of cigarettes," using his charisma and talent for debate to woo various consumers across the globe. As he says, he doesn't have a masters degree or a Ph.D, but he does have a "bachelor's in kicking butt and taking names." With a single dashing smile, he is able to convince anyone that cigarettes are harmless. Everyone, that is, except Senator Ortolan Finistirre (William H. Macy), who is ruthlessly petitioning for a poison label on all future cigarette packaging. While Nick awaits the upcoming Senate hearing on the issue, he must also decide whether he is proving to be a good role model for his twelve-year-old son Joey (Cameron Bright). This is the backdrop of Thank You For Smoking, the hilarious new comedy that puts a new spin on America's view of cigarettes. Written and directed by newcomer Jason Reitman, it is a memorable gem that will surely have you rolling in the aisles.

Boasting one of the finest ensemble casts in recent memory, Thank You For Smoking is a film that really relies on the success of its performers. Everyone here is in top form and excels in every possible way. Aaron Eckhart delivers a brilliant, spot-on performance as Nick Naylor. While his character is often pegged as a bad person throughout the film, Eckhart gives the role much depth and actually comes off as incredibly likable. He is charismatic and funny, but also shows his dramatic chops when it is necessary. This is sure to be one of the best male performances of the year.

While Eckhart is the star of the picture, the rest of the supporting cast also make an impression on the viewer. William H. Macy is the "villain" of the film, as the director would have you believe, and he excels in this area. His character fits the bill of a politician perfectly - vicious, hard-hitting and not afraid to use unorthodox tactics. Macy is a talented and respected thespian that almost always creates memorable characters, and this is no exception. His cheese-obsessed Vermont Senator is another portrayl that his fans will enjoy. Katie Holmes, best known for her role on the teen soap opera "Dawson's Creek," plays against type here as reporter Heather Holloway - a woman who will do anything to get the inside story on Nick Naylor. Those who are used to seeing her as an innocent teenager will be surprised by the character that she takes on. This is a woman who gets what she wants, and isn't afraid to use sexuality to her advantage. Holmes has a small role here, but she charms the audience enough to make it a memorable performance all the same. Rob Lowe steals the show as an eccentric talent agent that Nick encounters, and "The OC" star Adam Brody also shows that he has great comedic ability. Young Cameron Bright is great in the role of Joey Naylor. While he doesn't really resemble Eckhart in many ways, he is able to convey their bond by using many of the same mannerisms that Nick does throughout the film. His character seems eager to grow up, but is still very innocent all the same.

Many other recognizable faces are present throughout the film. Robert Duvall shows up for a while as "The Captain," the director of the organization that Nick works for. He only appears for a few short scenes, but he perfectly satirizes the stereotypical southern gentleman image in every way possible. Maria Bello and David Koechner play Nick's best friends - an alcohol lobbyist and a firearms lobbyist, respectively. Both are very funny as well, but they aren't given enough screentime to really flesh out their characters. Both have memorable sequences though that display their excellent comedic timing. Sam Elliott also appears as Lorne Lutch, the original "Marlboro Man." In a particularly amusing sequence, Nick attempts to bribe Lutch, now diagnosed with lung cancer, into keeping quiet about the dangers of cigarettes. Elliott is great in this brief sequence and gives Eckhart a lot to work with.

A good film essentially lives or dies based on its screenplay. The wrong dialogue could completely ruin a mood or a character's overall intention. This is not the situation here. Jason Reitman adapts Thank You For Smoking from the popular novel of the same name, and creates one of the most side-splittingly hilarious works in years. Satire is always a hard genre to conquer, for you must try your best to not offend people while also getting your point across. Reitman does just that, but he is able to do it without completely ruining the comedic elements of the story. This is a dark comedy full of outrageous moments and dialogue, some of which will surely surprise you. A good comparison would be the 1999 comedy Election. Like that film, Smoking always remains fairly lighthearted, but still maintains a fantastic comedic punch. Reitman also succeeds in terms of direction. From the fantastic opening credits sequence to the final frame, he keeps the film moving at a brisk pace - never leaving the audience bored or uninterested. There is never a dull moment present here, partially due to the flashy and sleek cinematography that is used.

