The Secret War
"Charlie Wilson's War" is a political comedy about Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson (played wonderfully by Tom Hanks). In the 1980s he developed a scheme to funnel money and weapons to Afghanistan rebels to help fight the invading Soviet Union. Mr. Wilson is the man who knows how to get things done, by knowing the right men, and knowing how to play the political system. Helping him with the weapons is eccentric CIA agent Gust Avrakotos (played hilariously by Philip Seymour Hoffman), with Joanna Herring (Julia Roberts) providing political influence in the Middle East to get Charlie in the area he needs to see in Afghanistan.

As for the movie, it is great fun, funny and warm with sympathetic characters at its center. (One suspects that the characters may have been slightly sanitized for dramatic purposes.) Hanks is brilliant as womanizer and hard partying Wilson. Despite his flaws, Wilson is highly intelligent and committed to the cause. Hoffman's Avrakotos is great too, a smart guy who is burned out by the bureaucratic system. And of course Roberts turns in an elegant performance. The cast is excellent all the way around.

If there is a problem, it is not one the film makers did, it is one of history. Everyone knows that the weapons and money the U.S. gave the rebels were eventually used against American forces in the War on Terror. I in no way hold Mr. Wilson responsible; no one could have predicted what would happen in the 1980s. But it still puts a damper on the humor of the film.

Loved it!
Of course, I love just about anything that Philip Seymore Hoffman is in. But it's the entire cast, especially Tom Hanks as Charlie that makes this flik shine. Excellent movie.

Funny, Sexy, and Downright Interesting...
When director Mike Nichols is attached to a project, actors and studios listen. From The Graduate to The Birdcage, Nichols' eye for a specific brand of snappy and broad-ranging comedy is something to be cherished and respected.

That CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR is based on actual events also makes this story all the more interesting. Taking place in the office of Congressman Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks, The Da Vinci Code), we're taken on a wild ride of political manipulation that helps defeat communist Russia during the Cold War. Now one might think that such a fantastic thing as eliminating the communist threat would come from an upstanding and righteous man. Not so. Charlie's a womanizing, drinking, and drug-sniffing man who's responsible for a little known congressional district in Texas. But he's also a damn good looking guy, and he's caught the eye of southern socialite Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts, Charlotte's Web), the sixth richest woman in Texas. She implores Charlie to go to Afghanistan and witness the atrocities being committed upon that little-known nation in the name of communism. So Charlie goes and his life is turned around. He comes home and begins pressuring his constituents to place more money and military aid to the freedom fighters in Afghanistan.

With Charlie's ideas comes a gruff CIA agent named Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote) who's abrasive demeanor and beer-gut shape is in direct contrast to Charlie's. But the two learn to cope with one another and bring victory to the Afghan fighters.

The most notable performances in the film come not from Hanks, but from Hoffman and Julia Roberts. Philip Hoffman's whip-bang line delivery is astonishing and absolutely hilarious ("What is US strategy?" "Most strictly speaking, we don't have one. But we're working on it." "Who's we?" "Me and three other guys.") And Roberts' performance was quite a surprise. She played the soft but opinionated and strong Ms. Herring exceptionally well, giving one of her finest performances to date. I also enjoyed Amy Adams' (Enchanted) role as Charlie's personal secretary. She was always in the background and always right-on target with her beauty and wit. But even she couldn't stand up to the power that is Philip Seymour Hoffman (he definitely deserved the Oscar nod he got this year for his performance here).

This is a funny, sexy, and downright interesting story that few people probably know about. One can't help but wonder what new gem Nichols might be working on now and who will be in its cast.

Fascinating version of history
Strong acting and a great plot-line captivated my attention from start to finish. I knew nothing about Charlie Wilson or the story when I sat down to watch it and whether it was all true or not, I was impressed.

Boozehound, womanizer, hero...Charlie's secret wars
Well, I guess after a couple of decades the mission goes from HUSH HUSH to RUSH RUSH lets make some entertainment $. I assure you this is no boring political docudrama. It's the account of how Congressman Charlie Wilson played an integral part in putting an end to the Cold War.

Wilson (Hanks) was the most unlikely candidate. His interests seemed more geared toward alcohol and women (Wahoo!) than political matters.
His office is filled with gorgeous ladies, which erected his saying "You can teach 'em to type, but you can't teach 'em to grow tits". Too funny!
This story is filled with interesting characters, and the acting is stellar throughout. A few people pool their resources (money, sex appeal, knowledge, contacts, political power) to turn the tides of battle, helping Afghanistan sustain and overcome the Soviet invasion.

It's amazing to think about the effects these covert operations had on the course of history. This movie also gives a somewhat indepth look at the U.S. political system. I couldn't help but get the feeling the true dark side of Mr. Wilson's life wasn't adequately exposed though. Still this movie dishes out a great deal of information in a short span, all done in entertaining fashion. Two thumbs up!