list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Thank You for Smoking on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Thank_You_for_Smoking/259316/default.aspx Title: Thank You for Smoking
Year: 2006
Director: Jason Reitman
Plot: The directorial debut from Jason Reitman, the media satire Thank You for Smoking stars Aaron Eckhart as Nick, a man who has turned spinning news and information into a successful career for the tobacco lobby. He plots strategies with his colleagues (Maria Bello and David Koechner) on how to make other dangerous products more appealing to the American public. Nick ends up going to Hollywood with his young son (Cameron Bright) in order to get a movie producer to include characters smoking in his newest film. Nick is kidnapped by a vigilante group concerned about the harmful nature of his product. The cast includes William H. Macy as a Senator who runs on a strong anti-tobacco position, Rob Lowe as the Hollywood bigwig, and Robert Duvall as the king of the tobacco industry. The film is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Christopher Buckley. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 50
Number of Lists: 67
Number of blog posts: 14
Number of discussion threads: 7
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 12 May 2009 02:38:44 GMTThank You for Smoking2006Jason ReitmanThe directorial debut from <a href="/players/P____59541/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jason Reitman</a>, the media satire Thank You for Smoking stars <a href="/players/P___223098/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Aaron Eckhart</a> as Nick, a man who has turned spinning news and information into a successful career for the tobacco lobby. He plots strategies with his colleagues (<a href="/players/P___263285/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Maria Bello</a> and <a href="/players/P___268273/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>David Koechner</a>) on how to make other dangerous products more appealing to the American public. Nick ends up going to Hollywood with his young son (Cameron Bright) in order to get a movie producer to include characters smoking in his newest film. Nick is kidnapped by a vigilante group concerned about the harmful nature of his product. The cast includes William H. Macy as a Senator who runs on a strong anti-tobacco position, <a href="/players/P____43513/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Rob Lowe</a> as the Hollywood bigwig, and <a href="/players/P____88530/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Robert Duvall</a> as the king of the tobacco industry. The film is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Christopher Buckley. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide50Tag Target (>10)671473http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t84603u6eqh.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Thank_You_for_Smoking/259316/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/mconrad3/archive/2009/1/31/40121.aspx Post By: mconrad3
Post To: mconrad3 Blog
Post Date: 1/31/2009 5:45:01 PM
Body: I fancy myself a cynic and pragmatist. While I do enjoy the flicks that have a bleak outlook on life and the future, I also enjoy a film that can play the proverbial fiddle while Rome burns. Thank You For Smoking is one of those films. It's a shame I didn't get around to seeing it when it was first released, and all along the way I've had people telling me it was one of those flicks I needed to see. Before director Jason Reitman gained his broad success with Juno, he tested the waters of absurdism and surrealism with this film. While some argue Juno was simply "too much", I think Thank You for Smoking manages a good balance, especially when covering an issue that affects many more people than teen pregnancy. Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) is a lobbyist for big tobacco and has made his money "selling spin" and keeping the general public from completely turning against the people who make cigarettes. There aren't that many films that share my cynicism, or at the very least lack of humanistic idealism. People use their work to push for one side of an argument and worse yet paint the issue as black and white. What I liked about Thank You for Smoking was that it covered all the bases. You can't leave this movie and say for certain it was for or against tobacco, because it doesn't proport either position. It lets you see it through the eyes of a man who has to play devil's advocate for a living. Juno was a film heavy on quirky dialogue and it was definitely something that rubbed people the wrong way. Thank You for Smoking is full of snappy dialogue and sardonic quips, but doesn't inundate you with it. You still can feel like there are people on this Earth who talk like the characters in this film. It has more than a few moments that are surreal, but it injects them with enough wryness that we still buy into it. That being said, I don't find many of the things that Naylor says or does to promote big tobacco, or any of the other characters in the movie, push the boundries of the kind of twists in argument someone in their position might use in real life. Naylor even says it's not about proving yourself right, "I've just proven you're wrong. And if you're wrong, I'm right." It's a film that not only analyzes the issues we find in America today, but how we work with, through, or around them. Thank You for Smoking with feed your inner cynic. It will make you laugh and wryly smile at some of the unfortunate truths in the modern world. It doesn't come out and say that smoking is good or bad. It says the issue isn't that simple; and neither are most issues for that matter.
