Thank You for Smoking

Nick Naylor is a charismatic spin-doctor for Big Tobacco who'll fight to protect America's right to smoke -- even if it kills him -- while still remaining a role model for his 12-year old son. When he incurs the wrath of a senator bent on snuffing out cigarettes, Nick's powers of "filtering the truth" will be put to the test.

Aaron Eckhart's slippery charm earns wide admiration, and the film lands enough sharp comic blows to satisfy most viewers, but critics were genuinely split on whether it earns its satirical credentials. The central dispute: does the movie actually skewer both sides of the smoking debate, or does it quietly take sides while pretending not to? Structural looseness — episodes that feel more like sitcom sketches than a sustained narrative — and a softer, more redemptive ending than the source novel also drew consistent complaints.