THANK YOU FOR SMOKING is a movie everyone should watch. Highly recommended for people that not only like to smoke, but think they can talk smack with the best of them. There are several important messages tied to this gem, but if you’re someone that just watches movies to be entertained… you will not be disappointed.
How would I describe the genre of this movie? I have a topic on movie genres coming up soon, but I’ll save that for another day. In a nutshell, I’d say THANK YOU FOR SMOKING is a cross between a light-hearted drama, a comedy and a quasi-documentary. A satire on many levels, to be a bit more precise. It’s pretty damn funny, so that’s why THANK YOU FOR SMOKING is often classified as a comedy. And the best part about this movie I found is that while the main plot revolves around smoking and cigarettes, there is not a single depiction of smoking in the whole movie. I don’t know why I find that cool, but it absolutely is.
The plot is simple: Nick Naylor, played by the excellent Aaron Eckhart, is the Vice President and lead spokesperson for the Academy of Tobacco Studies. It’s an organisation started up by cigarette firms to do research the connection between smoking and general health. However, the group never does find any links; it’s pro-smoking in a way, and Naylor’s job is to convince people that not only has there been no conclusive evidence to link the smoking of cigarettes to the downfall of general health but to also ram home the point that individuals have the right to choose to smoke. So as you can imagine, Naylor is treated like the most hated man in America. Not a problem for him, as he doesn’t find the moral implications wearing down on his conscience. He realises that spinning shit into gold and making people believe him is the one and only thing he’s good at. Great at, actually. As always, there is an antagonist in the form of the United States Senate led by one particular senator who wishes to disprove everything the Academy of Tobacco Studies and Nick Naylor stand for.
That is the general gist of the storyline, and there are several subplots floating around that eventually link up with the main story — but I seriously do not want to spoil it for anyone. Just do yourselves a favour, and go and watch this movie. The runtime is about one and a half hours; with a flick this brilliant, the time will just fly by. A lot of genuinely hilarious moments coupled by fantastic acting by all the main stars makes THANK YOU FOR SMOKING a definite DVD pick-up, too.
And finally, this movie offers something many others don’t: lessons on how to be an excellent talker. Wicked, innit?
