Thank you for Smoking

So, I’ve been away for a couple of years and am a little behind with movies. As a PR student my boyfriend thought I should watch “Thank you for Smoking.” I thoroughly enjoyed it and will try and understand why.
I thought the main character, Nick Naylor, a professional lobbyist for cigarettes, was just incredible at his job. In the opening clip, he’s on a talk show with other 4 other guests: a Mother Against Teen Smoking rep., a Chairwoman of the Lung Association, a top aide from the Health and Human Services and last, but not least, Cancer Boy. Besides being quite humorous, watching Naylor manipulate the conversation is intriguing and praiseworthy. He actually gets the audience to turn on the top aide from the Health and Human Services, explaining that he would benefit from the death of Cancer Boy, as it would provide him with more money for research. On the other hand, the smoking companies want their customers to live, to obviously spend more money. He does have a point! Throughout the movie Naylor continues to spin various situations, all leaving me in awe. He lectures at a school and justifies smoking by telling them to “think for themselves. In stead of acting like sheep when it comes to cigarettes you should find out for yourself.” His choice of words and the angle he takes on defending smoking is that of the best manipulators I’ve ever seen.
Naylor describes his job to his son, as, “Spin Control. That’s where I come in. I get paid to talk. I don’t have an MD or law degree. I have a bachelor in kicking ass and taking names.” He explains himself as someone with “moral flexibility.” “Michael Jordan plays ball. Charles Manson kills people. I talk. Everyone has a talent.” He also explains, “If you argue correct you’re never wrong. I don’t have to prove that I’m right. I just have to prove that you’re wrong.” Another one of my favourite quotes definitely worth noting is: “You know that guy who can pick up any girl? I’m him, on crack!”

By the end of the movie, we actually end up feeling sympathy for this “crook” which just proves how truly amazing he is at his job.
I think any person getting into PR, would benefit from watching this movie. Speech is an art, which Nick Naylor has mastered. Listen and learn kids!