Thank You for Smoking (2005)

A satire about a tobacco lobbyist should leave a mark, and this one mostly leaves a grin. Nick Naylor can spin any argument his way, and the movie is so charmed by him that it pulls its punches at the end. Aaron Eckhart is perfect for it, all easy smile while a talk show audience glares at him. The weekly lunches with Maria Bello’s alcohol rep and David Koechner’s gun lobbyist, comparing whose product does the most harm, are pitch-black comedy gold. Cameron Bright’s Joey, learning to argue by watching his dad dodge questions, gives it heart. Katie Holmes’s reporter subplot is the weak link, a plot device with a notepad. Sam Elliott makes a meal out of one scene and a briefcase. Jason Reitman keeps it zippy at 92 minutes. It made $39.3 million worldwide on a reported $10M. A 7.8 because it’s sharp and funny even when it’s too fond of its hero. $2,702 says you win your next argument about whose turn it is to do the dishes by changing the subject completely.

What works: Aaron Eckhart’s slick, likable Nick and the MOD Squad lunches are sharp and very funny, and the father-son story adds warmth.

What doesn’t: The satire goes soft on Nick by the end, and Katie Holmes’s reporter is a thin plot device rather than a character.

Who it’s for: Anyone who loves fast-talking satire and secretly enjoys watching someone win an argument they shouldn’t.