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"Charlie Wilson's War'
Richard Chaitt
Aaron Sorkin, without his axe-grinder
RICHARD CHAITT
Movies that claim to be “based on a true story” ordinarily turn me off. The usual resemblance is between lightning and a lightning bug. But in this case, who cares? Charlie Wilson’s War is an engrossing, dramatic film (with comic touches, too) dealing with the fight against Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.
In 1980, Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) is a Texas Congressman from a safe district. He enjoys adult beverages, women and doing favors for fellow members of Congress. While in hot tub with strippers and a Playboy bunny, he sees something on network news that changes his life: a report about Soviet Army atrocities committed against Afghan women and children. His interest piqued, Charlie manages in short order to double funding for the armed resistance. This leads to a call from an attractive Texas right-wing socialite (Julia Roberts).
The story gets really interesting when Charlie meets a recently demoted CIA operative (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Although they take an instant dislike to each other, they nevertheless work together to accomplish their goal. The film covers in great detail how these patriots get Jews, Muslims and Christians to work together against a common enemy. In the process they orchestrate the defeat of the invincible Soviet Army.
The acting and writing (by Aaron Sorkin) is first-rate. I did find Julia Roberts’s performance overshadowed by the male leads. Amy Adams was excellent in a small role as Charlie’s chief of staff. I must also mention the attractiveness of Charlie’s female staff. Mike Nichols nicely paces the film over 97 minutes with actual news footage from that time, adding to the impact.
Unlike Sorkin’s “West Wing” TV series, here he grinds no political axes: The screenplay could have been written by a Republican (if any can still be found in Hollywood). Charlie Wilson’s War makes one wonder if both political parties can ever work together on a bipartisan foreign policy. For our country’s future, I hope so.
To read a response, click here.
RICHARD CHAITT
Movies that claim to be “based on a true story” ordinarily turn me off. The usual resemblance is between lightning and a lightning bug. But in this case, who cares? Charlie Wilson’s War is an engrossing, dramatic film (with comic touches, too) dealing with the fight against Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.
In 1980, Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) is a Texas Congressman from a safe district. He enjoys adult beverages, women and doing favors for fellow members of Congress. While in hot tub with strippers and a Playboy bunny, he sees something on network news that changes his life: a report about Soviet Army atrocities committed against Afghan women and children. His interest piqued, Charlie manages in short order to double funding for the armed resistance. This leads to a call from an attractive Texas right-wing socialite (Julia Roberts).
The story gets really interesting when Charlie meets a recently demoted CIA operative (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Although they take an instant dislike to each other, they nevertheless work together to accomplish their goal. The film covers in great detail how these patriots get Jews, Muslims and Christians to work together against a common enemy. In the process they orchestrate the defeat of the invincible Soviet Army.
The acting and writing (by Aaron Sorkin) is first-rate. I did find Julia Roberts’s performance overshadowed by the male leads. Amy Adams was excellent in a small role as Charlie’s chief of staff. I must also mention the attractiveness of Charlie’s female staff. Mike Nichols nicely paces the film over 97 minutes with actual news footage from that time, adding to the impact.
Unlike Sorkin’s “West Wing” TV series, here he grinds no political axes: The screenplay could have been written by a Republican (if any can still be found in Hollywood). Charlie Wilson’s War makes one wonder if both political parties can ever work together on a bipartisan foreign policy. For our country’s future, I hope so.
To read a response, click here.
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