It refuses ideals in favor of in-betweens.
Smoking, drinking, guns, and causal sex can be bad for you. Limiting personal freedom is also dangerous.
What is the answer? Thank You For Smoking does not care. Answers do not matter. Answers prevent complaining and suggests action. Complaining makes us happy. Action reminds us of work. Discovering answers is hard work.
Thank You For Smoking encompasses everything wrong with America. Yes, it is funny. But in the end it makes one sad.
I give it a 31.342.
2 comments:
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Short answer is no, not really. I think he somehow missed the point of the film. Read on if you want to know why.
I don't think this movie is about the issues of tobacco, guns and
alcohol at all. Theoretically they could have picked any political
issue, including environmental issues, and made the same film. They probably used tobacco for several reasons but I suspect mainly because at this point it is an easy example for what they wanted to show you.*
Keep in mind that it is set in time before the big settlement.
This movie is about how anyone can spin anything. Or more accurately
how you can divert attention from anything. The movie follows, and is
narrated to some extent by, the chief lobbyist for tobacco. And follow him representing tobacco to the world. They gave him a son so that they could explicitly point out how he manipulates the discussion.
There are a couple times in the movie where he imparts "wisdom" to his son by explaining what he does and how he does it. And not just
telling him but using specific examples.
Yes, they do make the obvious fun of tobacco, guns and alcohol related issues but that really is not the point.
I also noticed that WB did not mention the acting at all. I think thelead actor is superb in this film. I think he should be nominated for awards.
It does leave you a little sad in the end but not because the issues
aren't tackled, instead it is because the film makes clearly obvious the way in which people allow themselves to be manipulated when discussing the issues by comments and arguments that aren't remotely relevant to the what ever issue is being talked about.
It is a very funny film because of the obvious absurdity.
Sorry this ended up being so long. Obviously I really liked this film.
In many ways I liked "Thank You For Smoking." I did not fall asleep. It provoked thought. It made me angry enough to write a review (that I thought no one would read). The acting was good (especially Naylor and his son). I watched it with a beautiful woman. What more can I ask for?
But I do not agree with the movie's premise that everything can be spun. I do not agree with a world where smart people manipulate the public (or other smart people in Holmes' character's case) to pay the mortgage. I do not agree with a world filled with bullshit.
Maybe everything can be spun. But we should see through the spin. There should not be lobbyists. Senators should not be able to grandstand and waste taxpayer dollars.
The movie does a fine job of saying what is. But it refuses to say what should be.
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