The picture is obviously a satire, but it has no sharpness, no sense of daring.

There's enough bite in the dialogue and performances to provoke a hacking cough of approval, and the laugh-out-loud moments are many, not least in scenes featuring Rob Lowe's unctuous Hollywood agent.

Aiming at all targets and hitting none of them, the movie is as harmless and inconsequential as a candy cigarette.

Thank You for Smoking may have an uneven plot and its emotional message does go astray, but it is still a thought-provoking satire on the corporate world and human dilemmas within.