Another thing about the film that should be noted is the fitting music that is featured throughout. Many films suffer from a poor musical score or seemingly random song choices. That is not the case here. Music supervisor Peter Afterman and composer Rolfe Kent have put careful thought into the work done here, and the choice of songs and music reflects this hard work. The film opens with an upbeat tune entitled "Smoke That Cigarette," which sounds like an old '50s jingle you would hear in a commercial. It immediately sets the mood and gets the audience smiling. Many other memorable song choices are also made to entertain the audience to the fullest.

In closing, Thank You For Smoking is a must-see. With a fantastic cast and an excellent screenplay, this is a witty and fun film that is both blazingly funny and completely relevent in today's society. One of the best comedies to come along in years.

9/10 (A)

Loved it.

I really liked how the focus of the whole smoking debate was on liberty and how the legal system and media work, rather then being only on cigarettes themselves. The script was so well done, and it was enhanced by the great cast.

A-

Loved it Hilarious film.

9/10 (A-)

I'm glad I ended up seeing it in theaters. Very funny and clever. Better then the trailer made it seem IMO.

7.7/10; A-

I need to see this when it comes out on DVD again. Maybe I missed something, but I felt a little disappointed. It seemed very funny in the beginning and then lost steam a lot at the end. B-

I was pretty disappointed. In fact, I'm surprised the film didn't receive more flak for really going nowhere.

The film basically brings no complexity to the issues around which it's centered. Lampooning of lobbying? Sure. Lots of stuff there. But all we really get from this, all the film really teaches us about the folly of Washington is that Big Tobacco only needs to stress that freedom of choice prevails in the face of confrontation from the health bigwigs. This is a great scene, by the way (between Nick and his son), but it's the only time when I actually felt like the film had something substantive to say.

I was generally amused the whole time but wasn't impressed by the film's comedy, either.

C+

Absolutely hilarious from start-to-finish. Sharp satire and terrific writing and acting make for a very fun time. The best comedy of 2006 so far (though I don't think any comedies to come will top it).

A-

B+


Though it loses some of its steam towards the end, the movie is still the funniest movie I have seen in theatres this year. The script is brilliant and Reitman's direction is pretty good for someone as unexperienced as him. His father has a son he should be proud of. Aaron Eckhart is convincing in the lead and most of the side characters are an autter delight. The MOD Squad scenes are all great.

However, as makeshift pointed out the first 15 minutes or so remain unmatched. Seriously, that German "scientist" gassing rats at the beginning had me in stitches long time after the scene was over and then the cancer boy on that show. Simply hilarious. I liked the relationship presented between the father and the son as well. And that Rob Lowe appearance

The weaknesses start showing up towards the end when the movie loses some of its steam and its wit. The final "showdown" between Nick and the senator was not as hefty and sharp as I hoped it would be, but it was a decent ending. Overall, it starts out excellent, slows down a bit, but still makes up for a great satire. Notice the fact that no one smokes a cingle cigarette during the film. Heck, no one even holds a lit cigarette (except for the black and white film Nick watches on TV). The movie remained neutral and that is what I really liked about it. It did not try to shove any message down my throat, yet provided superbly funny outlooks on the debate.

Color me surprised. I actually really, really liked it. Surprisingly hilarious throughout the film, even though it's not the type of comedy I usually enjoy. The first half is much strong than the second, but really, I was entertained and interested the entire time. Fantastic performance from Aaron Eckhart. Probably one of the best performances I've seen so far this year, if not the best. Superb screenplay to boot. It's not just an excellent film, but it's an excellent film that I'd watch again and again. If the middle of the film didn't slow it down a little and lose some steam near the end, I think this would be have been one of the year's best. I was a bit disappointed (like Lecter) with the final one-on-one between Nick and the senator; I expected some brilliant stuff (although the Vermont cheese stuff was awesome). But, it's still great stuff.

B+

Saw it on DVD when I couldnt in theaters last year, I saw V for Vendetta instead for a term paper.

All of the acting is great, its a very cool movie. If this counts as a 2006 its in my top 10.

i was loving this moving

A-, a similar type of movie to Lord of War which I also loved.

Utterly hilarious at times, it falters occasionally, but always remains entertaining and interesting. The beginning is so well put together that the remainder of the film seems disappointing in contrast, but the film is so amusing and fun that it doesn't matter that much. Eckhart really carries the film - he's perfect in the role - and the supporting cast is universally solid. I felt the movie kinda lost something when he was kidnapped - it didn't really fit in with the rest of the movie - but the scenes after that made up for it. Very effective satire and very entertaining film.