Thank You for Smoking (2005)

Director:

Jason Reitman

Writers (WGA):

Jason Reitman (screenplay)
Christopher Buckley (novel)

Release Date:

14 April 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

America is living in spin

Plot:

Satirical comedy follows the machinations of Big Tobacco's chief spokesman, Nick Naylor, who spins on behalf of cigarettes while trying to remain a role model for his twelve-year-old son.

Plot Keywords:

Business | Tobacco | Lobbyist | Reporter | Bar

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 10 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Joan Lunden	...	Herself
Eric Haberman	...	Robin Williger
Aaron Eckhart	...	Nick Naylor
Mary Jo Smith	...	Sue Maclean
Todd Louiso	...	Ron Goode
Jeff Witzke	...	Kidnapper
J.K. Simmons	...	BR
Marianne Muellerleile	...	Teacher
Cameron Bright	...	Joey Naylor
Alex Diaz	...	Kid #1
Jordan Garrett	...	Kid #2
Courtney Taylor Burness	...	Kid #3 (as Courtney Burness)
Jordan Del Spina	...	Kid #4 (as Jordan Orr)
Maria Bello	...	Polly Bailey
David Koechner	...	Bobby Jay Bliss
Kim Dickens	...	Jill Naylor
Daniel Travis	...	Brad
William H. Macy	...	Senator Ortolan Finistirre
Katie Winslow	...	Jeanette
Richard Speight Jr.	...	Trainee
Eric Maldonado	...	Tobacco Club Host
Robert Duvall	...	Captain
Renée Graham	...	Tiffany
Katie Holmes	...	Heather Holloway
Adam Brody	...	Jack
Timothy Dowling	...	EGO Assistant
Rob Lowe	...	Jeff Megall
Sam Elliott	...	Lorne Lutch
Connie Ray	...	Pearl
Dennis Miller	...	Himself
Terry James	...	Ski Mask #1
Marc Scizak	...	Ski Mask #2
Rachel Thorp	...	Flighty Girl
Karen Harrison	...	Nurse
Aaron Lustig	...	Doctor
Melora Hardin	...	Interviewer
Brian Palermo	...	FBI Agent (voice)
Michael Mantell	...	Dr. Meisenbach
Tonyo Meléndez	...	Mr. Herera (as Tonyo Melendez)
Spencer Garrett	...	Senator Lothridge
Earl Billings	...	Senator Dupree
Catherine Reitman	...	Reporter #1
Sean Patrick Murphy	...	Reporter #2
David O. Sacks	...	Oil Lobbyist
Nancy O'Dell	...	Herself (as Nancy Humphries O'Dell)
Roy Jenkins	...	Debate Moderator
Howard Weitzman	...	Gentleman #1
Bruce French	...	Gentleman #2
Robert L. Richards	...	Gentleman #3
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Christopher Buckley	...	Man at Metro Station (uncredited)
Michael Calder	...	Congressman (uncredited)
Dominick Cicco	...	Workman (uncredited)
Jacques Derosena	...	College Student (uncredited)
Karen Dyer	...	Flight Attendant (uncredited)
Jim R. Felton	...	Tobacco Lobbyist (uncredited)
Dana E. Glauberman	...	Hotel Phone Operator (voice) (uncredited)
Robert Malina	...	Peter (uncredited)
Neil Patil	...	Lab Technician (uncredited)
Aloma Wright	...	Gizelle (voice) (uncredited)
James Younan	...	Committee Attendee (uncredited)

Directed by
Jason Reitman

Writing credits (WGA)
Jason Reitman		(screenplay)
Christopher Buckley		(novel)

Produced by
Eveleen Bandy	....	associate producer (as Eveleen Anne Bandy)
Stephen Belafonte	....	associate producer
Michael Beugg	....	executive producer
David J. Bloomfield	....	co-executive producer
Daniel Brunt	....	co-producer
Alessandro Camon	....	executive producer
Daniel Dubiecki	....	co-producer
Max Levchin	....	executive producer
Mindy Marin	....	co-producer
Elon Musk	....	executive producer
Michael R. Newman	....	co-producer
Edward R. Pressman	....	executive producer
David O. Sacks	....	producer
John Schmidt	....	executive producer
Peter Thiel	....	executive producer
Mark Woolway	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Rolfe Kent

Cinematography by
Jim Whitaker		(director of photography) (as James Whitaker)

