DVD Review by David Blackwell

DETAILS: 91 minutes, two audio commentaries, deleted scenes, Charlie Rose interview, featurettes, trailer, art galleries

STUDIO: Fox Searchlight/ Room 9 Entertainment

RELEASE DATE: 10-3-2006

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING is a satire where Aaron Eckhart's performance as Tobacco lobbyist Nick Naylor sold the movie for me. If it wasn't for that, THANK YOU FOR SMOKING would be just another movie to waste time with. Nick Naylor is just one cool cat. He is smooth. He is part of the Merchants Of Death: Alcohol (Maria Bello), Tobacco, and Firearms (David Koechner). I do admire the character of Nick Naylor. He doesn't apologize or change. He knows cigarettes are dangerous, but he must argue to pay the mortgage. It is his job to talk. It is set in the time before the Tobacco industry's big settlement with the USA government. Rob Lowe is fantastic as a Hollywood agent. I like the satire on Hollywood bits (the sci-fi smoking film, replacing cigarettes in old films with other objects). Katie Holmes is hot as the reporter who has sex with Naylor (too bad many people will know Katie as that girl who married the couch jumping Tom Cruise). Sam Elliot has a great bit part as an ex-Malboro Man. THANK YOU FOR SMOKING is the type of film for actors to strut their talents.

VIDEO: 2.40:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)

AUDIO: English 5.1 Dolby Surround, Spanish 2.0 DS

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

SPECIAL FEATURES: The director tells nitpickers off on his audio commentary. He is joined by actors Aaron Eckhart and David Koechner for the other audio commentary. The Making of Featurette (UNFILTERED COMEDY) and the brief 5 minute LIVING IN SPIN featurette were skippable for me because the Charlie Rose interview with writer/director Jason Reitman, Aaron Eckhart, author Christopher B Buckley, and producer David O. Sacks is better than any featurette. The deleted scenes (with optional commentary from the director) are an interesting assortment except the rough opening titles. Rounding out the extras are three still galleries (Poster Art, Art Department, and Storyboard), the theatrical trailer, and a soundtrack spot.

FINAL ANALYSIS: THANK YOU FOR SMOKING is a satire where character and the actors playing them makes this one a gem to rent for sure and buy later if you like it.

this review is (c)10-5-2006 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission (except for excerpts and a link to the review). Look for additional content at http://enterlinemedia.livejournal.com and send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com