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Movie Review - Thank You for Smoking (2006)
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(What this rating means)
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| Director: |
Jason Reitman |
| Starring: |
Aaron Eckhart, J.K. Simmons, Cameron Bright, Maria Bello, William H. Macy, and David Koechner |
| Rated: |
R (for language and some sexual content) |
| Length: |
92 minutes |
| Genre: |
Comedy/Drama/Satire |
| Tagline: |
America is living in spin |
| Studio: |
Fox Searchlight |
| Website: |
Thank You for Smoking |
| Release: |
April 7, 2006 (in Memphis) |
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PLOT
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Aaron "Butt Chin" Eckhart is a tobacco lobbyist who is trying to be a positive role model for his son
while fending off attacks from people with their own agendas who hate the product he's spinning. A clever and
funny political satire ensues.
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JOHNNY'S TAKE
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If you like your laughs to come at the expense of smart and clever writing then you obviously like Johnny Betts'
work, but there's also a better-than-average chance you'll enjoy Thank You for Smoking.
I know what you're thinking: "Hey! Is this one of those propaganda pieces that does nothing but preach against
the evils of tobacco?" No, actually, it isn't. Sure, it has some fun at the expense of Eckhart's tobacco lobbyist
character, but reporters, Hollywood, and hypocritical politicians with their own agendas all get a little
lampooning as well. It's a film that never really narrows its target on one group. And why should it when it can
have more fun lambasting all sides?
What makes the movie really work is the running storyline of how William H. Macy wants to put a big picture of a
skull and crossbones on cigarette boxes. He brings in a doctor to testify that people have an 80% greater response
rate to imagery than they do text. I like how statistics such as this are cleverly employed in a way that educates
and entertains at the same time; never making us feel like we're sitting in a boring college lecture.
A member from the Hispanic community also complains that many Mexicans can't read English; therefore, pictures are
needed to warn them of the dangers of smoking. Not satisfied with this level of irresponsibility he's already
showing, Mr. Hispanic makes the bold, and ridiculous, claim that "they" want people who can't speak English to
die.
Eckhart, on the other hand, wonders why we don't just slap a warning label on everything that can cause death.
How about Michigan propose a skull and crossbones picture for their cars? And how can Macy, Senator from Vermont
that he is, not take responsibility for the fact that his state is proud of their cheddar, which also leads to
high cholesterol which leads to heart disease which is, yep, you guessed it - the #1 killer in America? This
exchange leads to the great, yet most likely unappreciated line, "The great state of Vermont will not apologize
for its cheese!"
Eckhart also takes it to Macy on the Dennis Miller show. How can he advocate slashing and burning tobacco farms
one morning and then later that afternoon ride around on a tractor and bemoan the plight of the American
farmer? It doesn't take a Johnny Betts to realize this is a film interested in reminding us all to check just how
brightly our halo is shining before we selfishly go about fulfilling our own agendas at the expense of
criticizing others.
According to Eckhart, we're living in a world where 99% of everything that is done, good or bad, is done to pay
the mortgage, (Ms. Cali: as anyone who has ever gone to a thankless
job that they hate, day after day, knows). Thank You for Smoking gives us the opportunity to watch
this play out. In a country being overrun with political correctness and the extreme lack of desire to take
personal responsibility, this is a sharp political satire that is written to appeal to adults, a rarity these
days, and simply wants to state that education comes from teachers and parents, not the side of a cigarette
carton.
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MS. CALI'S TAKE
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One of the driving forces in the movie is Eckhart's attempt to do a job that is generally regarded as evil by the
people he comes in contact with while connecting with his son. This provides for some amusing moments helping his
son with school assignments, and teaching him the value of being able to debate. He gives him the advice, "If you
argue correctly, you're never wrong."
As a young college student, Ms. Cali once considered a career as a lobbyist. Unfortunately, she is too nice a
person (most of the time) to make it in the cut-throat world of politics and is much happier running a knitting
store. But one of the things she always loved about politics was the debating - the fact that he who argues best
is right.
Any movie that deals with parents, especially fathers, connecting with their children can easily come across as
heavy-handed. Screenwriters and directors practically stand next to you in the theater, hitting you over the head
with the point in their over eager attempt to get it across. Not so in this movie. You feel for Eckhart as he tries
to explain to his son why he does what he does, but everything seems subtle and natural; the kid asks a question,
and the father answers it honestly. There are no big blowup arguments, no doors slamming, no "I hate you!"s. It's
refreshing, really.
It's hard to imagine rooting for a tobacco lobbyist, but between the writing and Eckhart's acting, this movie makes
you come close. It isn't so much that Eckhart is painted as a hero as the fact that this movie shows that everyone
has flaws. Eckhart is a man who knows that his job isn't exactly the most morally correct, but he admits to enjoying
it anyway. He has a charisma that makes you like him, despite everything else.
One of the most memorable aspects of the movie is Rob Lowe's character. As a sleazy Hollywood agent with a thing
for Asian decor, Lowe is the funniest thing about Thank You. If the rest of the review doesn't convince you
to run out and see this movie immediately, let me just say one more thing: Rob Lowe in a kimono. It's classic comedy
people!
Johnny: Yep, it's a laugh-out-loud scene. If you can't find the humor
in that then you, my dear reader, are just lame.
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ODDS & ENDS
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- Budget: $7 million
- Robert Duvall, Sam Elliott, Rob Lowe, and Katie Holmes all have small roles. Director Reitman personally
approached Duvall and Elliott about appearing in the film because he simply couldn't see anybody else playing their
respective roles.
- Johnny Betts doesn't smoke.
- Based on the novel by Christopher Buckley.
- Rob Lowe modeled his character after an actual Hollywood agent, but he won't reveal which one.
- Lowe is a longtime friend of the Reitman family and made a four-hour trip to Irvine for just one day of
filming.
- Eckhart admits that he has a lot in common with his character: "He can be charming, he's fast-talking, and
he's passionate. He loves women. He's sort of a rogue. I have all of that in me."
- Aaron Eckhart was in Possession with Lena Headey who was in Gossip with James Marsden who was in
X-Men with Anna Paquin who was in It's the Rage with Josh Brolin who was in Hollow Man with
Kevin Bacon.
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MAMA'S APPROVAL
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Mama would approve of this movie about as much as she would smoking - that is to say not at all. At least not in
its theatrical form. The large number of "f" bombs would unnerve her so badly that she'd be able to empathize with
people going through nicotine withdrawal. There isn't any nudity, but we do see Eckhart and Mrs. Tom Cruise
engaged in sexual acts. I'm sure Mr. Katie Holmes isn't too pleased with these scenes.
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TRAILER COMPARISON
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After watching the trailer you should expect a political satire. Welp, a political satire is indeed what is
delivered.
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THE GIST
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Thank You for Smoking is a rare brand of smart, adult humor for those of you who want to laugh but know
The Benchwarmers and Phat Girlz won't come close to doing the trick. If you like your comedy a little
dark and wry then give this a look.
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