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Charlie Wilson's War (DVD)Overlooked in the end at the Academy Awards, and not ratcheting up the box office you'd perhaps expect of a Tom Hanks movie, Charlie Wilson's War is nonetheless a challenging, entertaining and underappreciated film, that deserves to find a bigger audience on DVD.
Starring Hanks in the title role, the strength of Charlie Wilson's War is in some talented people doing what they do best. Hanks eases into his part, as the Texas congressman who uses his extensive contacts book and unorthodox nature (which is putting it mildly) to initiate and wage a secret war. Alongside him is Julia Roberts on fine form in a small part, and the excellent Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who is at the heart of the film's best, and funniest, moments. Gluing Charlie Wilson's War together is an assured turn behind the camera from veteran director Mike Nichols. Nichols, still best known for The Graduate, is confident enough to let the comedy in a deathly serious story play out, while not shirking the drama either. It's a tender balancing act, that only flusters a little near the end. It's not a perfect film, and the tone may be a little uneasy for some. But Charlie Wilson's War is, nonetheless, a very strong piece of American cinema, that has questions to ask, and manages to entertain at the same time. Well worth discovering. --Jon Foster |
Average User Rating: 60% (18 Reviews) | |
| 4 / 5 | "Who said they couldn't bring down the Soviet empire?"
M. J. Pucci "Big Riff" (Milton Keynes, UK) - 8 April 2008 Tom Hanks' career could hardly be described as unsuccessful - he is one of only three actors ever to have seven consecutive $100million blockbusters - but his choice of roles hasn't always proved to be entirely triumphant. His recent turn as Robert Langdon in the Da Vinci Code, for example, was average at best; as one-dimensional as the film itself. And so, with very little knowledge of the 'war' in question, it was with great intrigue that I watched this, in which Hanks stars as a Democratic Texas Congressman, driven to supporting the Afghans' plight against the Soviet Union during the early 1980s. Wilson's idealism - which at times appears almost naïve - and his determination to pursue this cause, provides the film with its plot, and it is to Hanks' credit that the pace is maintained throughout. His portrayal of Wilson is a winning mixture of Southern charm, good humour, pathos, unerring resolve - and just a smidgeon of that ol' Tom Hanks' magic. Of course, the fact that he is flanked by the ever brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman and the statuesque Julia Roberts (highly convincing as Wilson's conscientious love interest, Joanne Herring) does him or the film no harm either... If nothing else, Charlie Wilson's War succeeded in piquing my interest in the Cold War and in the darker side of American foreign policy - however well-intentioned - which I have since gone away and researched in more detail (with George Crile's book of the same name being the obvious starting point). The film, however, should be judged on its own merits and personally I did not find it to be pro- or anti-American, preachy, or moralistic, but it did open my eyes to how political and military victories were - and to a certain degree, still are - achieved. It is a touch heavy on the political jargon for the average movie-goer, but the dialogue is swift and witty throughout making this an enjoyable and entertaining film, regardless of the depth of your knowledge of the period in question. Matt Pucci ... Read Full Review » |
| 4 / 5 | And Then We F*****Up The Rest Of The World
pris "pris" (New EnglandUSA) - 3 May 2008 'A liberal as well as a libertine, Charlie Wilson finds common cause (among other satisfactions) with Joanne Herring, a right-wing Houston socialite who loves Jesus and martinis and hates Communism. She is a splendid American contradiction, standing up for liberty and godliness while getting into bed (literally) with a bachelor congressman and (metaphorically) with President Zia (Om Puri), the military ruler of Pakistan. And, after all was said and done, Charlie says "And then we fucked up the rest of the world." AO Scott Charlie Wilson, was an unapologetic womanizer, cocaine user, alcohol lover and all around good guy., The kind of congressman any sane person would want to avoid. Not me, if I knew my congressman was akin to Charlie Wilson I would walk on water to see that he won office again. Charlie got things done, he had heart and he loved, what is more important in this world? Tom Hanks portrays him perfectly. Joanne Herring played by Julia Roberts is the perfect foil. A lovely blond bombshell who was intelligent and wanted to make the world a better place. She said she loved the Lord and that's how she portrayed her works to the world and to the people who she was able to enlist to help her. The winner in my mind is Philip Seymour Hoffman who plays Gust Avrakotos, a C.I.A. operative. He does not care whose feet he steps on, he just gets the job done. His ability to clear the air of any fanciful misunderstandings is well worth the price