]]>Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:45:01 GMTmconrad3mconrad3 Blog1/31/2009 5:45:01 PMI fancy myself a cynic and pragmatist. While I do enjoy the flicks that have a bleak outlook on life and the future, I also enjoy a film that can play the proverbial fiddle while Rome burns. Thank You For Smoking is one of those films. It's a shame I didn't get around to seeing it when it was first released, and all along the way I've had people telling me it was one of those flicks I needed to see. Before director Jason Reitman gained his broad success with Juno, he tested the waters of absurdism and surrealism with this film. While some argue Juno was simply "too much", I think Thank You for Smoking manages a good balance, especially when covering an issue that affects many more people than teen pregnancy. Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) is a lobbyist for big tobacco and has made his money "selling spin" and keeping the general public from completely turning against the people who make cigarettes. There aren't that many films that share my cynicism, or at the very least lack of humanistic idealism. People use their work to push for one side of an argument and worse yet paint the issue as black and white. What I liked about Thank You for Smoking was that it covered all the bases. You can't leave this movie and say for certain it was for or against tobacco, because it doesn't proport either position. It lets you see it through the eyes of a man who has to play devil's advocate for a living. Juno was a film heavy on quirky dialogue and it was definitely something that rubbed people the wrong way. Thank You for Smoking is full of snappy dialogue and sardonic quips, but doesn't inundate you with it. You still can feel like there are people on this Earth who talk like the characters in this film. It has more than a few moments that are surreal, but it injects them with enough wryness that we still buy into it. That being said, I don't find many of the things that Naylor says or does to promote big tobacco, or any of the other characters in the movie, push the boundries of the kind of twists in argument someone in their position might use in real life. Naylor even says it's not about proving yourself right, "I've just proven you're wrong. And if you're wrong, I'm right." It's a film that not only analyzes the issues we find in America today, but how we work with, through, or around them. Thank You for Smoking with feed your inner cynic. It will make you laugh and wryly smile at some of the unfortunate truths in the modern world. It doesn't come out and say that smoking is good or bad. It says the issue isn't that simple; and neither are most issues for that matter. http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/1_30_TAKEN_shaken_and_stirred_by_new_movies/216/39913/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 1/26/2009 1:11:45 PM
Body: Finally The Wrestler is in wide release, and it is fantastic! I will not soon forget it. (Watch the trailer.) FilmCouch will discuss it this Friday. Taken -- Watch the trailer. I was wary of this film until I saw this tougher-than-nails trailer, where Liam Neeson gives a monologue as hard as anything ever put on film. The story: Neeson plays a former spy who will stop at nothing to save his teenage daughter from her captors. The criminals do not want ransom; they want to turn her into a sex slave. I'm excited to see it, but I wonder how it handles the modern problem of the sex-slave trade? Will Taken just exploit modern slavery to put a new twist on the old "they took my daughter" action plot? (For example, Arnold Swarzenegger's Commando.) The Class -- Watch the trailer. We might think we've seen this before, but I think we'd be wrong. A teacher struggles to meaningfully teach an ethnically diverse group of rough-and-tumble high schoolers...and the trailer makes it look like it's way more than a French Freedom Writers! Based on a novel by Francois Begaudeau, who also stars as Mr. Marin, essentially playing a version of himsef. It won the Palm d'Or at Cannes, and I'm really looking forward to it. The Uninvited -- Watch the trailer. A girl's mother returns from the dead to warn her about her father's new fiancee. The father is played by the excellent David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck, Bourne Ultimatum); his creepy new fiancee (who was nurse to his late wife) is played by the lovely Elizabeth Banks. It's a remake of the Korean horror flick Tale of Two Sisters. Has anyone seen it? (Here's the trailer.) It looks like the rare movie where the remake could be better than the original. New in Town -- Watch the trailer. Big-city Renee Zellweger gets a huge dose of culture shock when she's sent to a small Minnesota town to supervise a manufacturing plant's "restructuring." It's full of talented and likable actors: Nathan Fillion, Harry Connick Jr., and J.K. Simmons (Burn After Reading, Juno, Thank You for Smoking). But even if it's good, do you think this Neo-Great Depression flick will connect with audiences? I thought during the Great Depression people wanted to escape to movies that weren't about hard times? So, ladies and gentlemen, unless all the king's horses and all the king's men go to see New in Town, it looks like Paul Blart will remain the number one comedy in America for another week. Will Pink Panther 2 unseat the champ?
