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Thank You For Smoking, Jason Reitman’s feature directorial debut, is basically flawless. It’s smart, funny, emotionally manipulative and any other thing that describes a great film.

I don’t really like Aaron Eckhart, who plays Nick Taylor, the tobacco-lobbyist protagonist. I also don’t like any of the movies he’s been in. He looks kind of cross-eyed and I want to poke that hole in his chin with a sharp stick. He was great in this film, though. His comedic timing is excellent, as is his ability to convince as an idiot-savant. Hmm, maybe he didn’t need to try too hard for that one.

The film is based on Christopher Buckley’s novel of the same name, which was adapted for the screen by Reitman, and follows the moral and intellectual journey of a man whose job is to keep people smoking. I don’t want to say too much about it because I really think that everybody should see it. It’s just so incredibly well made. It’s funny and sarcastic, and then all of a sudden it flips on you and you’re in serious mode. And even Katie Holmes’ screen time is relatively enjoyable.

Reitman has six short films under his belt and he definitely refined his craft and was able to adapt it to a feature-length setting. I’m very curious and excited to see what he does next. Check this one out in the theatre soon as I can’t find a DVD release date…