By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Mike Nichols
Starring: Julia Roberts | Philip Seymour Hoffman | Tom Hanks
Country: united_states
Year: 2007
Running time: 97
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472062/
Bruce says: “CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR is not a film I was looking forward to seeing. To my surprise it was my favorite among the Hollywood year-end fare. Had I thought it through I might have not been so surprised. After all, Aaron Sorkin (A FEW GOOD MEN, THE WEST WING, SPORTS NIGHT) wrote the screenplay and it is every bit as smart as his past work might suggest. This film excels in every way but one so I’ll get my single beef on the table before getting on with it – Mike Nichols is an excellent storyteller but his films tend to lack creative visual excitement. CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR unfortunately fits the mold.
“The most important piece of information going into this film is that it is a true story which Sorkin adapted from George Crile’s
book Charlie Wilson’s War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times. For those who think that political events are methodically shaped from detailed research, logical thinking, and exhaustive investigation on the part of the many subject matter experts available to various Washington institutions, think again.
“Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) is a cokehead who fancies hookers at night and, by day, a bevy of beauties decorating his Congressional Office. He hails from a district that has no particular agenda, no needs. He doesn’t owe anyone in Washington; almost every Representative is in debt to him for some vote he cast in their favor. Add to the mix (i) a CIA agent (Philip Seymour Hoffman) disgruntled because he has bothered to learn Finnish and has been passed over for an assignment in Finland that should have rightfully been his and (ii) a promiscuous bible-banging Texas matron (the sixth wealthiest, we are told) waging a personal crusade to save the Afghanis from the throes of Communism (that’s with a capital C, of course). Together the three – with the help of a few others and innumerous political paybacks – mastermind an effort to buy a billion dollars worth of military weapons capable of shooting down Russian planes that are bombing and destroying Afghanistan. What boggles the mind even more is that the scheme involves both Saudi Arabia and Israel as willing partners. In addition, this activity is essentially covert; no official war is declared on any country.
“CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR constantly entertains. Nichols plays out the story as part comedy, part thriller. Both Hanks and Julia Roberts who plays Texan Joanne Herring are excellent. The raucous moments are largely generated by Hoffman reflecting the wry humor of CIA agent Gust Avrakotos. Hoffman, the consummate actor, is every bit as good a comedian as he is a dramatic actor. 5 cats”