]]>Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:11:45 GMTspoutComing Soon1/26/2009 1:11:45 PMFinally The Wrestler is in wide release, and it is fantastic! I will not soon forget it. (Watch the trailer.) FilmCouch will discuss it this Friday. Taken -- Watch the trailer. I was wary of this film until I saw this tougher-than-nails trailer, where Liam Neeson gives a monologue as hard as anything ever put on film. The story: Neeson plays a former spy who will stop at nothing to save his teenage daughter from her captors. The criminals do not want ransom; they want to turn her into a sex slave. I'm excited to see it, but I wonder how it handles the modern problem of the sex-slave trade? Will Taken just exploit modern slavery to put a new twist on the old "they took my daughter" action plot? (For example, Arnold Swarzenegger's Commando.) The Class -- Watch the trailer. We might think we've seen this before, but I think we'd be wrong. A teacher struggles to meaningfully teach an ethnically diverse group of rough-and-tumble high schoolers...and the trailer makes it look like it's way more than a French Freedom Writers! Based on a novel by Francois Begaudeau, who also stars as Mr. Marin, essentially playing a version of himsef. It won the Palm d'Or at Cannes, and I'm really looking forward to it. The Uninvited -- Watch the trailer. A girl's mother returns from the dead to warn her about her father's new fiancee. The father is played by the excellent David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck, Bourne Ultimatum); his creepy new fiancee (who was nurse to his late wife) is played by the lovely Elizabeth Banks. It's a remake of the Korean horror flick Tale of Two Sisters. Has anyone seen it? (Here's the trailer.) It looks like the rare movie where the remake could be better than the original. New in Town -- Watch the trailer. Big-city Renee Zellweger gets a huge dose of culture shock when she's sent to a small Minnesota town to supervise a manufacturing plant's "restructuring." It's full of talented and likable actors: Nathan Fillion, Harry Connick Jr., and J.K. Simmons (Burn After Reading, Juno, Thank You for Smoking). But even if it's good, do you think this Neo-Great Depression flick will connect with audiences? I thought during the Great Depression people wanted to escape to movies that weren't about hard times? So, ladies and gentlemen, unless all the king's horses and all the king's men go to see New in Town, it looks like Paul Blart will remain the number one comedy in America for another week. Will Pink Panther 2 unseat the champ? http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_Out_2008_s_nominees_for_the_Best_Achievement_in/657/38591/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 12/19/2008 11:31:30 AM
Body: Well this poll seems to have petered out already. I am glad that most of the entries have gotten votes, that usually indicates an interesting poll. I personally have not seen Michael Clayton or Basquiat, but I had a friend who liked Basquiat a lot. No one has voted for it and no one has mentioned even liking it really, so maybe that's the weakest debut for all of these directors. My favorite of the other three would be Blood Simple, even though it's still actually my least favorite Coen brothers film. Hard Eight is also good, and reveals PT Anderson's recognizable style in it's infancy. I feel like both of these were these artists weakest films, but these are also both amongst my favorite directors so I still think their weakest films are fantastic! As for Thank You For Smoking, I also found it to be a good movie, but not a favorite. The worst part was probably that precocious kid. I hate precocious kids in movies!
