Reviewed by Glenn Gaslin Directed by Jason Reitman. Starring Aaron Eckhart, Maria Bello, Adam Brody, Sam Elliott, Katie Holmes, Rob Lowe, William H. Macy, Robert Duvall. Released by Fox Searchlight. Production Budget: $6.5 million. Box office: $25 million (U.S.), $29 million (worldwide).
It's sly, hilarious, and the stellar cast chews and eschews death, media, fatherhood and firearms. Heck, the hero's even a smooth-talking tobacco lobbyist who's teaching his son to spin and spin and spin. "Pays the mortgage," see. But despite a wink here or there, this tale's all heart and truth - it might as well be an instructional video on how the powerful lie to the public and get away with it. A son seeing his Marlboro-apologist father as a hero may be sweet at first, but there's something sour as he uses his new skills to trump debate partners and hoodwink teachers. What at first seems larger-than-life starts ringing more true and more funny and more painful. Even satire of the most outlandish event - such as a talent agent (Rob Lowe) taking a bribe to ensure Brad Pitt takes a post-coital cigarette puff in a sci-fi flick - is all too real. Laugh if you want, but this is serious business. |
