REVIEW OF THANK YOU FOR SMOKING

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING - STORY: The PR guy for big cigarette companies overcomes challenges to the moral questions of smoking and his defense of it.

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING - MESSAGE: Smokers are the effect of public relations spin. One must ultimately do the right thing, no matter how painful. Unsavory actions needed to get ones' job done are a choice made to "pay the mortgage." That cigarette companies can continue to exist despite the fact that smoking kills is merely a symptom of a deeper problem in our society, having to do with our personal ability or inability to face and deal with the truth.

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING - WIN: Negative facts about smoking came out. The hero resorted to honesty to make a point. He had the integrity to do his job despite having been fired and to refuse to pander to a boss who had stepped on him. Traces bad actions down to greed or need of money.

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING - LOSE: Promiscuity with journalist was treated as ok (although blabbing to her was not.) I would have liked to see the point made that nicotine and alcohol are drugs (taken as a solution to pain or boredom) and what drugs do (although the nicotine patches did do a fair job of showing that.) The effect on a person mentally and spiritually due to cigarettes is not explored; the only negative side of smoking brought up was the decreased health of the body. Also, the head cigarette baron was a kindly old gentleman, and I doubt that is true to reality.

THANK YOU FOR SMOKING - EFFECT ON ME: It encouraged me to continue to write films which have a definite message, because there is a place for us writers to say what we want to say in an entertaining way.