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| Charlie Wilson's War | 
| Category: Movie
This item is no longer available
Avg. Customer Rating:  131 reviews
Sales Rank: 9818
Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: Video On Demand
Running Time: 103 minutes
ASIN: B001688V2E
Theatrical Release Date: December 21, 2007
Release Date: October 6, 2008
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| Customer Reviews:
All's Fair in Love (Sex,Booze.Politics) and War! December 29, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
If one thing can be said about the world of politics as far as the colorful Texas Congressman Charles Wilson goes then it would be "All's fair in love,sex, booze,politics and war! Screenwriter Alan Sorkin and director Mike Nichols has made sure that the motto of this film is F-U-N as they merrily march us through the seriousness of the Soviet pushback from Afghanistan with swiftness and focus in a beautifully clocked in 97 minute romp.They do so through four overdone and overblown and quite unlikely (especially in post 9-11) subjects;(1)the unapologetically brash blowhard,Congressman Charlie Wilson with booze in hand and babes in tow,(2)Joanne Herring,a communist-hating Houston Socialite who loves Jesus as much as a good plow in the sack,(3) Gustav Avrakotos, a hot-blooded Greek C.I.A operative, who,with Wilson, concocts a plan involving Pakistan,Israel an exotic belly dancer and (4) an agreeable House Committee Chairman to aid Afghanistan in pushing away Soviet aggressors out of their country.( I must add here, though, that after I saw this thoroughly entertaining farce, I pondered the deeper implications of it all for the present state of affairs which sobered me and brought me down....but that's another review!)
Actors Tom Hanks,Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ned Beatty respectively are the players in this throwback to the 1980's when libertines could also be heroes.There is nothing saintly about these wild and woolly characters that considered pleasure and politics to be part of the game.This film simply refuses to turn glib or flippant with the serious subject matter at hand.......and did I mention that this is only 97 minutes long?....yes I did, but I will say it again-it is only 97 minutes long (96 if you don't wait for the final "Distributed by Universal Pictures that hogs the final minute!!! What's with that?)
 Best Film of 2007, Hands Down December 28, 2007
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
Henry A. Kissinger said, "Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation."
Well, here's a dream team: Aaron Sorkin and Mike Nichols, PLUS Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. Aaron Sorkin is fixated (in a healthy way) on making real-world politics entertaining for us. His gift of "The West Wing" produced some of the best, most intelligent TV we've had in years. Mike Nichols adds a sensibility of unsparing appraisal of complex, flawed human beings.
Tom Hanks is so strong here - I'd say it's his best performance since Forrest Gump. Julia Roberts is wonderful, too, and really looks great in a bathing suit.
So, exactly how could a "covert war," waged by a coke-sniffing libertine and a crazed CIA agent, be one of the most morally courageous and successful things our country has done in the last half of the twentieth century?
And, if Sorkin/Nichols are stereotyped as "liberals," how can they celebrate this right-wing accomplishment as they do here?
Watch this fantastic film to find out. Gain an understanding of the enormous power our nation has at its disposal, and learn how that power also brings an enormous moral esponsbility. And, gain real depth in understanding the complexities of a part of the world that's so hard for us Westerners to understand.
If this does not take Best Picture of 2007, it's because Charlie Wilson somehow persuaded the Motion Picture Academy people otherwise...
Sobering Political Critique December 28, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Sorkin is back in West Wing form in this brilliantly written political satire -- only it's not really a satire, so much as it is a sobering critique on our nation's near-sighted vision. Unfortunately, Hanks and Roberts fail to distance themselves from their 90's personas, but at least viewers get to enjoy Hoffman devour a role that's sure to get him nominated for an Oscar. (8/10)
Party-ing Politics December 27, 2007
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Back in the days before the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, a slick Democrat Congressman from Lufkin, Texas named Charlie Wilson almost single-handedly insured that the Afghans had the fire power necessary to rip the invading Soviet air force to shreds. Don't know about you, but I remember news footage of Soviet troops retreating from Afghanistan, but I never heard the name Charles Nesbitt Wilson until just a few days ago.
Director Mike Nichols along with screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (West Wing) gives us a fast-paced, never-boring hour-and-a-half romp that takes us on a magical carpet ride from the moment Charlie becomes aware of the Afghans plight---this bell went off in his head amidst the clinking of ice in a Scotch tumbler in a Las Vegas hot tub with a bevy of buxom strippers - to the ecstatic moment of mujahedeen rejoicing with victory arm-raised anti-aircraft weaponry. Thankfully, Nichols and Sorkin don't annoy us with any sanctimonious dribble or agenda conscious propaganda with regard to the upcoming 2008 presidential campaigns. Instead they tell a thoroughly enjoyable tall but nevertheless true tale of the high flying world of politicians, covert agents, world leaders, rich altruistic benefactresses and a few big breasted, tight-skirted bimbettes that crumble willingly in the presence of Washington power.
