To gear up for Road Dogs, I read Out of Sight for the first time *hangs head in shame* though the movie has long been one of my all-time favorites. After reading the book, I found it annoying that for some reason, maybe it was the producers, directors, writers, or a studio head, decided that Karen and Jack would be non-smoking characters.
For instance, when Karen’s sitting in her car at the prison, in the book she’s smoking a cigarette. In the movie, she breaks open a pack of Nicorette gum with her teeth.

Of course, there are several references in the book to Jack smoking cigarettes, but in the movie, when Snoopy tells him to “go smoke a cigarette,” Jack tells him he doesn’t smoke. Which I also found odd, because George Clooney himself is a smoker (at least was, according to an interview I saw years back).

Was this just a sign of the PC/anti-smoking times? I figured at the very least, you could depend on Hollywood to stay true to the smoking habits of Elmore’s characters.

Or maybe I’m just pissed a pack of smokes is almost six bucks here in Minnesota, thanks to the new federal tax.

I was there at the time, but have no recollection of a conscious attempt to ban cigarettes.  Scott Frank wrote the screenplay and worked closely on it with Steven Soderberg, the director.  I would credit such a change less to PC-ness and more to creating “business” for Karen.  Then maybe it just seemed logical that Clooney wouldn’t smoke.  You wish that they’d leave well enough alone, but they don’t.

Thanks for the response, Gregg. Overall, I thought Frank did a good job with the screenplay. I saw the DVD director’s commentary, with Frank and Soderberg, which is quite interesting. Here’s a nugget to chew on: Clooney shaved part of his hairline so he would look older.

Soderberg admitted he hadn’t even read the book.