Film Editing by
Dana E. Glauberman

Casting by
Mindy Marin

Production Design by
Steve Saklad

Set Decoration by
Kurt Meisenbach

Costume Design by
Danny Glicker

Makeup Department
Sherri Bramlett	....	key hair stylist: Washington, D.C.
Elisabeth Fry	....	makeup artist: Mr. Eckhart
John E. Jackson	....	makeup department head
Marsha Lewis	....	department head hair stylist
Maxine Morris	....	key hair stylist
Robin L. Neal	....	makeup artist: Mr. Duvall (as Robin Luce)

Production Management
Michael Beugg	....	unit production manager
Bob Dohrmann	....	production supervisor
Joe Fineman	....	post-production supervisor
Michael Toji	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sonia Bhalla	....	second assistant director
Jason Blumenfeld	....	first assistant director (as Jason A. Blumenfeld)
Scott Brown	....	second second assistant director
Casey Mako	....	second second assistant director
Kurt Uebersax	....	second second assistant director: Washington DC
Xanthus Valan	....	second assistant director: Washington D.C.

Art Department
Terry Atchison	....	assistant property master
Mark Brooks	....	on-set dresser
Carl Catanese	....	lead man
Michael Crowe	....	construction coordinator
Oliver Doering	....	assistant property master
Casey B. Garrett	....	propmaker
Theresa Greene	....	art department coordinator
Paul Arthur Hartman	....	leadman
Eric Hunsaker	....	property master
Cindy Ingraham	....	assistant property master
Eddie Lin	....	storyboard artist
Greg O'Donohue	....	set dresser
Steven Samanen	....	assistant art director
Neal W. Zoromski	....	property master

Sound Department
Robert Althoff	....	sound recordist
Josh Bower	....	boom operator
Brad Bryan	....	cable utility
Barney Cabral	....	supervising adr editor
Craig Dollinger	....	boom operator
Paul Drenning	....	adr mixer
Richard Dwan Jr.	....	sound editor (as Richard Dwan)
Richard Dwan Jr.	....	supervising dialogue editor
Adam Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
J. Stanley Johnston	....	sound re-recording mixer
Cynthia Merrill	....	foley artist
Steven Morrow	....	sound mixer
Nick Neutra	....	foley supervisor
Perry Robertson	....	supervising sound editor
Scott Sanders	....	co-supervising sound editor
Scott Sanders	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott Sanders	....	supervising sound designer
Robert Sharman	....	utility sound
Melissa Sherwood Hofmann	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Melissa Hofmann)
Geordy Sincavage	....	foley mixer
Kevin Zimmerman	....	assistant sound editor (as Kevin A. Zimmerman)
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Larry Fioritto	....	special effects coordinator
Virgil Sanchez	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Cosmas Paul Bolger Jr.	....	visual effects producer
Cosmas Paul Bolger Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor
Patrick Clancey	....	digital opticals
Heather Ignarro	....	visual effects coordinator
Natasha Leonnet	....	digital color timer (as Natasha Leonett)
Jack Lewars	....	digital film colorist
Robert Lukacs	....	compositor
Robert Malina	....	visual effects editor
Marco S. Paolini	....	digital compositor
Edward Quirk	....	senior 3D artist
Tommy Tran	....	compositor
Thomas Mathai	....	data manager (uncredited)

Stunts
Terry James	....	stunt coordinator
Rick Kain	....	stunt driver
Marc Scizak	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Stuart Abramson	....	key grip
Peter Albert	....	digital video assist operator
Tony Ayala	....	grip
Michael Baird	....	key digital video assist operator
Patrick Brennan	....	electrician
Donald Burghardt	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Dean Citroni	....	key grip: second unit
Tim Clarke	....	camera loader
Andy Colvin	....	Steadicam operator: Washington DC
Mike Delnero	....	grip
Andy DePung	....	film loader
Justin Fisher	....	dolly grip (as Justin Deck)
Brett F. Gates	....	second assistant camera
Tim Gillis	....	electrician
Joe Guzman	....	grip
Maurice Jordan	....	gaffer: re-shoot
Patrick Lennon	....	gaffer
Tommy Lohmann	....	Steadicam operator
Tommy Lohmann	....	camera operator
Tony Martinez	....	electrician
Charlie Newberry	....	additional second assistant camera
Daniel Nichols	....	camera operator
David Presley	....	camera operator: video camera
Alex Reilly	....	grip
Quinton Reilly	....	best boy grip
Dale Robinette	....	still photographer
Blake Santoro	....	grip
Lee Shapira	....	grip: Washington D.C.
Conrad Sigurdson	....	best boy electric
Shawn Stoddard	....	dolly grip
Rick Strodel	....	best boy grip: DC unit
Vladimir Tmayo	....	electrician
Wayland Twiston-Davies	....	video engineer
Nicole Hirsch Whitaker	....	director of photography: second unit, Los Angeles (as Nicole Hirsch-Whitaker)