of the film. Charlie Wilson is asked by Joanne to help the Afghan's, and it is not until he visits the refugee camps that he fully understands the need. Isn't that the way it always is? He is convinced and for the next ten years he does whatever it takes to turn the first $5 million into one billion dollars. When all is said and done, however, we leave Afghanistan in a mess and of course, today we see the result to a country in chaos- the terrorists take over. "Charlie Wilson's War is a journalistic satire of realpolitik in which our jerry-rigged alliances, which looked strategic at the time, end up biting the U.S. in unforeseen ways. Hovering over the film is the audience's realization that the Afghan war, while it hastened the downfall of the Soviet Union, created the breeding ground for an arguably more toxic threat: the jihad radicals who had nothing but hatred for the West (even as they were only too happy to use its rocket launchers). It says Charlie was right to fight his war -- if only Congress had had the will to support his reconstruction dream!" Owen Gleiberman I loved the reality of this film- it was fun but with such a good message. Charlie Wilson is a man whom we would all want to be part of our lives. He actually gets things done in government. It took a woman to show him what was really needed, but once he got the fever he worked wholeheartedly for the Afghans. The film's ending was not to my liking, but I can over look that one error. Everyone should see this film, see what can be done when some one has a vision. Highly recommended. prisrob 04-24-... Read Full Review » |
| 3 / 5 | The Cold War, now available in Primary colours...
Mr. Stephen Kennedy "skenn1701a" (Doha, Qatar) - 14 June 2008 So what do you know - it's possible to make a cheerful movie about the war... Actually, the reason this movie feels so light and cheerful is that it is really about Charlie Wilson the man rather than the war. The movie tells the (based on true) story of the Texas Congressman who played a pivotal role in getting substantial funding to the Mujahedin in Afghanistan, eventually leading to the forced withdrawal of the Russians, thereby paving the way for the downfall of the Soviet Empire - as told by this movie at least. The interesting part is that Charlie Wilson was a womanizing party animal who was the last person many would have thought would tackle this issue. The cast fit the bill perfectly - Tom Hanks surprises as the drinking Congressman, sharing a hot tub with strippers doing coke.. but retains the naivete that seems to have allowed him to say `why not' when faced with the question of increasing funds to Afghan freedom fighters. The woman asking the questions is a rich, headstrong Texan woman played by Julia Roberts, and the man in the CIA actually getting the job done and providing the technical explanations, is played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. It's shot well, in bright colours and plenty of lighting so we never have a dark moment, and acting is perfectly fine throughout. There is even just a touch of acknowledgement at the end that things were not so straightforward, and a warning that with the Russians gone, and without funding rebuilding infrastructure and schools, the `crazies' would inevitably take the leading role. As of course they did. On the downside, this is really a very superficial look at the issues, and a rather one-sided look at events in history. On the plus side, it's a fun and entertaining introduction to the man and the history, that at 1hr 38 min never outlasts its welcome. ... Read Full Review » |
| 5 / 5 | Goes deeper than it first seems...
Esther Pollheim "evita23111" (inverness) - 12 March 2008 I am a massive user of Amazon and have never felt it neccesary to comment anywhere before. 'Green-man-music' seems to have completely missed the point of the film. This is a lighthearted film, and very entertainingly so I find, but in no way are the US portrayed as the good guys - the title of the film gives a clue to who might be eligible to claim this accolade. I think the film wonderfully captures the significant complexity of the situation in Afgahnistan, continuing to this day, in an entertaining manner that is understandable to the masses... at least I thought so until now. Indeed if anything the main message of this film is that the US messed up precisely because of their self perception as the hero good guys who ride in to save the helpless 3rd world country from evil oppressors, causing as many problems as they solve. The 'apple-pie' atmosphere of the film is indeed ingeniously ironic!... Read Full Review » |
| 1 / 5 | Give us your Money
Mr. Michae J. Hill - 5 June 2008 I have just thrown this DVD in the bin without even watching it. My wife and I settled down to escape into a film but all we got was Gwyneth Paltrow begging for Unicef. You could not jump past it or even select fast forward you just had to sit there and endure it. When I buy a DVD I keep it and watch it many times. There is no way that I want to be FORCED to watch this EVERY time I put the DVD in my machine.... Read Full Review » |
RRP
£20.00
Release Date
5 May 2008
Price Range
£6.49 - £15.99