]]>Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:31:30 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls12/19/2008 11:31:30 AMWell this poll seems to have petered out already. I am glad that most of the entries have gotten votes, that usually indicates an interesting poll. I personally have not seen Michael Clayton or Basquiat, but I had a friend who liked Basquiat a lot. No one has voted for it and no one has mentioned even liking it really, so maybe that's the weakest debut for all of these directors. My favorite of the other three would be Blood Simple, even though it's still actually my least favorite Coen brothers film. Hard Eight is also good, and reveals PT Anderson's recognizable style in it's infancy. I feel like both of these were these artists weakest films, but these are also both amongst my favorite directors so I still think their weakest films are fantastic! As for Thank You For Smoking, I also found it to be a good movie, but not a favorite. The worst part was probably that precocious kid. I hate precocious kids in movies! http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_Out_2008_s_nominees_for_the_Best_Achievement_in/657/38421/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: QFLW
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 12/15/2008 6:55:55 PM
Body: Haven't seen Hard Eight, and being a Coen brothers' fan, it's embarrassing to admit I still haven't seen Blood Simple! It wasn't hard to choose the favorite from the remaining three. Basquiat was vaguely interesting (mostly watched it for Gary Oldman and to see Bowie play Warhol). I liked Michael Clayton pretty well, but Thank You For Smoking is smart, funny, well-cast, thought-provoking. A pretty damn good debut.
]]>Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:55:55 GMTQFLWMovie Polls12/15/2008 6:55:55 PMHaven't seen Hard Eight, and being a Coen brothers' fan, it's embarrassing to admit I still haven't seen Blood Simple! It wasn't hard to choose the favorite from the remaining three. Basquiat was vaguely interesting (mostly watched it for Gary Oldman and to see Bowie play Warhol). I liked Michael Clayton pretty well, but Thank You For Smoking is smart, funny, well-cast, thought-provoking. A pretty damn good debut. http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Out_2008_s_nominees_for_the_Best_Achievement_in_Di/657/38386/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 12/15/2008 11:47:42 AM
Body: Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Hard EightBlood SimpleMichael ClaytonThank You For SmokingBasquiat
]]>Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:47:42 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls12/15/2008 11:47:42 AMPlease reference this thread for the rules of this group. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Hard EightBlood SimpleMichael ClaytonThank You For SmokingBasquiat http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Re_Share_your_reviews_New_movies_in_theaters/216/37586/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 11/24/2008 2:19:57 PM
Body: If your familiy is like mine, you guys always watch a movie after Thanksgiving dinner. When I was younger, my uncle usually picked the movies. He had questionable judgment...* As I got older, they started letting me pick the movies, and I took this responsibility very seriously. Here's how some of the movies went over with my family. I'd love to hear about your family movie experiences. Top 5 Movies Good for the Whole Family on Thanksgiving 1. Stardust (2007) -- Watch the trailer. I love this movie, and so did the rest of the family. It's very much in the tradition of The Princess Bride, though I like Stardust more. 2. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005) -- Watch the trailer. Even the people who don't normally like fantasy were able to get into the story. 3. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) -- Watch the trailer. Goofy and incredibly smart at the same time, this has always been my favorite Will Ferrell movie. This one's only safe if people don't mind the "hard" PG-13 rating. 4. Thank You for Smoking (2005) -- Watch the trailer. A good mix of important message and just plain fun. If there are young viewers around, just remember there's a semi-graphic sex scene between Aaron Eckhart and Katie Holmes. They're both fully clothed, but somehow it's still embarrassing to watch with young cousins in the room. 5. Best In Show (2000) -- Watch the trailer. Maybe this one only worked so well because there are so many animal lovers in our family, but I've always thought this is the most accessible Christopher Guest movie. Note: my relative who breeds show animals did not like it. The 3 Biggest Mistakes I Made When Selecting Movies 1. Death Race 2000 (1975) -- Watch the trailer. Why did I do it? My family likes comedies, so I thought I'd introduce them to camp. My family started a mutiny at about the ten minute mark. 2. Rescue Dawn (2006) -- Watch the trailer. We actually didn't even watch this one because my sister had the sense to talk me out of it. I thought everyone would find it hopeful, but now I don't know what I was thinking. 3. About Schmidt (2002) -- Watch the trailer. For the love of God, don't show this one to your family, especially if the film reminds you of your family! *My uncle's picks. The only time I saw Highlander was on Thanksgiving, when I was far too young for it. And I was the oldest child in the room! Another year I remember we watched The Rock with Nic Cage and Sean Connery ("Lomax, you bastard!") Sure we had fun, but in retrospect, I wonder what the adults were thinking?