Casting Department
Kara Lipson	....	casting associate
Betsy Royall	....	local casting
Tammy Smith	....	extras casting: Los Angeles
Tammy L. Smith	....	extras casting: Los Angeles
Ember Truesdell	....	casting associate
Dixie Webster	....	extras casting: Los Angeles

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Julie Glick	....	wardrobe supervisor
Laura E. Little	....	key set costumer (as Laura Liz Little)
Marta Villalobos	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Yanosh Cuglove	....	editorial intern
Esther Lee	....	assistant digital intermediate producer
Jack Lewars	....	digital colorist: Efilm
Robert Malina	....	first assistant editor
Stephen M. Rickert Jr.	....	assistant editor
Stephen R. Sheridan	....	color timer (as Steve Sheridan)
Lorene Simpson	....	digital intermediate producer
Lisa Tutunjian	....	digital intermediate editor

Music Department
Peter Afterman	....	music supervisor
Stephen Coleman	....	music programmer
Trevor Gilchrist	....	music programmer: score
Alison Litton	....	music coordinator
Mateo Messina	....	composer: additional music (as Matt Messina)
Curt Sobel	....	music editor: temp music
Nick South	....	music editor
Greg Townley	....	scoring mixer
Alice Wood	....	assistant music editor
Margaret Yen	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Alex E. Burns	....	driver
Neil Chisholm	....	driver: honeywagon
Jon Cosham	....	driver
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Nathan Hardcastle	....	transportation clerk
Geno Hart	....	transportation coordinator
Dennis Janovici	....	transportation co-captain
Josh Sarfaty	....	personal driver: Mr. Eckhart
William Smallwood	....	driver: production van

Other crew
Noor Ahmed	....	production legal
Nino Aldi	....	production assistant
Debbie Axel	....	production legal
Gavin J. Behrman	....	production accountant
Paul Bock	....	assistant to cast
Paul Bock	....	production assistant
Paul Bock	....	production coordinator: re-shoot
Jen Buonantony	....	production assistant
Jennifer Lynn Buonantony	....	production assistant
Nicholas Carpenter	....	additional set production assistant
Tara Chang	....	assistant production coordinator
Michael Chickey	....	assistant location manager: Los Angeles
Tara L. Craig	....	assistant production office coordinator
Patrick Cunningham	....	key set production assistant
Joe Dornich	....	set production assistant
Michelle Ebert	....	medical advisor
Damiano Fusca	....	craft service
Christopher Geair	....	office production assistant: Washington, D.C. unit
Francis Hadinoto	....	production assistant
Lisa Hagenmeyer	....	assistant production coordinator: Washington, DC
Mike Hazlitt	....	production consultant
Steven Hora	....	assistant: Ed Pressman and Alessandro Camon
Alyssa Houze	....	office production assistant
Jeff Johnson	....	medic
Ashley Kravitz	....	script clearance
Dashiel Kulander	....	production assistant
John Latenser V	....	location manager: Washington D.C.
Jenny Lee	....	title designer: main titles
Jonathan Leeder	....	assistant to producer
Nathan Maruccio	....	craft service
Christopher Miller	....	location manager: Los Angeles
Phillip Montgomery	....	assistant: Mr. Reitman
Trey Murphy	....	production assistant
Matthew Dillon Noonan	....	location production assistant
Valarie Payne	....	assistant: Mr. Eckhart
Michyl-Shannon Quilty	....	assistant production coordinator
Sarah Ramey	....	assistant: Edward R. Pressman
Benjamin R. Reder	....	production legal
Jonathan Reich	....	assistant location manager: Washington D.C.
Errol Reichow	....	location scout: Los Angeles
Genaro Rodriguez	....	caterer
Carlos Rodríguez	....	chef
Ari Sachter-Zeltzer	....	title designer: main titles
Traceigh Scottel	....	production coordinator
Mary Anne Seward	....	script supervisor
Rony Shino	....	assistant location manager: Los Angeles
Gareth Smith	....	title designer: main titles
Amy Smolev	....	first assistant accountant
Eric J. Spiegelman	....	production counsel
Marc E. Spivey	....	insurance broker
Julie Stevens	....	studio teacher
Shawn Tanaka	....	assistant: William H. Macy
William Thompson	....	personal fitness trainer
Joel Tokarsky	....	payroll accountant
Francisco Trujillo	....	chef
John Trujillo	....	layout board
Drew Vandervelde	....	production associate
Jeffrey Wank	....	assistant: Mr. Sacks
Bob Weber	....	post-production accountant
Adam Zadikoff	....	assistant: Mr. Sacks, post-production
Matt Crabtree	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Adam Kahn	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Howard R. Schuster	....	financing (uncredited)

