‘Thank
You for Smoking’ a tribute to spin
doctors
By
Jen Ketchersid
Online Forty Niner
Contributing Writer
Although “Thank You for Smoking” is a witty satire that has everyone
from critics to public relation practitioners praising its cleverness, it is
no more than an offensive stab at the field, using the main character to question
the morals of the practice. The film doesn’t skip a beat on the name
calling either: “spin doctor,” “flack” and “liar” all
are in there.
Based on the novel by Christopher Buckley, the film’s purpose focuses
on the portrayal of a “spinner” and how he perfectly tailors every
pitch for the weaknesses of the TV medium.
In one scene, Nick (Aaron Eckhart), a lobbyist and spokesman for the tobacco
industry, appears on a talk show with anti-smoking activists. By appearing
friendly, faking concern and twisting the arguments of his opponents, apparently
things any public relations practitioner learns to master, he is able to win
the hostile audience over in a matter of minutes.
Through this scene filmmaker and writer, Jason Reitman, seemingly shows that
public relations is nothing more than the use of rhetorical methods to create
situations where fallacious points have validity.
“
Thank You for Smoking” takes aim directly at obsessive spin control,
as Eckhart is paired with Bello, a spokeswoman for the alcohol industry and
Koechner, a chief firearms lobbyist. The trio cleverly call themselves the
MOD Squad, short for “merchants of death” and they meet weekly
in the film to discuss strategies and tactics to help favorably “spin” their
current negative situations. Eckhart is the most talented of the squad, because
his industry kills the most people.
Reitman depicts the lobbyist as “flack”, so capable a spin doctor
that he’s able to rattle a smooth-tongued Vermont senator, played by
William H. Macy.
" In the film, Macy plays a Democratic senator who wants to add a picture
of skull and crossbones as an additional warning on cigarette packs. Eckhart,
with the help of spin yet again, manages to turn the tables on Macy and expose
the politician’s hypocrisies, encouraging the audience to side with
Eckhart’s character in the end.
Reitman’s attempt to tarnish the reputation of public relations through
his film is certainly not the first. “Wag the Dog” and “Phone
Booth” have also tried to portray public relations practitioners as tributes
to the guiltless pleasures of spin.
Ironically, those who have criticized the field seem to be fighting an uphill
battle. Does it make sense to attempt to tarnish the reputation of a field
they think takes a negative situation and makes it look better? Certainly doesn’t
seem like public relations would be the best field to criticize.
Despite this, however, the film’s sarcasm and fast-paced dialogue seem
to be so clever the movie begs for a second view in order to catch those zippy
one-liners as well as the fine details. Despite Reitman’s senseless attack
on the public relations profession, the movie is not entirely disappointing.
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