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'Thank You for Smoking': Sharp-edged and intelligent

The best salesmen can sell anything, and Nick Naylor sells death. Or as he prefers to think of it, he peddles personal freedom and liberties.

Whichever it is, moviegoers should want to buy, for his logic-twisting half-truths are wrapped in the smartest comedy of the year so far, Thank You for Smoking.

Fox Searchlight Pictures 'Thank You For Smoking' A The verdict: A smart, comic debut by director Jason Reitman skewering Big Tobacco — as well as those who oppose it. Director: Jason Reitman Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Robert Duvall, Katie Holmes, Rob Lowe, Sam Elliott, William H. Macy, Adam Brody, Maria Bello Run time: 92 minutes Release date: March 17, 2006 Rating: R for language and some sexual content. See showtimes Meet the director •  Director Jason Reitman tells the Palm Beach Post he was never a smoker. •  The Austin American Statesman finds Reitman un-PC and unapologetic. On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'Thank You For Smoking'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

You see dapper, charming Nick (Aaron Eckhart, in a disarmingly crafty performance) is a spokesman for the Academy of Tobacco Studies — a spin doctor for Big Tobacco. He's the guy who goes on talk shows, like the movie's opening sequence, and when confronted with a young, bald cancer victim, shows empathy and hopes the lad will not die, because the tobacco companies would be losing a good customer.

It is only when Nick's cherubic son Joey (Cameron Bright of Birth) becomes old enough to be curious about what his father does for a living that Nick has to examine his chosen profession. He explains to Nick the art of turning questions around, putting your opponent on the defensive and other points of debate finesse, all with an unapologetic, boyish smile.

The movie represents the feature debut of Jason Reitman — son of Ivan (producer of National Lampoon's Animal House, director of Ghostbusters) — who may have a genetic head start toward becoming a comic filmmaker. He certainly had a head start with this project, faithfully adapting Christopher Buckley's satirical novel of American enterprise taken to its logical extreme.

With a crusading Vermont senator (William H. Macy) on his heels, attempting to require every cigarette pack to carry a skull-and-crossbones label, Nick takes a proactive approach, jetting off to Hollywood to bribe studio executives to include smoking — preferably during sex — in their movies. Yes, it's a cheap, easy target, especially with Rob Lowe as a serene, but powerful talent agent, but Reitman earns laughs nevertheless.

More uncomfortable is a side trip to the ranch of the former Marlboro Man (Sam Elliott), now dying of lung cancer. Under orders from a wily, old tobacco magnate (Robert Duvall), Nick arrives to buy Elliott's silence about his disease. Then there is a randy newspaper reporter (Katie Holmes) who is doing a profile on Naylor and gains her best information in bed.

In the episodically structured film, Naylor keeps returning to his regular lunch dates with other members of the M.O.D. Squad, Merchants of Death, amiable allies employed by the similarly embattled alcohol (Maria Bello) and firearms (David Koechner) industries.

In contrast to his father's broad comic strokes, Reitman is more subversive and wry, needling both sides of the freedoms fence and trying to make us all feel a little uncomfortable as we laugh. Thank You for Smoking is that increasingly rare commodity — an intelligent comedy — and a breezy, but sharp-edged civics lesson.