By Tony Kennetz

"Thank You for Smoking" is a real trip. It is honest, if not exaggerated, as it tells the tale of tobacco industry spokesman Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) and the trials and tribulations of performing the art of spin while remaining a role model for his son Joey (Cameron Bright).

Defending the tobacco industry isn’t particularly easy when faced with 15 year old cancer patients and daunting statistics, but Naylor faces down all challengers but never loses the aura of likeability that most would expect to be absent from a Merchant of Death, peddlers of unsavory commercial goods.

The MOD squad is filled out by fire-arms representative Bobby Jay Bliss (David Koecher, “Anchorman,” “Waiting”), and alcohol lobbyist Polly Bailey (Maria Bello, “A History of Violence,” “Assault on Precinct 13.") The three discuss spin tactics and who has the hardest battles to fight. There is a good chemistry between the three actors and it shows when their personal opinions about the others’ professions start to come out.

 The chief villain, or hero depending on your view on things, is William H. Macy’s (“The Cooler,” “Fargo”) Senator Ortolan K. Finistirre. Leader of the senate committee on tobacco, Naylor is Finistirre’s arch rival. When challenged by Naylor about the death rate caused by cholesterol and how Virginia’s cheddar kills more than cigarettes, he responds with “the great state of Virginia will NOT apologize for its cheese!” Macy’s understated yet dramatic acting style fits the role perfectly.

Katie Holmes ("Batman Begins") plays the innocent reporter turned romantic interest, Heather Holloway. As the journalist with, as Bobby Jay puts it, “excellent tits,” she turns the MOD Squad upside down with her article on Naylor. She is generally solid with her performance although there are moments where she could have played the character up a notch.

"Thank You for Smoking" offers some great ensemble cast acting and dark humor, but transcending all the performances is the script and its take on political lobbying. Viewers going into this film looking for a strong stance on smoking will have to create one for themselves because there’s nothing new presented here on the topic that hasn’t already been said. In truth, there is never a single cigarette smoked through the entire course of the film. The true gold is in the analysis of the U.S. political system and how it has become a spin zone. As Naylor explains to his son, it isn’t about proving your point to be correct, but finding anyway possible to prove your opponent wrong. If you argue effectively, you are never wrong.

For a movie to think about long after exiting the theater, "Thank You for Smoking" will do the trick. Having just exited limited release and entering the full market, and with the buzz that surrounded it during its first release, finding this gem in a theater will no longer be a challenge. It is a great narrative on U.S. politics and will provide coffee table chat material for weeks. This one is worth the admission price.