Charlie Wilson's War

I'm sure the film glamourizes things a bit and at other points glosses over some of the more arcane details, and overwise gives us the "Reader's Digest Abridged" version of the actual story. But on the whole I thought it was a great film pleasure to watch.  The film's Reagan era pastiche was on a par with the swinging 60's feel of the film Catch Me if You Can. Roberts is clearly a love-her-or-hate her screen pressence, but Hanks looked like he was having a grand old time and Phillip Seymour Hoffman continues to turn in a body of work that will be worthy of a Lifetime Acheivement Academy Award in a couple of decades.

I guess I was supposed to be applauding this Charlie Wilson character. I found this movie slow moving and boring. Julia Roberts seemed miscast as the rich lady he approaches for his "cause" to help Afghanistan. did not think it was that great of a movie.

Charlie Wilson's War stars Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Amy Adams, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The move is based on the true story of the covert U.S. war in Afghanistan in the 1980's, when America was trying to prop up the Afghan government and run the Soviets out of the country. After Joanne, a rich and beautiful constituent (Roberts) impresses the gravity of the Afghan situation upon Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson (Hanks), he finds himself with a desire to help. Over the next several years, Charlie authorizes millions of U.S. dollars to quietly flow into Afghan armament and training, recruiting none other than Israel to help source weapons untraceable to America. The armament is successful, allowing Afghan troops to defeat the Soviets and drive them from the country. However, when further funding (in a much smaller amount) is then needed for infrstructure/rebuilding, Charlie is unable to marshall the support required to appropriate additional dollars. Everyone is "over" the Afg... Read more

I knew this starred Tom Hanks and had something to do with politics, but I didn't expect to enjoy nearly as much as I did! I also didn't realize it was written by Aaron Sorkin, who I really like. Tom Hanks plays a congressman in the early 80s who decides that the US isn't funding the Afghanistans enough in their fight against the Russians, so he single-handedly tries to increase their aid. The movie is almost written as a farce, except that (most) of the facts are true. It moves along quickly and is really quite funny. Philip Seymour Hoffman is his usual great self as a long-suffering CIA man, and Hanks plays a charming drunk and playboy. The Boston Globe didn't like, but I really don't know why - I thought it was a fun and entertaining movie, with some historical info that I didn't really know that much about.

I liked this movie a lot. Tom Hanks plays a heavy drinking, coke snorting, playboy congressmen that is different from most of the roles that one sees him in. He is convincing in his portrayal of Congressman Charlie Wilson. The movie is based on a true story. Congressman Wilson sees a short news clipping of Dan Rather in Afghanistan and that sets the wheels in motion for Wilson who wants to increase funding so that the Afghanistans have enough money and weapons to get the communists out of their country. He goes about raising and raising the money from the original one million dollars to several billion dollars. Amy Adams does a wonderful job as Wilson's exceptionally adept administrative assistant. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, ever the actor's actor, is great as the renegade CIA agent who comes to Wilson's aid so that Wilson has the real facts and not the spin. Julia Roberts plays a rich Houston conservative who is instrumental in getting Wilson interested in this project by ... Read more

Mike Nichols has been responsible for a number of outstanding and entertaining motion pictures including The Graduate, Catch 22, Silkwood, and Working Girl. He's also directed the occasional dud: films such as Wolf and What Planet Are You From? fall into the latter category. Unfortunately, Charlie Wilson's War is not one of Nichols' more memorable efforts. Charlie Wilson is a good old boy from Texas, devoted to booze and broads, and, incidentally, a U.S. Congressman. Being a member of Congress during the period depicted sure looks like a pretty nice job: expensive cowboy boots, lots of fun parties, all the liquor you can drink, and a staff of aides that look like they've just stepped out of a Playboy magazine. Oh, and I almost forgot that there's the occasional session of Congress where you have to spend a couple of minutes voting on some minor piece of legislation. Honestly, I had to assure myself that I wasn't watching one of Dean Martin's Matt Helm efforts from the 1960s. Congressma... Read more

Let's get this out of the way off the top: I loved Charlie Wilson's War. It was patriotic, funny, sexy, well-acted and great drama. Fabulous movie. Five stars. Kudos. Love it. That said, just wanted to let it be known that the message of this film, at least one of the sub-texts of it, did not get past me. It was made by a liberal and meant to espouse a Democrat agenda. Hollywood is not about to make conservative movies now or in the future. Charlie Wilson's War looks like a conservative movie at first, but watch closely and you will see it is something else. Yes, it is about how America, led by the CIA under the Reagan Administration, helped bring Communism, at least the Soviet variety, to its knees and end the Cold War in victory for the U.S. Hooray. Hollywood is about promoting Democrats and down-grading Republicans. Take for instance the recent spy thriller Breach. Since the beginning of time it seems, every spy who committed treason against America and the West was a Lef... Read more

love this movie then again have not seen a movie with tom hanks that I have not liked

Well written, well acted and finely directed film with strong performances by Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts (surprisingly) and an absolutely brilliant piece of work by Phillip Seymour Hoffman.The film deals with the covert funding of the Mujahideen fighters in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation of that country in the 1980's and the role played by a relatively obscure but influential playboy congressman called Charlie Wilson.Its based on the book  Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History by George Crile, which I went out and bought after seeing the film this weekend.Hanks, as Wilson, is excellent.  Witty, somewhat dissolute, and adept at the deal-making in the corridors of congress, Hanks portrayal of Wilson is thoroughly charming and believable.  Roberts, as a wealthy anti-communist socialite is also strong, and an excellent counterpoint to Hanks' role.  Many of the lesser characters are also very strong, particularly Ned Beatty, but ... Read more

Charlie Wilson's War is based on a true story about a serious subject, but the vast majority of the film is sophisticatedly funny and very witty. Excellent portrayals by Tom Hanks, as an influential playboy congressman who becomes interested in covertly helping the Afghanis fight the Russians, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, as a brilliant but cynical, acerbic, outspoken CIA analyst. Julia Roberts, in a more matronly role than usual, is good as a smart, shrewd socialite who does some of the heavy lifting for the congressman. I found myself laughing often at the clever humor throughout the first two-thirds of the film, which is where the film really shines. Then it turns serious as the covert funding and obtaining of weaponry for the Afghanis results in them chasing the Russians out of their poor, abused country. Predictably, Congress then drops the ball by refusing any further funding, even minor amounts to rebuild schools, etc., to the great dismay of Hank's character. But don't skip thi... Read more

I need to get caught up on the current movies. Martha and I caught this recently after dumping about fifty bucks on tickets, popcorn, soda, and candy. (Whew, prices are skyrocketing!) Anyhow, I actually enjoyed Julia Roberts in this flick. She played the same stupid Julia Roberts character that she always plays, but it didn't seem so bad. Tom Hanks plays Charlie Wilson, a playboy Texas Democratic Party Congressman. Charlie is in Vegas, sitting in a hot tub with a gaggle of whores, drinking and snorting cocaine. He sees Dan Rather in Afghanistan and gets interested in the fight against the USSR. Charlie has a power position, and gradually moves billions into the fight against the Russkies until they are booted out of Afghanistan. I hope part of the flick, at least is true, as it was great fun. Go see it.