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 Rated: R
Starring: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Shiri Appleby
Directed by: Mike Nichols
Charlie Wilson"s War, based on a true story, really hits home, but I am not too sure it"s in a good way. Before I go on, I want to say I thought the film was well acted, humorous in parts and the cinematography awesome.
The downside, however, is that we find out that taxpayers spent over $1 Billion on weapons and training to help the Afghans fight their war. It may have been a good cause back then, but it has come back to haunt us time and again with suspected use of the weapons we gave them being used against our troops. Kind of makes you wonder how crazy the world has become.
Charlie Wilson’s War is the true story of how a playboy congressman (Hanks), a
renegade CIA agent Gust
Avrakotos (Hoffman) and Joanne Herring
(Roberts), a beautiful Houston socialite, joined forces to lead the largest and most successful
covert operation in history. Their efforts contributed to the fall of the
Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, but with consequences that
reverberate throughout the world today.
Although the film deals with serious
subject matter, the comedy of the film comes with the method at which Wilson,
Herring and Avrakotos who have opposing personalities
accomplish their pursuit of getting the money for the Afghans, making unlikely
alliances between the Pakistanis, Israelis, and Egyptians, while courting arms
dealers, treading on diplomatic toes and breaking laws.
Hanks depicts Wilson’s flamboyance
nicely. The Oscar winner keeps the
laughs coming with his subtle innuendos and tongue-in-cheek remarks. Supporting Hanks with some very cunning
banter, Oscar winner Roberts gives an over-the-top performance as the
pretentious anti-communist Herring, showing her Texas charm and dry wit while
crusading for Afghan aid.
Above all is the performance by
Oscar winner Hoffman as the tactless and persuasive CIA agent Avrakotos who assists Wilson in getting the weapons for the Afghan
fighters by any means he can. Earlier
rejected by Commander Cravely (Slattery) for a mission he was expecting to get,
Hoffman steals the scene with an incredibly funny display of temper.
The film plays best to an adult
crowd who is not offended by nudity or offensive language. It is a great date film, especially for those
who are up on current events. You won’t
have to wait to make conversation after this one, as I can guarantee discussions will follow.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Charlie Wilson’s
War, a good film with wonderful acting about a true story that affects current
events.
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