Thank You for Smoking

1. What do you feel is the message the director is trying to express in this movie?  Support your answer with examples.

I liked the quote "Michael Jordan plays ball. Charles Manson kills people. I talk. Everyone has a talent” because it sums up the movie for me.  The main character is great at debate and has made a career of it.  The message expressed in this movie is that everyone looks out for themselves in some sort of way.  Being a lobbyist for the tobacco companies has done Naylor good, while it has hurt others.  It’s a tug of war between good and evil in this movie.  It really gets you to think about the purpose of the tobacco companies and other companies that make money from something potentially harmful to others.  

 

http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/thank-you-for-smoking/2000

2. If applicable, discuss if you think this movie has accurate depictions of minorities or if they are situational? Why or why not?

I could see the smokers as minorities.  They are an accurate depiction of someone who are often taken advantage of through media and other sources that are trying to sell cigarettes as a non-harmful product.  Naylor and others that are lobbying for tobacco could also be seen as minorities because there are a lot of people against their ideas and views, such as when Naylor received threats. 

3. Explain if you think the director’s ethnic/cultural/professional background played a role in directing this film?

There is defiantly a cultural background that influenced this movie.  In our culture we see advertisements that are persuasive and often manipulative.  This movie shows the different angles you can look at this problem.  This director may have been directly influenced by tobacco companies or seen it done throughout their life.

4. What groups (people of color, nationality, culture, class,gender etc.) may be offended or misinterpret this movie and why?

Tobacco companies may be offended by the way they are portrayed.  The main character seems to make them seem “evil” and “heartless” in some instances.  Also people who are affected by tobacco may be offended by this movie.  I don’t see any class, gender, color, or nationality in particular being offended by this. 

5. What the movie added to your visual literacy?

This movie shows the effect that movies, and advertising can have on selling a product.  There are people who are very talented at making something that may be viewed as negative, seem very positive.  It’s a battle between what is good advertising and what can make our society have views that may be altered by these people and their ability to show a different side to such a harmful thing. 

6. What kind of artistic and/or visual means did the director use in the movie to focus our attention?

The cover was a great visual and it really made me interested in the movie.  I have always had a view that tobacco was a bad thing, so it made me wonder how the director could make turn it around and put it into a positive light.  

 

 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427944/