Thanks
Corey Trent Ackerman	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Room 9 Entertainment
• TYFS Productions LLC
• ContentFilm

Distributors

• ContentFilm International (2005) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Australia (2006) (Australia) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Budapest Film (2006) (Hungary) (theatrical)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Haut et Court (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• ProRom-Romania Film (2006) (Romania) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Canvas (2009) (Belgium) (TV)
• Film1 (2008) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Gativideo (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2007) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Hollydan Works (2005) (Yugoslavia) (DVD)
• Movie Bank (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Veronica (2012) (Netherlands) (TV)

Special Effects

• Digital Filmworks (digital film services)

Other Companies

• Act One Script Clearance  script clearances
• Act One Script Clearance  script research
• Avon Studio Transport  transportation
• BBC Motion Gallery  footage courtesy of
• C-SPAN Archives  footage courtesy of
• Cast & Crew Catering  catering
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Corbis  photographs (as Corbis)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color
• Digital Filmworks  digital film services (as Digital Film Works)
• EFilm  digital intermediate
• EarCandy  sound post-production
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• IVC  post-production facilities (digital mastering)
• J.L. Fisher  camera dollies
• Jeremy Walker + Associates  unit publicity
• Kodak  film stock
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• Leonetti Company  lighting and grip equipment
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative cutting
• NBC News Archives  footage courtesy of
• NT Video  telecine
• On-Set Digital  video assist equipment
• Panavision Remote Systems  camera cranes
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Paws for Effect  animals by
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Post Creations  foley recording
• Reder & Feig  production legal services
• Runway  post-production
• Sessions Payroll Management  extras payroll services
• Shadowplay Productions  main titles (as Shadowplay Studios)
• Shadowplay Studio  main titles
• Todd-AO Studios  re-recording stage (as Todd-AO)
• Travel Corps  travel services
• Westwind Media  adr recording

Also Known As:

"Thank You Smoking" - Japan (English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | Ireland:15A | Canada:14A (British Columbia) | UK:15 | Canada:14A | USA:R (certificate #42076) | Finland:K-11 | Norway:7 | Brazil:12 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Sweden:7 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL | Iceland:7 | Argentina:13 | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Malaysia:(Banned) (theatrical) | Malaysia:U (DVD) | New Zealand:M | Austria:6 | Denmark:A | Chile:TE

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Room 9 Entertainment

Trivia:

During the scene in which Nick and Joey are in the amusement park riding the Ferris wheel and are eating what appears to be ice cream, they are actually eating mashed potatoes. The reason for this being that during filming under hot movie lighting, actual ice cream melts too quickly to ensure continuity from shot to shot. The use of mashed potatoes is an old photography trick used commonly in the advertising industry, and is something infinitely more desirable than the other oft-used ice cream substitutes in film or photography: Crisco or Lard.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the MoD meeting, Bobby is shown wearing a tie with a very distinct pattern; in a later shot, his tie doesn't match.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Joan Lunden:Robin Williger. He is a 15 year old freshman from Racine, Wisconsin. He enjoys studying history; he's on the debate team. Robin's future looked very, very bright. But recently he was diagnosed with cancer, a very tough kind of cancer. Robin tells me he has quit smoking, though, and he no longer thinks that cigarettes are "cool."

Movie Connections:

Featured in Shadowplay Studio: Before the Story (2010) (V)

Soundtrack:

The Joan Lunden Show Theme

born for secret stardom

I hate to say it. but this movie is gonna fail in the box office. for the same reason no one showed up to its screening. but this will be one of the most entertaining cult movies ever. although it lacks the glam and actually will turn a lot of people away before they even get to the box office do to the subject matter, but they will all be missing out on a hilariously made movie. I don't think i've laughed this hard in a long long time. this movie isn't really intended to be anti-smoking propaganda, but there is some of it. Its more of a satire on the reality of people and how much we're willing to believe or willing to be dooped. I see it similar to liar liar not being about about the legal system but the moral and ethical decisions of people within society. overall I would have to saw this is a great great movie. Highly recommend it. And could not imagine this movie to turn out any better than it has already been with the perfect cast and great story line. I think the best way to encompass the movie is paraphrased in the movie's catchy advertising line the main character, Nick Naylor doesn't lie, he filters the truth.