BEFORE: I neglected to watch this film after "The Insider" as originally planned - so I'll make it part of my look at corporate America. Last night's film showed an ad agency working on a tobacco campaign (among others) so that's my connection.
THE 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.
AFTER: Another connection to last night's film - both movies center on men who are questioning the morality of their jobs - advertising, marketing, lobbying - it's all the same thing, right?
I've been blessed/cursed with the ability to see both sides of most issues (or have I?) so I'm not going to get all preachy about smoking, and related health issues - even though I have family members who smoked, and I'm sure it didn't increase their life-spans. Both of my grandfathers smoked and died in their 60's (I think) but my grandmother smoked for decades, and actually outlived the nursing home - she moved in with my parents when she found she wasn't going out to church and bingo as often as she used to.
In addition, I've got a close friend who was working at a job in the World Trade Center in 2001, and she survived the 9/11 attacks because she was downstairs on a smoke break - so you could say that smoking may have SAVED her life. Or I suppose you could say that the smoke-free building codes saved her life, it's up for debate...
Anyway, I'm looking at corporate America this week for Labor Day, and that means both the good and the bad aspects. Part of that is the free market emphasized in this film, and lobbyists are part of that. We've got a Pork Council, a Dairy Board, and an Egg Council - remember back when eggs were considered good for you? Then the anti-cholesterol sentiment deemed them unhealthy, then the Egg Council made sure everyone knew they were high in protein, so they're back to being healthy again (sort of).
My point is, that's the free market. Freedom is about making choices on a personal level, and we're all free to eat eggs, or not, as we see fit. Even those sugary cereals are pitched as "part of a balanced breakfast", though nobody really eats their bowl of cereal with a glass of orange juice, whole wheat toast with margarine, an apple, a banana, and some wheat germ. Heck, you could make anything, even cigarettes, part of your "balanced breakfast" that way.
The question becomes, how do you fight smoking, or alcoholism, or childhood obesity, without taking away personal freedoms? See, this is why I don't consider myself a movie critic - this blog is not about movie reviews, so much as it is a place for my musings, related or not, after seeing a film. I think the plot details here are much less important than the questions that are raised.
And in the bigger picture, how does a man, any man, stay in a job, any job, once he no longer believes in it? How does one overcome self-doubt in order to perform a task that is morally questionable? I'm hosting a backyard BBQ for some ex-co-workers on Monday, so these questions may come up - not that I'm fed up with my job, but I've been at it so long that people naturally assume that I am.
Starring Aaron Eckhardt (last seen in "Any Given Sunday"), J.K. Simmons (last seen in "Burn After Reading"), Robert Duvall (last seen in "Bullitt"), William H. Macy (last seen in "A Civil Action"), Katie Holmes (last seen in "Wonder Boys"), Maria Bello (last seen in "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor") and David Koechner (last seen in "Semi-Pro") with cameos from Sam Elliott (last seen in "The Golden Compass"), Rob Lowe (last seen in "Tommy Boy"), Adam Brody, Joan Lunden and Dennis Miller.
RATING: 6 out of 10 nicotine patches (for being thought-provoking, more than entertaining)
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