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"In The Company Of
Cancer Boy" |
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Directed by Jason
Reitman - Written by
Christopher Buckley,
Jason Reitman
Starring Aaron Eckhart,
Maria Bello, David
Koechner, William H.
Macy
Distributed by Fox
Searchlight - 2006 -
92mins - Rated R |
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Richard Propes'
Review
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B+ |
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America is living in spin |
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"If you argue
correctly, you're never wrong."
This statement, provided as fatherly advice, is the mind, heart and
sould of "Thank You for Smoking," a film adaptation of Christopher
Buckley's novel in the feature film debut of writer/director Jason
Reitman, son of Ivan Reitman.
Starring Aaron Eckhart in a role that should make Neil LaBute proud,
"Thank You for Smoking" is a hilarious, insightful, honest and
endearing film centered around Nick Naylor (Eckhart), an attractive,
divorced lobbyist for the Academy of Tobacco Studies who loves his son
(the stellar Cameron Bright), gets along with his ex-wife (Kim
Dickens) and has only two real friends, Polly ( pitch-perfect Maria
Bello) and Bobby Jay (David Koechner). Together, the three friends
compromise the "M.O.D. Squad," Merchants of Death as they all three
lobby for industries now deemed evil in today's American culture.
As Naylor, Eckhart offers his best performance since LaBute's "In the
Company of Men." Essentially a "spin doctor," Eckhart's Naylor is a
deeply fleshed out man with flexible morals who is as comfortable
chilling out with his son as he is defending the tobacco industry on
television.
It is the scenes involving Naylor's gift for gab that give "Thank You
for Smoking" its sparkly cutting edge. Even the most devout
anti-smoker has to watch him shred Ron Goode (a marvelous Todd Louiso),
a representative of Vermont Senator Finistirre (William H. Macy) on
the Joan Lunden show by turning the tables on 15-year-old "Cancer
Boy," a young man who Naylor announces the tobacco industry would be
better off "keeping him alive and smoking."
A scene involving former Marlboro Man Lorne Lutch (Sam Elliott) is the
perfect blend of satire and sincerity as Eckhart's Naylor remains
constantly aware of human nature and his paternal responsibilities to
his accompanying son.
Clearly, Ivan's son has been able to tap into star power in fleshing
out even the supporting roles in "Thank You for Smoking." From the
tobacco industry's captain (Robert Duvall) to a Zen-spouting Hollywood
super-agent (Rob Lowe), "Thank You for Smoking" is literally filled to
the filtered tip with actors and actresses who "get" the source
material and exude the perfect amount of humanity and hilarity.
The film's only weak note in the acting department comes from Katie
Holmes, who offers a slight variation of her "Batman Begins" reporter.
"Thank You for Smoking" commanded a reporter capable of greater
emotional variance. Too often, her one and a half note performance is
drowned out by the symphony that surrounds her. Holmes does, however,
deserve a kudo for her closing look upon getting her comeuppance.
Holmes looks at the camera in such a way that one can't help but see
this sexy, young reporter who thought she'd gotten her major break
only to get knocked down a few notches.
It would be easy to say that "Thank You for Smoking" is deeply
convicting of the tobacco industry. In reality, it seems more deeply
convicting of an American culture built around the mega-industry of
lobbying that has resulted in a corporate and political avalanche of
corrupt morality.
In a world of cookie-cutter comedies, "Thank You for Smoking" is a
breath of fresh air. Cigarettes may not save your life, but "Thank You
for Smoking" sure adds life to a film industry desperately in need of
an original vision.
Jason Reitman...
Thank YOU for making this film. |
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© Written by Richard Propes -
Email Me! |
TC Candler's Comment
n/a
Jacob Hall's
Comment
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