]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:19:57 GMTSkyPilotComing Soon11/24/2008 2:19:57 PMIf your familiy is like mine, you guys always watch a movie after Thanksgiving dinner. When I was younger, my uncle usually picked the movies. He had questionable judgment...* As I got older, they started letting me pick the movies, and I took this responsibility very seriously. Here's how some of the movies went over with my family. I'd love to hear about your family movie experiences. Top 5 Movies Good for the Whole Family on Thanksgiving 1. Stardust (2007) -- Watch the trailer. I love this movie, and so did the rest of the family. It's very much in the tradition of The Princess Bride, though I like Stardust more. 2. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005) -- Watch the trailer. Even the people who don't normally like fantasy were able to get into the story. 3. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) -- Watch the trailer. Goofy and incredibly smart at the same time, this has always been my favorite Will Ferrell movie. This one's only safe if people don't mind the "hard" PG-13 rating. 4. Thank You for Smoking (2005) -- Watch the trailer. A good mix of important message and just plain fun. If there are young viewers around, just remember there's a semi-graphic sex scene between Aaron Eckhart and Katie Holmes. They're both fully clothed, but somehow it's still embarrassing to watch with young cousins in the room. 5. Best In Show (2000) -- Watch the trailer. Maybe this one only worked so well because there are so many animal lovers in our family, but I've always thought this is the most accessible Christopher Guest movie. Note: my relative who breeds show animals did not like it. The 3 Biggest Mistakes I Made When Selecting Movies 1. Death Race 2000 (1975) -- Watch the trailer. Why did I do it? My family likes comedies, so I thought I'd introduce them to camp. My family started a mutiny at about the ten minute mark. 2. Rescue Dawn (2006) -- Watch the trailer. We actually didn't even watch this one because my sister had the sense to talk me out of it. I thought everyone would find it hopeful, but now I don't know what I was thinking. 3. About Schmidt (2002) -- Watch the trailer. For the love of God, don't show this one to your family, especially if the film reminds you of your family! *My uncle's picks. The only time I saw Highlander was on Thanksgiving, when I was far too young for it. And I was the oldest child in the room! Another year I remember we watched The Rock with Nic Cage and Sean Connery ("Lomax, you bastard!") Sure we had fun, but in retrospect, I wonder what the adults were thinking? http://www.spout.com/groups/I_watch_the_credits/Re_Visual_Aids_Videos_of_the_stuff_we_like/644/36321/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Ravie13
Post To: I watch the credits
Post Date: 10/14/2008 8:03:43 PM
Body: The intro to THANK YOU FOR SMOKING
]]>Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:03:43 GMTRavie13I watch the credits10/14/2008 8:03:43 PM The intro to THANK YOU FOR SMOKING http://www.spout.com/blogs/paul/archive/2007/12/21/23083.aspx Post By: paul
Post To: paul on spout.com
Post Date: 12/21/2007 4:15:55 PM
Body: Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking) is a new father and has made a dark comedy about the relationship between a pregnant teenager and the parents who will adopt her child. Juno had a sneak preview today before its world premier next week. (Writer Diablo Cody makes a cameo in the interview.) Jason Reitman interview Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Paul
]]>Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:15:55 GMTpaulpaul on spout.com12/21/2007 4:15:55 PM Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking) is a new father and has made a dark comedy about the relationship between a pregnant teenager and the parents who will adopt her child. Juno had a sneak preview today before its world premier next week. (Writer Diablo Cody makes a cameo in the interview.) Jason Reitman interview Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » Paul http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2007/7/25/16109.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 7/25/2007 1:27:00 PM
