Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Maria Bello, Katie Holmes, Robert Duvall, Sam Elliott, William H Macy
Cert: 15
Released: 16th June 2006

Nick Naylor (Eckhart) is a lobbyist, a spin-doctor, a professional defender of the most hated consumer based industries in the World. He is the face and mouth of the tobacco manufacturers which makes him, quite probably, the most hated man in the World.

Everyone 'knows' that smoking is bad for you but as long as Nick can't get you to prove it then his job is done. If he can convince you to take up smoking then it's a job well done.

There are troubles arising in his idyllic world, though; a Vermont senator (Macy) is pushing to put a skull and crossbones warning on every pack of cigarettes, the original Marlborough Man (Elliott) is dying of cancer, a sexy reporter (Holmes) is after his story and he is losing his connection with his son.

His only support network are two friends in similar professions - Bello and David Koechner - who collectively call themselves the M.O.D. (Ministers of Death) Squad. She works in the alcohol industry and he works in firearms.

A business trip to L.A. provides the chance to rectify some issues in the shape of a bonding exercise, a chance to 'invest' in a forthcoming blockbuster and payment of a 'goodwill gesture' to the Marlborough Man. However, with an interview on a current affairs show comes a new angle on how much he is despised and Nick's life gets turned around.

Ostracised by all and on the verge of loosing everything, he does the only thing he knows how; spins it.

Thank You For Smoking is satire at is best. It's so cleverly satirical that it's almost not at all. It's probably a very close reflection of the reality of these death mongering corporations and how they justify to themselves what they do is in the public interest.

So Nick openly defends smoking and the people's right to choose their own path, that there are no 'proven' statistics that connect smoking with illness and death and you know that the arguments are so full of it. He is presented in such a manner that he is the hero and it's all the left-wing do-gooders trying to save lives who are the baddies. Nick is the epitome of anti-hero.

The cast is great and contains no weak characters; everyone has the wit and loquaciousness to ensure that no one is lost in the verbal assault from the leading roles. It's like watching West Wing but without needing the degree in politics to understand what's being talked about. It's deft and witty dialogue wrapped around circumstances so ridiculous that are played so straight. It's fascinating to watch someone who could be so morally corrupt and never seem to have to pay any consequences. It's amorality taken to such an extreme to show the extent that evil logic can take 5th Amendment and 'freedom-of-choice' values.

Quick witted, very dry and not to be taken seriously at all for fear of thinking that it might all be real after all. Overall containing one of the most self-referential cinematic gags I have ever seen, made obvious only by its complete absence.