Thank you for smoking

[Ten Chips Down]

Hi,

As this is a movie review and appeals to smokers and nonsmokers alike, I prefer it in the Cafe. It also finds a wider audience of course.

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Anyone seen this movie? It's a witty, extremely intelligent satire of both the tobacco industry and our own hypocrisy. The industry for love of the all mighty dollar. Ourselves for love of our own vices feeding that dollar.

In fact, producer David O. Sacks says that if there are times we find ourselves rooting for the villain in this movie it is because "We have made spin necessary. It's society's hypocrisy that makes spin necessary: We want cigarettes. We want alcohol."

The movie ain't for everyone, I can tell you that. It is in no way straightfoward like The Insider was, nor is it straight comedy. I was not as entertained as I thought I would be, and it just wasn't funny to me in many scenes; I didn't always get the subtle humor between the lines of irony. (I guess this is a "black comedy"? Eck. Remind to stay with traditional next time! LOL)

But the message is clear enough: Philip Morris and all the rest, doing the "dual-morality" spiel ("Talk to your kids about not smoking. They'll listen.") whilst simultaneously pushing their product in every conceivable market they can get away with.

Yes, it's a "message movie," one which Newsweek dubs "hilarious and gloriously politically incorrect" (though again, I hardly found the thing 'hilarious'). Starring Robert Duvall, William H. Macy, Sam Elliott (I love that guy) making a brief appearance as the original Marlboro man, and the central character throughout the movie, master spin-doctor and lobbyist for big tobacco, Nick Naylor, who is played just expertly by Aaron Eckhart.

Like I say it wasn't nearly as enjoyable as I thought going in, but anyone really interested in this industry might wish to give it a rent.

Stand-out phrase: "Moral relativity."

Indeed.

TenChips

[hope213]

i am a smoker & i saw the show(movie). i did not like it at all.i enjoyed the song at the begining & end...smoke ,smoke, smoke that cigerette!!! i can't call that a movie. it sucked!!

[Smyle]

I liked it pretty well....

[Ten Chips Down]

Originally Posted by hope213

i enjoyed the song at the begining & end...smoke ,smoke, smoke that cigerette!!! i can't call that a movie. it sucked!!

Heh, yeah it sucked hairy balls IMO.

I agree, the best part was that song. LOL I grew'd up with it; my mom (a smoker) singing it to me every now and again, so I immediately recognized it. It was, in fact, the first time in my life I'd ever had the opportunity to hear a very well-restored, obviously digitized version of it (just meaning it sounded good for its age). The next lines to yours are:

Puff, puff, puff and if you smoke yourself to death

Tell St. Peter at the Golden Gate

That you hates to make him wait.

You've just gotta have another cigarette.

LOL

Tex Williams along with Merle Travis wrote it, can you believe way back in 1946!?

And Tex later died of cancer, a two-pack-a-day smoker who tried desperately but never could kick the habit.

The irony just runs deeper and deeper.

-TCD-

[Phinneas]

I really liked the movie. I laughed all of the way through it. It is a great satire, IMHO.

[Ten Chips Down]

It was a very well-made movie and sharp satire with the perfect cast.

It was kinda stupid of me to say it sucked hairy balls LOL. No, actually it was immature, would be the word i guess. LOL

I guess I just learned the hard way watching that movie that black comedy or really strict satire (the movie didn't have moments of satire; the WHOLE THING was satire and irony from scene one and never let up) is not my cup of tea.

-TCD-