Body: This blog entry is part of my “movie year countdown”. To read more about that check out my first Spout filmblog entry.In the Company of MenThe trailer of the movie says this: The most talked about film this year has no graphic sex, no physical violence, no natural disasters, nothing but harmless conversation.I'm not really sure if it was the most talked about movie that year, but as I had heard before seeing the movie, it does manage to give you that uncomfortable cringe factor. And there is no sex actually shown, virtually no physical violence, and obviously no natural disasters unless you consider Fort Wayne, Indiana worthy of that description.Neil LaBute was previous to making this film, and still is I believe, a playwright and involved in the theatre. This movie could have very well been a play but considering the style and technique made a worthy film too. The locations are simple but effective. There's a wonderful kind of focus and atmosphere.I read another review on Spout saying that the dialogue is not realistic. Well while watching this movie I was immediately reminded of some of my other favorite directors like Hal Hatley and Whit Stillman. The dialogue in these movies is not always realistic in that it is what most people would actually say. But that is because people in real life often censor themselves or are not able to put their feeling and ideas succinctly. I think LaBute and these other directors are able to take the truth of what a character is really feeling and put into their mouths what they would say if they could say it. And to me that feels more realistic than real life if you get what I mean.Matt Malloy who plays one of the leads has actually been in many Hal Hartley movies, and I guess I just had not happened to see any of the ones he was in previous to this. But LaBute mentions in the commentary he watched many of Hartley's movies to see Malloy's performance. I saw Suriving Desire subsequent to this and realized how perfect he was for this.Aaron Eckhart is fantastic here. You will see many comments on this movie that he may be the most evil character ever in a movie. It's amazing to me that he can elicit that kind of response. I find him evil yet strangely compelling. Even likeable at times? You can see how he got the role for Thank You for Smoking which I don't consider as good of a movie. And after seeing this movie you will be able to tell exactly why he was cast as Two-Face in the upcoming Batman movie. He's already proven that he can play two-faced. Actually he a lot more than two faces. He has quite a few faces in this film.Something about the ending to me and that wild jazz music was just about perfect too.Rating: 9/10
]]>Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:27:00 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog7/25/2007 1:27:00 PMThis blog entry is part of my &ldquo;movie year countdown&rdquo;. To read more about that check out my first Spout filmblog entry.In the Company of MenThe trailer of the movie says this: The most talked about film this year has no graphic sex, no physical violence, no natural disasters, nothing but harmless conversation.I&#39;m not really sure if it was the most talked about movie that year, but as I had heard before seeing the movie, it does manage to give you that uncomfortable cringe factor. And there is no sex actually shown, virtually no physical violence, and obviously no natural disasters unless you consider Fort Wayne, Indiana worthy of that description.Neil LaBute was previous to making this film, and still is I believe, a playwright and involved in the theatre. This movie could have very well been a play but considering the style and technique made a worthy film too. The locations are simple but effective. There&#39;s a wonderful kind of focus and atmosphere.I read another review on Spout saying that the dialogue is not realistic. Well while watching this movie I was immediately reminded of some of my other favorite directors like Hal Hatley and Whit Stillman. The dialogue in these movies is not always realistic in that it is what most people would actually say. But that is because people in real life often censor themselves or are not able to put their feeling and ideas succinctly. I think LaBute and these other directors are able to take the truth of what a character is really feeling and put into their mouths what they would say if they could say it. And to me that feels more realistic than real life if you get what I mean.Matt Malloy who plays one of the leads has actually been in many Hal Hartley movies, and I guess I just had not happened to see any of the ones he was in previous to this. But LaBute mentions in the commentary he watched many of Hartley&#39;s movies to see Malloy&#39;s performance. I saw Suriving Desire subsequent to this and realized how perfect he was for this.Aaron Eckhart is fantastic here. You will see many comments on this movie that he may be the most evil character ever in a movie. It&#39;s amazing to me that he can elicit that kind of response. I find him evil yet strangely compelling. Even likeable at times? You can see how he got the role for Thank You for Smoking which I don&#39;t consider as good of a movie. And after seeing this movie you will be able to tell exactly why he was cast as Two-Face in the upcoming Batman movie. He&#39;s already proven that he can play two-faced. Actually he a lot more than two faces. He has quite a few faces in this film.Something about the ending to me and that wild jazz music was just about perfect too.Rating: 9/10 http://www.spout.com/blogs/erico_77375/archive/2007/7/22/15520.aspx Post By: erico_77375
