There are slim pickins at the budget theater these days, which is fine since I should be studying for my comps anyways. But I did manage to head over there and catch Charlie Wilson's War, since it's one of the last few notable films from the '07 holiday season that I had not seen yet.
It's actually been a few days now, since I've seen it, so I hope I can remember everything about it. I make that caveat in particular with this film, because of how shockingly unremarkable the film ended up being. I was stunned that a film that boasted a cast of Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, and Philip Seymour Hoffman and had a politically charged plot could be so forgettable.
For the unaware, the film is about a Texas democratic congressman (Hanks), who manages to get our government to supply Afghans with weapons, so that they could defeat the Soviets during the Cold War. Charlie Wilson may not have been a well known figure before this film, but given how his efforts have had such an impact on global politics, it is easy to understand why a film would be made about him.
The film moves along briskly as we see Wilson scheme and schmooze people in order to get these weapons to Afghanistan. As I watched the events unfold I was struck by how easy everything seemed to fall into place. By the way things were portrayed in the film, he never really faced any true conflict in getting this done. I have no problem with this (for all I know, it really was that easy), except that the director then opts not to hammer home the significance of Wilson's actions. There are a few scene at the end which show Wilson having some mixed emotions about what he's done, but I didn't find that sufficient.
The tone of the film just felt off to me. The director seemed more content with having the characters engage in witty banter rather than give any thought to the implications of their actions. Instead of trying to depict Wilson as a political hero or villain, they opt to instead focus more of the fact that he's a drunk and a womanizer.
This is not a well-known chapter of U.S. history, so if you're going to make a film about it, why trivialize it more than what it already is? If you want your audience to reflect on Wilson's actions and realize how different things would have been had he not been successful, then do a better job of giving these events some significance. Frankly, I think it would have been better had they opted for a fictionalized version of this story. A lot of the same points would have been made without the burden of doing any injustice to the people you're portraying.
I will say that while I think the tone of this movie is way off, it is still somewhat enjoyable; mostly as a result of the lead performances. Tom Hanks can't deliver a bad performance and he's entertaining here in a sleezier than normal character. Julia Roberts is also delightful in a small role as a Conservative lobbyist (plus she still looks damn good in a bikini). What surprised me, though, was the excellent performances by two actors that I typically don't care for. Amy Adams (who's typically too saccharine for my liking) is actually really good here playing one of Wilson's many secretaries. And Philip Seymour Hoffman (who I've slowly started to come around and see his brilliance) is just fantastic as Gust, who works for the CIA and helps Charlie know what type of weaponry will be needed to defeat the Soviets. I fully agree with him getting an Oscar nomination for this role.
At 97 minutes, the movie never overstays it's welcome and keeps you engaged the entire time. However, that engagement only works if you're there to watch a light political farce. If that suits you, you should enjoy this just fine. However, if you're interested in finding deeper meaning behind Charlie Wilson's actions, you'll have to rely on yourself to provide them because the film offers none. At a time when so many in Hollywood seem all too enthusiastic to espouse their political opinions, it is stunning that this film decides to ride the fence between escapism and making a statement. Grade: B-
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