Thank You For Smoking Review

Based on Christopher Buckley's best selling novel and adapted for screen by first timer writer / director Jason Reitman, "Thank You For Smoking" is a razor sharp satire that follows Big Tobacco's chief spokesman, Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart), who tries to extol the virtues of cigarettes whilst trying to remain a role model for his young son. Confronted by health zealots out to ban tobacco and an enthusiastic anti-smoking Senator who wishes to label every fag packet with a poison sticker, Nick goes on a PR offensive. However this attracts the attention of an investigative reporter which leads Nick to endanger his job, his friends and his relationship with his son.

Quick, clever and genuinely funny, Reitman has managed to assemble an outstanding ensemble cast for his debut with the likes of Robert Duvall ("The Godfather") Adam Brody ("The OC"), J.K Simmons ("Spiderman"), Sam Elliott ("Hulk"), Katie Holmes ("Dawson's Creek"), Rob Lowe ("The West Wing"), and William H. Macy ("Fargo"), who is excellent as the disgruntled senator, all appearing. He's also kept close links with Buckley who went through drafts of the script during production, allowing the film to incorporate certain styles of the book, such as freeze frames with narrative, subtitles describing certain characters or just adding a joke.

The movie's only downfall though is one that can't be levelled at most: it seems too short and some aspects of the plot are not explored thoroughly enough. It is also interesting to note that throughout the entire 92 minutes you never see a single person smoke a cigarette. On the whole, "Thank You For Smoking" is an extremely enjoyable black comedy which provides an eye-opening insight into the art of spin.