Post To: erico_77375 Blog
Post Date: 7/22/2007 5:27:42 AM
Body: Satire is a very difficult trick to pull off, even in the worst examples. There's a fine line between seriousness and slapstick, leaving satire with the craziest of high-wire acts to pull off. Last week, I saw Inside Man, Spike Lee's satire under the disguise of a thriller. It was done pretty good, if a little forced in areas. Now comes Thank You For Smoking, a pitch-perfect example of how to pull off the impossible, not to mention looking good while doing it. Thank You follows Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart), lobbyist and spin-doctor for big tobacco whose degree is in "kicking butt and taking names". When we first meet him, he's on a daytime talk show with Joan Lunden and a teenager that the movie less than casually proclaims "Cancer Boy". But then, that's how Nick sees him. He doesn't really see people, but demographics. He's not really a monster who is getting paid to kill people because in his mind, they used the products of their own free will and there absolves him from the guilt of spinning the stories. He is on the verge of all-time success with his company. He is starting to make some bonds with his son (Cameron Bright). He's even getting Hollywood to start smoking again. But the likes of an overzealous senator from Vermont (William H. Macy) and a sultry young reporter (Katie Holmes) just might be his undoing. The story isn't so much following a formula but is opening doors to larger rooms and larger moral questions. It's interesting to see how characters with moral flexibility make for interesting vehicles for topics of morality. With Nick, we see the corporate side of business. He defends these ideas and people with all his heart. If the entire topic of his debate were constricted to what he talks about, I would have to agree. But then again, the fact that all our information comes from him is what the film is all about, not really the message, but the messenger. That anybody that captivates you can hold all the favor he wishes to give. Look at the scenes at the talk show as case-in-point. Since he's the only one able to verbalize, he holds enough sway to get public favor (which only moments earlier looked to skin him alive) turned in his direction. While smoking is an important topic, in this film, it really is only a marker to show the finer points of manipulation and get caught in it for ourselves. I love this screenplay, which mixes wonderful spells of relevant and irrelevant humor with a strong touch of urgency. When asked by his son what makes America's government the best, his first response is "Our Appeals Court". One of the film's finest moments come when Nick meets with a super agent in Hollywood (Rob Lowe), where they hatch up a way get people smoking in space movies. It manages away from taking itself too seriously, nor reaching too far for jokes.All I can say is this; Aaron Eckhart has a nod from me for Best Actor so far. This is a skilled and nuanced performance that is almost impossible in satire. Nick is a real human being surrounded by other humans (some might argue both counts concerning what they do) when formula usually places them as cardboard cutouts. When a fight breaks out between the MOD Squad (Merchants of Death with Eckhart, Maria Bello, and David Koechner as Alcohol and Gun Reps respectively) concerning the total body count each field takes in, you can see that this matter has some weight, even when they joke about it. Cameron Bright takes this role as Nick's son and turns it into a high-caliber performance. He isn't into teenage angst and finds his father interesting, if not a little sleazy. But unlike so many kids in this kind of role, he isn't the voice of reason or the world's biggest jerk...yet. But this is Jason Reitman's film and he does a spectacular job both as screenwriter and director. Unlike other semi-satires in recent days, this film doesn't get sappy or preachy. These characters all have motives to act and do as they do. The film's look isn't classic Hollywood, nor is it in guerrilla documentary-style either. This film's look is designed specifically to look different and feel different, something he has done with exceptional grace and amusement. All in all, this is the best satire since Wag The Dog. You can roll that up and smoke it.
