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THANK YOU FOR SMOKING

"Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire"

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What You Need To Know:

In the satire THANK YOU FOR SMOKING, Aaron Eckhart stars as Nick, a charismatic, spinmeister who works for the tobacco lobby. Under fire from politicians and the media, Nick is ordered to concoct a strategy to furbish the industry’s image and to make smoking more appealing. His efforts lead him to mingle with a number of movers and shakers, including a tobacco magnate, an influential Hollywood agent, the Marlboro Man, and a driven politician. Nick’s skills are tested as he endures trials that include a kidnapping, death threats and an edgy congressional hearing.

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING is a comical and engaging movie. While the tobacco lobby is an easy target, the movie succeeds because it satirizes the full array of parties involved in the war on tobacco. From the career-minded liberal politician hoping to improve his image, to product-placement happy moviemakers, to a public lacking self-control and discretion, the movie doesn’t discriminate in its dart-throwing, and nails each target in the bull’s-eye. Although the movie implies the dangers of moral relativism, it also contains offensive material, including humanist worldview elements, strong language and sexual content. Therefore, MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution.

Content:

(HH, BB, AcapAcap, CapCap, APAP, LLL, V, SS, A, D, M) Muddled humanist and egoist worldview in which personal achievement is paramount and supersedes obligations to others, several instances of moral relativism, and an implicit but strong biblical worldview satirizing these outlooks and suggesting the depravity of human nature and the corruption that power often encourages, strong anti-capitalist elements emphasizing the negative aspects of big corporations and their lobbying activities, but also some pro-capitalist elements depicting the hypocrisy often associated with government regulation, anti-patriotic elements questioning whether America’s government is better than others; 45 obscenities and six profanities; mild violence depicted when man is kidnapped; fornication depicted briefly in two scenes; no nudity; light alcohol use; talk of cigarettes and cigarette use; and, deception.

More Detail:

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING is a hilarious, well-cast satire that takes a jab at tobacco industry lobbyists as well as the hypocritical parties with which they interact.

Aaron Eckhart stars as Nick, a charismatic, self-classified “talker” who works as a spinmeister for the tobacco lobby. Increasingly under fire from both agenda-driven politicians and the media, Nick is ordered to concoct a strategy to furbish the tobacco industry’s image and to make smoking more appealing to the American public. His efforts lead him to intermingle with a number of movers and shakers, including Tobacco Road magnate The Captain (Robert Duvall), influential Hollywood agent Jeff (Rob Lowe), the cancer-stricken Marlboro Man (Sam Elliott), and a beautiful, seductive journalist (Katie Holmes). Nick’s already difficult task of turning the tobacco industry’s lead into gold meets its match when his nemesis, Vermont Senator Ortolan Finistirre (William H. Macy), pushes legislation for a mandatory poison logo to appear on each pack of cigarettes. Despite his uncanny knack for charming his way through sticky situations, Nick’s skills are tested as he endures a number of trials that include a kidnapping, death threats and an edgy congressional hearing.

Making his directorial debut, Jason Reitman, also credited as the movie’s screenwriter, often impresses with his smart dialogue and fast-paced delivery. The son of director/producer Ivan Reitman, Jason emulates both Wes Anderson’s hipster artiness and talent for saying much with very little, as well as the Coen brothers’ snappy, over-the-top caricatures. Reitman borrows selectively enough, however, to maintain his own aesthetic voice, which shows plenty of potential for future projects. On the other hand, it would be tough to fail with such an outstanding cast.

As Nick, Aaron Eckhart wiles the audience as easily as he enchants his onscreen clientele, and William H. Macy excels at what he does best, annoying and amusing everyone with whom he comes into contact. Perhaps only the retired Jack Palance would have been a better choice to play the former Marlboro Man, but the leather-skinned Sam Elliott handles the part with sobering conviction. Equally convincing is the always-stellar Robert Duvall in the role of the Southern good ole boy tobacco mogul, sipping on mint juleps and offering advice. Rob Lowe’s portrayal of an eccentric Hollywood agent obsessed with Asian culture is priceless, and Katie Holmes is perfect for the role of a Washington journalist-temptress whose elastic morality stretches to whatever extent necessary to acquire a sexy lead.

While the tobacco lobby is certainly an easy pigeon to razz, THANK YOU FOR SMOKING succeeds because it doesn’t limit its mockery to the corporate cancer-stick pushers, but satirizes the full array of red-faced parties involved in the war on tobacco. From the career-minded liberal politician hoping to improve his image, to product-placement happy moviemakers in Hollywood, to a public lacking self-control and discretion, the movie doesn’t discriminate in its dart-throwing and nails each target in the bull’s-eye.

When Nick’s occupation is questioned by his adoring young son (Cameron Bright), he tells him, “If you argue correctly, you’re never wrong.” The ludicrousness of this rationalization not only drives Nick, but underlies the actions of many of his self-serving opponents and colleagues as well. THANK YOU FOR SMOKING effectively jeers this moral relativism, which serves as the movie’s recurrent punchline.

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING is a very comical and engaging satire, packed with both wit and candor. Regretably, the movie carries its share of offensive material, including humanist worldview elements, strong language and sexual content. Therefore, MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.