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Courtesy photo |
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William H. Macy plays a self righteous
Vermont senator in "Thank You for Smoking." |
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Thank
You for Smoking
by
Christy Lemire
Associated Press
NEW YORK - A marvel of perfect casting, crisp dialogue and
biting wit, "Thank You for Smoking" is the first
truly must see, laugh out loud comedy of the year.
In his first feature, based on the novel by Christopher Buckley,
writer director Jason Reitman skewers Washington politicians,
journalists, the entertainment business and everyone in between.
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And
yet, this story of a tobacco industry spinmaster (played with bravado
and boy next door charm by Aaron Eckhart) and the son who worships
him (Cameron Bright) is sort of sweet without trying hard to be.
There's not much in terms of plot or narrative drive, and after
starting out strong it loses a bit of steam, but there's enough
energy and ingenuity here that we probably won't be thinking Reitman
as son of Ivan for much longer.
Certainly having a father who directed such classic comedies as
"Stripes," "Ghostbusters" and "Dave"
couldn't have hurt. The younger Reitman has been around movie sets
his entire life. But comparing the two would be a mistake; Jason
Reitman clearly has a vision and sensibility all his own.
He comes out swinging as he introduces us to Nick Naylor, Big Tobacco's
PR guru, a man who can take any negative and turn it into a positive
with his winning smile and a clever argument.
"You know that guy who can pick up any girl?" he asks
in a voiceover during the film's rapid fire beginning. "I'm
him. On crack."
Under scrutiny from a self righteous Vermont senator (William H.
Macy) and an ambitious, young reporter (Katie Holmes), just as health
advocates continue their anti smoking crusade, Nick comes up with
an idea to promote cigarette use in films.
His logic: "These days, when somebody smokes in a movie, they're
either a psychopath or European." Getting Brad Pitt or Catherine
Zeta Jones to light up would be much better for sales-but he needs
help from someone on the inside.
When you think of someone pretty and suave to play the most powerful
agent in Hollywood, only a few names come to mind. Rob Lowe is one
of them, and he's ideal as the Zen minded yet completely ostentatious
Jeff Megall, who agrees to help Nick with his plan. (Adam Brody
from "The O.C," though, nearly steals his thunder in one
absurdly hilarious sequence as Lowe's flippant assistant.)
Still, what Nick represents isn't politically correct. Thankfully,
he's buddies with the people who lobby for the alcohol and firearms
industries (Maria Bello and David Koechner, also excellent fits).
Together they call themselves the M.O.D. Squad-for Merchants of
Death-and their cynical, Scotch soaked lunches are so rivetingly
funny, they make you want to pull up a chair and join them.
Regardless of how he's perceived or how much trouble he gets himself
in and out of, Nick remains a hero to his son, Joey, who's only
too happy to tag along on Nick's political adventures. As he did
opposite Nicole Kidman in "Birth," the big eyed Bright
again shows he can believably play a character who's wise beyond
his years, and holds his own among veteran actors.
All these elements and subplots, though, seem to get mangled together
as the film hurtles toward its conclusion. Reitman has a good thing
going for a while, but it feels at times as if he's on the verge
of losing control, letting the pace slack at times and neglecting
characters we'd like to see again.
But the fact that you want to see Nick succeed-to fend off every
attack and destroy every enemy-is a testament both to how well the
character is drawn and to how well Eckhart plays him. All that time
he spent making Neil LaBute films ("In the Company of Men,"
"Your Friends & Neighbors," "Nurse Betty")
must have served as a master course in working with darkly humorous
material.
Eckhart essentially gets you to root for the devil, and feel good
doing it.
"Thank You for Smoking," a Fox Searchlight Pictures release,
runs 92 minutes. Three stars out of four.
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