The usually good guy persona of Tom Hanks gets traded in for that of the overblown high drinking roue, Charlie Wilson, that surrounds himself with hot girls and aged single malt 24/7. Hanks must have had a ball with this role--he looks easy and relaxed--in a paunchy second skin that fits about him like the fumes emitted from the high octane gas pump. As he rolls with the punches on the Hill, Hanks as Wilson especially sparkles while volleying intelligent zingers back and forth with Philip Seymour Hoffman who plays rough and ready CIA operative, Gust Avrakotos. Together, Hanks and Hoffman deftly maneuver the film through scenes with heads of state who historically do nothing but butt heads, effervescent cocktail parties and fund raisers where church-going Christian zealots pull out the stops to ensure a jihad that stamps out the spread of communism, and midnight meetings of white-shirted chess-playing nerds that phases out a battle in the Cold War with dollars and ingenuity. Along with Hanks and Hoffman, Julia Roberts stands tall as the indomitable Joanne Herring, a Texas heiress intent of foiling the Soviet Union with Southern Baptist good time religion, international influence and plenty of bucks. Despite the frou-frou hair, Julia does what she does best---creates, albeit humorously, a Julia manikin that seems larger than life. While stealing every scene with her big hair, big teeth and sly eyes, she wields more power than any of the men, wrapping them all around her little finger with the finesse of the Hope diamond.
Bottom line? "Charlie Wilson's War" gallops through the story of how the Afghan resistance caged the mighty Soviet bear with the covert help of an extremely functional triumvirate consisting of Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Mixing two parts sex with three parts booze and 3oo million parts black appropriations concocts a Molotov cocktail that skyrockets enough Soviet Mil Mi-24 helicopters to the moon while depicting diplomacy and politics at their humorous and implemental best. Fast and fun, this film is recommended to all those who like their history neat without a beer chaser.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"
Bring Down Those Helicopters! December 27, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Formerly a Democratic U.S. Representative from Texas' 2nd congressional district, Charlie Wilson is known for getting Congress to support the arming of the Afghan Mujahideen during the Afghan-Soviet War. It can be argued that Wilson's actions helped to end the Cold War: because he convinced Congress to fund the effort, the fighters in Afghanistan received a number of weapons, and because of that, the Russians were defeated. But there's more to Wilson than this. In fact, he's more known for his personality than his politics; he was quite the drinker and ladies' man, earning him the nickname "Good Time" Charlie. If Mike Nichols' "Charlie Wilson's War" is any indication, then he must have been an incredibly charming man with character flaws that made him more endearing than off-putting. Tom Hanks plays the title character with subdued style, allowing the smooth talking liberal to seem that much more realistic.
What makes this movie all the more interesting is that it takes a serious historical event and actually makes it funny. I initially didn't see how such a thing would be possible, but then I remembered such films as "Wag the Dog" and "Man of the Year" and realized that politics are actually a laugh riot. What makes "Charlie Wilson's War" even funnier is that it's based on actual fact--the politics are not satirized, but representative of real people, places, and events. This is a sharp, intelligent comedy that doesn't create humor so much as it shows it was there to begin with.
The film begins in 1980 with Wilson visiting a friend in Las Vegas. As he sits completely naked in a hot tub--along with a group of completely naked strippers and coke-snorting TV executive Paul Brown (Brian Markinson)--he watches a television displaying coverage of the crisis in Afghanistan. This must of kick started the wheels in his head; not long afterwards, he learns that the Afghans need more effective weapons to shoot down Russian helicopters, which have caused the most damage in the area. Wilson, who was once on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, decides to help in the war effort. But there are two problems: (1) the current war budget is set at $5 million, which isn't nearly enough; (2) it would be unwise to risk having American-made weapons discovered in the hands of the Afghans.
In order to solve the budget problem, Wilson convinces Congress to continually increase the budget (starting at $10 million and gradually increasing all the way up to $1 billion). He also follows the advice of his romantic interest--the conservative, anti-communist Texas millionaire Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts)--and flies to Pakistan to meet President Zia (Om Puri). He urges Wilson to visit the refugee camps, which are sprawling and filled with despair; I distinctly remember a moment with he speaks with two children, both of whom fell victim to miniature bombs made to look shiny and fun, much like toys. As it would for most people, seeing this convinces Wilson that something drastic needs to be done, something that will bring an end to the Afghan-Soviet War.
But solving the weapon problem won't be so easy. Herring makes a radical suggestion: the Afghan suppliers should be the Israelis, who have a wealth of anti-aircraft weapons (which, ironically, were produced in the Soviet Union). The idea of Afghans and Israelis working together is nearly impossible to conceive, especially for Wilson. Upon returning to the United States, he gets help from Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a perpetually frustrated CIA agent; he arranges for Wilson to meet an Israeli weapons dealer, and the two come to an understanding while a Texas belly dancer performs. Apparently, belly dancing had always been her dream.
It's this sense of political ridiculousness that makes "Charlie Wilson's War" a thoroughly entertaining, humorous film. Consider the fact that young women with ample breasts staff Wilson's office, and yes, they're very good employees. Also consider a supporting performance by Amy Adams--she plays Bonnie Bach, Wilson's personal assistant. She balances the film nicely, adding to the realism that much more. But it's the overall sense of political game playing that made this work so well; Charlie Wilson was a flawed man who got results, but in the end, it's unclear as to whether or not the results were wanted. Yes, the Afghan-Soviet War ended, but at what cost? Remember that the Freedom Fighters we helped have since become the Taliban. Did we, in fact, do more harm than good back in the 1980s? I definitely can't answer that question, and considering the current state of the world, I don't think Charlie Wilson can, either.
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