Set within the final performance of a doomed radio variety show, not unlike the real A Prairie Home Companion, Keillor's surprisingly unpretentious screenplay uses a murder mystery to link the disparate acts, performers and backstage staff to the show's demise. Besides Keillor, the cast includes Tommy Lee Jones, Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Lily Tomlin, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, Virginia Madsen, a very pregnant Maya Rudolph and a convincingly mature Lindsay Lohan. The bonus features include additional scenes, extended musical performances, a making-of featurette and commentary with Altman and Kline.
Thank You for Smoking (4 stars)
Rated: R.
Price: $29.99
In this alternately hilarious and scary satire, Aaron Eckhart delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as corporate spin-doctor Nick Naylor, who literally could sell snow to the Eskimos. In this case, his mission is to convince antismoking forces that cigarette manufacturers actually are performing a public service by continuing to market their poisonous products to children and adults.
Katie Holmes plays a reporter who uses sex to persuade Naylor to give up his secrets (her nude scenes reportedly were deleted at the request of Tom Cruise), while Maria Bello and David Koechner are wonderful as Naylor's fellow lobbyists, representing alcohol and gun interests. During their weekly lunches, they swap stories and take such a perverse pride in their accomplishments that they refer to themselves as the "MOD Squad," as in "Merchants of Death." The plentiful extras are entertaining and informative.