Thank You for Smoking

Name: Thank You for Smoking
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: March 17, 2006
Duration: 92 min
Rating: 71
Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Cameron Bright, Maria Bello

2006

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 36 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 198 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	Your Score
7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 198 Ratings

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Thank You For Smoking

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: March 17, 2006 | R

Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Cameron Bright, Maria Bello

Summary: Thank You for Smoking is a fiercely satirical look at today's "culture of spin." The hero of the film is Nick Naylor (Eckhart), chief spokesman for Big Tobacco, who makes his living defending the rights of smokers and cigarette makers in today's neo-puritanical culture. (Fox Searchlight)

Director: Jason Reitman

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 92 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Sean Axmaker

A sly, smart and very funny caricature of corporate politics and image culture. Read full review

Michael Phillips

The first film in a long time with a true gift of gab. A lot of the time people actually talk fast in it. Its wisecracks actually crack wise. Read full review

Scott Tobias

Much like his father Ivan (Ghostbusters), first-time director Jason Reitman has a broad, anything-goes comedic sensibility that allows silly gags and incidental humor to sneak in alongside the satirical barbs. Read full review

Shawn Levy

It's got a bust-out performance from Eckhart that's worth remembering. Read full review

Ella Taylor

As sleek, clever and cocky as its anti-heroic protagonist, Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart), a hard-driving lobbyist for the tobacco industry who can turn the most unpromising PR quagmire to his own advantage with a few well-turned lies posing as rational argument. Read full review

David Denby

Thank You for Smoking is a nifty but slight movie. Some of the writing is obvious, and the dramatic structure is flimsy, if not downright arbitrary. But Eckhart, in a sure-handed performance, holds the picture together. Read full review

Marc Savlov

For a film that's ostensibly about modern American society's love affair with addictive behavior – sex, drugs, rock & roll – its bark is much worse than its bite. Read full review

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User Reviews

Cables

Apr 15, 2006

Lewis obviously doesn't know what he's talking about. This is one of the funniest movies i've seen in ages.

2 of 2 users found this helpful

Mat?ssI.

Jun 20, 2007

Tired of the usual crap. than this movie is perfect for you!

0 of 0 users found this helpful

axelkoch

Sep 10, 2012

Film satire at its best. Jason Reitman's debut is even better than the hilarious 'Juno' and 'Up In The Air'. An Oscar for the best adapted screnplay would've definitely been appropriate. Great cast till the supporting actors and a score that accompanies the film in an very exhilarant way.Film satire at its best. Jason Reitman's debut is even better than the hilarious 'Juno' and 'Up In The Air'. An Oscar for the best adapted screnplay would've definitely been appropriate. Great cast till the supporting actors and a score that accompanies the film in an very exhilarant way. 'Thank You For Smoking' is a great film about business and life starring an really cool Aaron Eckhart as the main actor. Definitely worth to see if you liked films like 'Up In The Air'!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

[Anonymous]

Apr 16, 2006

If you have not read the book on which this film is based, please do - it's laugh-out-loud funny, just like this delightful film. The humor in the film is subtle and clever; the performances, especially Eckhart's, really bring to light a cast of characters unrivalled in recent If you have not read the book on which this film is based, please do - it's laugh-out-loud funny, just like this delightful film. The humor in the film is subtle and clever; the performances, especially Eckhart's, really bring to light a cast of characters unrivalled in recent movies and equal to some of the best film ensembles in history.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

TheWalrus2000

Mar 18, 2013

One of the most intellegent films of all time, presenting a hilarious performance by Aaron Eckhart and yet another great jump for Jason Reitman. It's no Juno but it'll do.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

RachelS.

May 6, 2006

The fact that the man who wrote this movie, Christoher Buckley is Bill Buckley's son, made the movie very amusing to me on a whole other level because he was essentially showing what it was like to be the son of a man who made his living by talking, and by presenting very unpopular views.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Lewis

Apr 9, 2006

It sure doesn't hurt to have your multi-millionaire director/father behind when you direct your own first film. Jason Reitman (son of Ivan Reitman) has concocted this weak, unfunny farce/semi-satire about a tobacco industry lobbyist. One would expect from liberal Hollywood types to It sure doesn't hurt to have your multi-millionaire director/father behind when you direct your own first film. Jason Reitman (son of Ivan Reitman) has concocted this weak, unfunny farce/semi-satire about a tobacco industry lobbyist. One would expect from liberal Hollywood types to depict a tobacco industry lobbyist as a churlish, mean-spirited ogre of sorts. But Reitman goes to the other extreme--his man becomes much too sympathetic. And that also goes for the two other "merchants of death" pals (alcohol and gun lobbyists) that our "Hero" ('Nick Naylor) hangs out with in various dinner conversation scenes throughout the movie. Once you see the first of these dinner scenes, you've seen them all. They're very static and all three of our lobbyists (can you imagine this?) have hearts of gold (ugh!). The point is that lobbyists in real life have got to be a lot more complex and tougher than the light-weights shown here. The movie in fact is full of light weight characters. The boss at the "Academy of Tobacco Studies" curses a lot but he's lovable as is Robert Duvall's mentor, a 'been-around-the-block' curmudgeon. The movie starts very slowly and nothing gets going with the plot for about 30 minutes. The first major plot development (the first act) involves Naylor getting an appointment with a Hollywood super agent played by Rob Lowe. Naylor wants the agent to broker a deal with big name Hollywood actors to boost the tobacco's industry's image by having them smoke cigarettes again in the movies like they did in days of old. The idea is too ludicrous to be even satirical. Even so, given the initial set-up, I was expecting the story to involve some machinations in Hollywood but that plot line suddenly dries up. The next plot development is even more ludicrous: unknown anti-smoking activists kidnap Naylor, tie him up, place nicotine patches all over his body and leave him naked in the arms of Abraham Lincoln's statue at the Lincoln Memorial. Naylor's body becomes so toxic that the doctor at the hospital tells him he won't ever be able to smoke again. The mild satire of Rob Lowe's slick Hollywood super-agent, gives way to very low Three Stooges Farce in the 'second act.' The Third act involves Naylor's seduction by a Washington gossip reporter played by Katie Holmes. Inexplicably, Naylor reveals the secrets of his personal and professional life to the reporter who immediately skewers him in a gossip column. Naylor, who supposedly is a slick wheeler-dealer, suddenly is surprised by this supposed 'betrayal of confidence.' Could never happen! Another thing that really amazed me was the fact that Naylor is never shown smoking a cigarette throughout the movie. What a copout! Reitman wants it both ways: he's afraid of offending the anti-smoking crowd (so he shows no one smoking throughout the film) but depicts Naylor as a hero because he champions the view of 'freedom of choice.' The only real wit in the film occurs in the scenes between Naylor and his son who speaks like an adult and manages to get his comuppance on both the father and mother at times. Overall, this film trivializes the dangers of smoking by creating a sympathetic, stick figure tobacco lobbyist with a heart of gold.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful

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