Thank You for Smoking

Director: Jason Reitman

Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Maria Bello, Rob Lowe, Adam Brody, Sam Elliott

Based on a novel by Christopher Buckley, Jason Reitman’s ‘Thankyou For Smoking’ is without a doubt the best satire to come out of Hollywood in years. Nick Naylor (Eckhart) is the chief spokesman for cigarette giant Big Tobacco. He talks the talk with the best of them and even though the hazards of smoking are blatant, his skilled arguments always manage to promote his company in a good light. But when a senator goes on a crusade to have every cigarette packet labelled, ‘poison’ he has a problem on his hands, while also trying to do the right thing by his son Joey who looks to him as a role model.

The all-star cast are such a joy to watch, especially when you can see they are really enjoying themselves. Appropriately, it is Eckhart who shines most brightly, many proclaiming this his ‘break-out role’ with impeccable comedic timing a wonder to behold. Rob Lowe is also fantastic, with a small but outstanding part and William H Macy is great as the campaigning Senator. Even Katie Holmes manages to avoid being annoying and impressively plays a journalist who will stop at nothing to get her story. But the real star of the show is the script, with double, triple and even quadruple entendres slipping off the tongues of the cast, who are clearly having a blast with the lines.

This is out and out a hilarious darkly funny film, deftly combining a sublime cast, perfect script and a director capable of delivering this intelligent satire with apparent ease.

Jean Rostron