Run Time: 1 hr. 37 min.
Rating: R – Strong Language,
nudity, drug usage, some violence
Cast: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts,
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty
Director: Mike Nichols
Genre: Political Drama,
Docudrama, Drama
God Julia Roberts is looking horsier than ever. Especially
on the big screen! Okay I just wanted to get that out of the way.
The first review out of my holiday movie marathon is Mike
Nichols’ Charlie Wilson’s War. This is
an unexpected gem of a movie with a particularly strong acting from Tom Hanks
and Peter Scolari…kidding. I love throwing a Bosom Buddies reference in there. Actually Hanks is joined by a
nominee-worthy performance – in my opinion – from Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Charlie Wilson (Hanks) is a boozing, womanizing Senator from
Texas whose biggest achievement is getting re-elected five times and collecting
a huge amount of IOU’s from various senators and interest groups. Playboy
playmates and strippers who basically double as secretaries surround him
Charlie is persuaded by Julia (thank god she doesn’t do that
horrible laugh) Roberts’ Joanne Herring, who is the sixth richest woman in his
district, to look into the Soviet Union’s brutal attacks in Afghanistan. After
a trip to the war-torn country, Charlie comes back convinced he has to do
something. He gets the help he needs in the form of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s
Gust Avrakotos, a CIA operative who is bitter for
being overlooked for a promotion.
Together, the two set out to help
the Afghan rebels fend off the Soviet Army by supplying them with weapons and
training. Although successful,
Wilson predicts, and rightly so, a deadly scenario once the US pulls out –
events that will lead to the rise of The Taliban and Osama bin Laden.
Um, what else can I say? This is a
movie designed to win Oscars. Although entertaining and paced well, there is
somewhat of a letdown. This happens sometimes when a film is loaded with star
power. The performances are all top notch…yes even Julia Roberts is good. But
then again she isn’t seen that much so maybe that’s why! Tom Hanks is likable as the playboy
senator and his scenes with Hoffman are both endearing and sometimes comical.
The introduction of the two characters to each other is memorable and fun.
The last scene is what really got
me in Charlie Wilson’s War. The
chilling and ominous speech by Hanks to his sub-committee is worth the hour and
37 minutes alone. Amy Adams,
coming off a winning performance in Enchanted, is also great as the senator’s aide. Plus special thanks
goes out to the DP for capturing her ass in a long walk down!
The pace is quick and the
dialogue, penned by Aaron Sorkin, is quite good. He avoids letting this
material become too dry, which is what can happen in these sorts of docudramas.
That is probably due to he and Nichols using broad strokes from George Criles’
autobiography of Charlie Wilson. The score, by James Newton Howard, is also
worth noting.
With so many films today running
on autopilot, it is easy to forget a well-written movie. And Charlie
Wilson’s War has it all – drama, suspense
and humor.
And most of all, not that much
Julia Roberts!
Three Ball and a half Point Pens.