Thank You for Smoking
Directed by Jason Reitman
Jason Reitman (son of Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman) is Hollywood royalty-but it still took him five years to get his first feature, Thank You For Smoking (based on Christopher Buckley's novel about a tobacco industry spokesperson) into production.
"People think my being the son of a famous filmmaker has given me advantages, but nepotism didn't help me make this movie. All the studios turned me down," says Reitman the younger. "But, if you're a famous person's son, people assume you're talentless, that you don't have the goods. At least, that's how I see it-famous people's children are usually spoiled brats with drug problems. So I'm in a bad apple group, and that's a hard-to-avoid stereotype. I did grow up on sets, so I was comfortable in that circus-like atmosphere that scares the shit out of most first-time directors."
MERIN: How did you happen on to this project?
REITMAN: I fell in love with Chris' book in the late '90s, but Mel Gibson's company had bought the film rights while it was still in galleys. They wanted it to be a big budget Mel Gibson comedy. They hired high profile comedy writers-but it didn't work because, basically you can't spend $50 million to make light of lung cancer.
At the time, I was directing shorts. When I won some festival awards, I got an agent who asked what I'd like to do. I said Thank You for Smoking. He put me in a room with Mel Gibson's people, and I pitched myheart out-which is unlike me.
I said, "You're fucking this up by trying for Liar Liar, when you should be making Citizen Ruth."
They bought the pitch. That weekend, I wrote the first act. They dug it, hired me for scale. I finished the script in a few months, turned it in, and they were thrilled. I even got a call from Mel Gibson. We talked for half an hour. He said I'd done what he'd been looking for-unapologetic attitude. This is pre-Christ Mel. I thought, OK, now I can make my movie.
It was all set. The rest must have been easy.
I never heard from him again. That was 2001. The studios wouldn't touch my script. It was a $5 million film, but $1 million had been spent on other writers. Also, everyone wanted to change the ending. I expected that from major studios, but indies, too? I hated it.
Years passed. I directed commercials, wrote a screenplay for Fox. One day, [Producer] David Sacks called me. He was new to Hollywood-a PayPal partner who'd sold the company and wanted to make movies.
I went to his house-it's where they shot Pulp Fiction. He'd just moved in, had no furniture; we sat on folding chairs. Unlike many rich people-who want to make teen summer camp movies so they can meet chicks-David wanted to make serious movies.
Now, I had a guy with a checkbook saying he wants to make my movie, but Gibson and Warner Bros. won't sell the rights. It's Hollywood tradition: People will eat costs rather than see someone else have a success, showing they'd made a mistake.
It took a year, but they finally gave in. Then, everything moved quickly. In two months, we were cast and shooting.
How'd you get your all-star cast?
They signed because they loved Chris' dialogue and wanted to do this movie. Aaron Eckhart was first, then Robert Duval. They're so respected, signing the others was easy.
Our schedule had different actors on set each week. Bill Macy, then Sam Elliott, Katie Holmes, Maria Bello. All had more experience than I did. Having them look to me for direction was completely intimidating. I mean, Robert Duval was nominated for an Oscar for directing! But it went well. With Duval, all I'd say is "action" and "cut." Then he'd say, "That was a good one." I'd say, "You're right. Let's move on."
The film's hilarious, but does it have a serious political message, too?
It's not an overtly political film, but it has a moral-taking responsibility for your actions and teaching your children to think independently so when they're older they can make decisions themselves. It's what Nick Naylor [played by Aaron Eckhart] tells his son: Murderers deserve public defenders and vilified corporations need white knights-like Nick.
Did you discuss politics with Buckley and Sacks?
Chris, David and I are all libertarian to different extents. None of us want to privatize the fire department, but we all believe in personal choice. These days, that seems to make us seem conservative.
Did you ever smoke?
When I was 15, but I stopped because it hurt too much. I was soft, couldn't take it.
Are any of the cast smokers?
Nobody smokes in the movie. Maria Bello smokes. I think most of the cast smoked previously, but they no longer do. You can't smoke in Los Angeles. It's illegal.