Charlie Wilson's War

I like Tom Hanks, and he is one of few actors who will draw me into the theatre regardless of any misgivings I may have concerning the film. I worried about Mr. Hanks return to "light comedy" as this is the arena where he made the transition from TV to film- remember "Big"? Well, "Charlie Wilson's War" is not light comedy. It is political satire, and extremely well-written political satire at that. The script is the star of this film, and the word-smithing by Aaron Sorkin is some of the best on offer this year.

Mike Nicols holds the entire escapade together, delivering a film that zips along in a very quick 90 minutes (timing is everything in comedy, and nothing is ever funny if it drags). Nicols' choice in sets and lighting are also very reminiscent of '70's and '80's TV, a move used deliberately to root the piece in period.

The return to the use of model work and stock photography over digital special effects also enhances the retro look and believability. Note to the production designers in your choice of stock footage: I know the difference between an F-16 and a MiG, and a Bell and a Hind. But that may have been part of the joke, too.

I saw this film in Philadelphia. It was interesting to watch and listen to the audience NOT get the historical references to their own history. History tends to repeat because the recidivists have forgotten what happened the first time around.

Kudos to both Mr. Hanks and that chameleon Phillip Seymore Hoffman. Sorkin's script is brought to life by these actors, and the entire production team is on the top of their game.

Heartily recommended.

Told in flashback, the film opens in 1989 with Charlie being given award for his role in the defeat of Communism. I must admit my heart sank as at the thought of have to endure yet another earnest, somewhat boring and overlong life story. How wrong was I, because that short scene is as close as the film ever gets to boring.

The film is full of entertaining & amusing set ups and cracking dialogue in some of the most unexpected places. The next scene after the Awards ceremony is Charlie in a Hot-Tub with some naked women and a guy trying to get him to invest in a TV programme. Another rather amusing scene is about 3 quarters into the film comprises Charlie, a group of his rather sexy Secretaries, Phillip Seymour Hoffmans CIA Man and a bottle of Whisky. As to dialogue what about this for a line, "The Senator says, He can teach us to type but can't teach us to grow Tits.". OK, School-boyish I know but the film is laced with great lines.

As to performances well Phillip Seymour Hoffman as usual steals every scene he's in. Hanks is OK but surprisingly to me anyway was Julia Roberts who is very good in the role of a rather eccentric Texas Oil Millionairess.

Charlie Wilson's War is one of the best non Musician Bio-pics in a long while as well as being that rare thing a film that entertains, amuses as well as informs all in equal measure.

What saddens me most of all is how we fold reality into simple stories. It it isn't just movies of course, every political decision by anyone is based on fabricated but palatable reality. Its both the lesson of this movie and its own undoing because it breaks its only reason to be: that it is true.

We have things that happen. When these happenings involve humans, they are based on stories, stories about gods and tribes mostly. When we explain then to ourselves (by explaining to others), they go through further refinement and become more perfect as concise stories. And when Hollywood finally arrives, those already polished, but useless artifacts get further processed, strained and arranged to be not only stories we understand, but that work dramatically (so as to satisfy market forces).

Few shapers of film stories are better suited to this than Mike Nichols. This film does work in enough of the basics, mostly carried by Hoffman's lines and delivery. But its reason to exist is that it somehow mirrors reality. And it does so far as showing a few dots, but the way they are connected is less fettered by truth than the necessity of having a clean package.

Its all part of the great disappointment of filmmakers who have the ability to reach deep into souls and affect us, but who seem to merely be incessantly practicing.

I believe it wouldn't be as easy for us to create fake realities if we didn't have all these attractive confections from Hollywood. (That same Hollywood that is the stuff of a similar fake reality: that it is "liberal.")

The CIA doesn't care much for the permission or funding of Congress. The House isn't where the connection was in those days anyway. The business about Israel's participation was all wrong and involved South African complexities. The Texas motivations were profoundly stupid then as now in their God-centric notions of fate, and having nothing to do with the plight of refugees. Charlie Wilson is a dope. The Texas hussy had nothing to do with the story unless you ask her. The Agency did spend significant energy on the "endgame" to be flummoxed by successive administrations. The US had far less to do with Talibanizing than the Saudis and Pakistanis who arranged most of the weapons.

But who cares, if we can fantasize about the world being changed by a night of sex between Tom and Julia?

There are two good actresses here: Blunt and Adams. Their scenes matter. As with the Nichols formula, there's one breathtaking cinematic effect. We have our first shooting down of Soviet copters, set up expertly by introducing us to both evil mechanized Soviets and wildeyed Afgan idiots. A copter crashes in a narrow street and that street morphs to Amy Adams' sexy legs, then her exaggeratedly sexy butt as we follow her, camera panning up to a redheaded ponytail perkily bouncing. She is on her way to report this joyful carnage.

Oh if we could only would reward this skill if it were turned to art instead of decor.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

An enjoyable film with Tom Hanks giving his usual polished performance as well as a very good contribution from the late Seymour Hoffman. It tells the story of a larger than life US Congressman who after a visit to Afghanistan decides to use all he's political skills and contacts to raise money in Washington to covertly support the Mujahideen against the Russians. There is more than a hint of poetic licence used in the film, which I felt at times was more of a black comedy than a serious drama.

Nice to see a comedy for grown ups. Masterfully structured by Aaron Sorkin via Mike Nichols's own mastery. Mr Nichol's mastery is to present characters in all their shocking truth, from the sad and riveting Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf" to the sad and riveting Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Jude Law and Natalie Portman in "Closer". In "Charlie Wilson's War" the shocking truth is outside the characters and the sad and riveting Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams are at the service of something else, it's personal only to a point. Hanks has to bury his brilliance in single malts and Julia Roberts throws parties and introduces characters with blatant straightforwardness. Amy Adams witnesses and exist as a character, witnessing. An insurmountable task that Miss Adams manages to surmount, beautifully. It is Philip Seymour Hoffman's Gus with a t, however, that monopolized my attention. His character may not be a first but it is a first the way that Hoffman presented him to us. Someone who survives the disregard with which he's treated by the absolute conviction that he's smarter than all of them put together. Hoffman is superb. The pacing of the tale helps enormously not to fall in a myriad of useless questions. A sharp, short, smart, sad comedy and when was the last time I was able to say that?