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Each and every cast member hits their notes perfectly, from Maria Bello and David Koechner as fellow lobbyists (for alcohol and firearms, respectively) to Rob Lowe’s amusing appearance as a top Hollywood agent that Naylor taps to put his product back into movies and “the sex back into cigarettes.” (Adam Brody also does a fine job in his brief role as Lowe’s assistant.) As Nick’s impressionable son, Joey, young Cameron Bright is finally beginning to act his age, which very much works in his favor as he decides to show some interest in his father’s job and pick up some serious debating tactics along the way, and Sam Elliott brings the right amount of gruff hostility towards Naylor, who arrives with a financial understanding in an effort to buy some silence from the dying spokesman. Robert Duvall tries to provide a sort of father figure as the tobacco czar keen on Naylor’s ideas, and Katie Holmes does a suitable job as the reporter looking to get her scoop by any means necessary.

No matter how good the supporting cast and script may be, the burden lies on the shoulders of Aaron Eckhart, who brings Naylor to life with just the right blend of sarcasm, arrogance, and a sense of ethical elasticity. Though it may feel like a variation of a role Eckhart has done before (particularly In The Company of Men), he has his cockiness honed in so fine that the viewer has no choice but to surrender to such a scheming schmuck, because he has pretty much earned it, personal integrity aside. While Naylor might not make the perfect antihero, audiences are less likely to support the agenda of Vermont Senator Finistirre (William H. Macy), whose intent to slap a gaudy poison warning on cigarettes and simultaneously earn some re-election support is frequently foiled by Naylor’s rather effective spin campaign.

Adapting Christopher Buckley’s 1994 novel, Reitman still keeps the material fresh over a decade later, yet manages to avoid dating himself for years to come. Although it’s hard to imagine any other ensemble pulling off the zingers with the same zest, most of the bite comes from the dialogue itself, which is equal in confidence as his direction. (It should be noted that, although nicotine does turn out to be life-saving at one point, not a single character actually smokes on screen.) One can also take comfort that Reitman never pulls any punches when lesser filmmakers would opt out with cheap conscience and resort to a false sense of last-reel redemption. The film does sag slightly before the climax, where it returns the humor to its aptly caustic level. Characters with such disregard for typical ethics or values would not, and do not, change their wicked ways overnight, which brings a refreshing consistency to their behavior throughout.

Last year’s 'Lord of War' also asked viewers to sympathize with an lead character with morals flexible enough for him to make a living as a merchant of death. Even though Nicolas Cage could certainly deliver droll dialogue, he lacked the smarmy, snarky persona that only Eckhart so effortlessly embodies, and frankly, a lot of it does have to do with his looks: that hair, that chin, those eyes, and that smile, all of which lend to him a certain arrogant charm that very few other actors can pull off. Eckhart’s grin of spin, combined with the gift of gab, ultimately allows for him (and Reitman consequently) to blow smoke wherever they damn well please. It’s cool, available, and addictive, but beware: satire this sharp may be habit-forming.

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originally posted: 04/05/06 20:38:27
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