]]>Sun, 22 Jul 2007 09:27:42 GMTerico_77375erico_77375 Blog7/22/2007 5:27:42 AMSatire is a very difficult trick to pull off, even in the worst examples. There&#39;s a fine line between seriousness and slapstick, leaving satire with the craziest of high-wire acts to pull off. Last week, I saw Inside Man, Spike Lee&#39;s satire under the disguise of a thriller. It was done pretty good, if a little forced in areas. Now comes Thank You For Smoking, a pitch-perfect example of how to pull off the impossible, not to mention looking good while doing it. Thank You follows Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart), lobbyist and spin-doctor for big tobacco whose degree is in &quot;kicking butt and taking names&quot;. When we first meet him, he&#39;s on a daytime talk show with Joan Lunden and a teenager that the movie less than casually proclaims &quot;Cancer Boy&quot;. But then, that&#39;s how Nick sees him. He doesn&#39;t really see people, but demographics. He&#39;s not really a monster who is getting paid to kill people because in his mind, they used the products of their own free will and there absolves him from the guilt of spinning the stories. He is on the verge of all-time success with his company. He is starting to make some bonds with his son (Cameron Bright). He&#39;s even getting Hollywood to start smoking again. But the likes of an overzealous senator from Vermont (William H. Macy) and a sultry young reporter (Katie Holmes) just might be his undoing. The story isn&#39;t so much following a formula but is opening doors to larger rooms and larger moral questions. It&#39;s interesting to see how characters with moral flexibility make for interesting vehicles for topics of morality. With Nick, we see the corporate side of business. He defends these ideas and people with all his heart. If the entire topic of his debate were constricted to what he talks about, I would have to agree. But then again, the fact that all our information comes from him is what the film is all about, not really the message, but the messenger. That anybody that captivates you can hold all the favor he wishes to give. Look at the scenes at the talk show as case-in-point. Since he&#39;s the only one able to verbalize, he holds enough sway to get public favor (which only moments earlier looked to skin him alive) turned in his direction. While smoking is an important topic, in this film, it really is only a marker to show the finer points of manipulation and get caught in it for ourselves. I love this screenplay, which mixes wonderful spells of relevant and irrelevant humor with a strong touch of urgency. When asked by his son what makes America&#39;s government the best, his first response is &quot;Our Appeals Court&quot;. One of the film&#39;s finest moments come when Nick meets with a super agent in Hollywood (Rob Lowe), where they hatch up a way get people smoking in space movies. It manages away from taking itself too seriously, nor reaching too far for jokes.All I can say is this; Aaron Eckhart has a nod from me for Best Actor so far. This is a skilled and nuanced performance that is almost impossible in satire. Nick is a real human being surrounded by other humans (some might argue both counts concerning what they do) when formula usually places them as cardboard cutouts. When a fight breaks out between the MOD Squad (Merchants of Death with Eckhart, Maria Bello, and David Koechner as Alcohol and Gun Reps respectively) concerning the total body count each field takes in, you can see that this matter has some weight, even when they joke about it. Cameron Bright takes this role as Nick&#39;s son and turns it into a high-caliber performance. He isn&#39;t into teenage angst and finds his father interesting, if not a little sleazy. But unlike so many kids in this kind of role, he isn&#39;t the voice of reason or the world&#39;s biggest jerk...yet. But this is Jason Reitman&#39;s film and he does a spectacular job both as screenwriter and director. Unlike other semi-satires in recent days, this film doesn&#39;t get sappy or preachy. These characters all have motives to act and do as they do. The film&#39;s look isn&#39;t classic Hollywood, nor is it in guerrilla documentary-style either. This film&#39;s look is designed specifically to look different and feel different, something he has done with exceptional grace and amusement. All in all, this is the best satire since Wag The Dog. You can roll that up and smoke it. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/funny/MemberTagFilms.aspxfunny
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