Charlie Wilson's War on DVD (2007)

A disaster.

enfilade from York [Highly rated reviewer] , 05/02/2008

It is quite difficult to say what this film hopes to achieve. Is it to entertain? To inform? To criticise American policy, or endorse it? It is not hard to maintain, however, that whatever the aims were in the thoughts of director Mike Nichols, Charlie Wilson's War is a resounding failure.

The film - like Nichols' previous feature, Closer - lacks any meaningful character development. Before the release of the film, Tom Hanks told his prospective audience not to see his character as a morally upright man. No, he said, Wilson is supposed to an ignorant womaniser and drug abuser: a man (as he is told by the President of Pakistan) with 'substantial character flaws'. One wonders how an audience can possibly hope to reach such a conclusion when they are handed the trademark Hanks 'awkward nice guy' taken straight from his roles in Forrest Gump or Castaway. When we are ever shown what is supposedly WIlson's dark side, his dalliances are merely there for light relief.

Yet calling it ‘relief’ is too generous, however. Phillip Seymour Hoffman - proven to be an outstanding actor in recent years - is grossly misused, playing the role of the amusingly angry short guy. There is no purpose for him other than as a (poor) comedic foil to the whimpering Hanks, and one feels that with a character who is as explosively introduced as Gust Avrokotos, Hoffman could have gone to town had the script allowed for it. Instead, we are shown a stale 'romance' between Hanks and Roberts that is about as exciting as a night in watching Countdown, despite Roberts’ competence in a demanding role that requires her to smile occasionally and even deliver the odd line or two.

The whole feel of the film is wrong. Nichols clearly attempts to make some sort of commentary on the failure of American foreign policy to aid the post-war reconstruction of foreign films, yet seems petrified to do so. Instead we have a feature that entirely tows the middle ground: it appeals to conservatives who get to see the Commies get their comeuppance, while liberals can snicker at the meekly implied arrogance of the American involvement. One feels that if the film wants to make a point about something, it should go ahead and make it, rather than leaving us to infer the entire meaning of the film from Hanks’ blank expression in the closing sequence and a quote from Wilson himself (which, funnily enough, says more in 3 lines than the enitre screenplay does in 97 minutes).

No heart, a meagre script, poor performances from the leads, and a lack of engagement with any of the real issues at hand. An embarrassment: thank God for Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

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Enjoyable Entertainment

A customer from Nottingham , 12/01/2008

Having been disappointed this week with I am Legend, I was hoping that Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts could deliver what Will Smith could not. I was not disappointed. This is an interesting and entertaining film, all the moreso because it is based on a true story. Tom Hanks is superb as a Texan Congressman who tries to help Afghanistan expel the Russians from their country. It is not a war film and if you are looking for full blown action this is not for you. The film focusses more on the man (Charlie Wilson) and on American policies and the 1980s culture. A friend who watched the film with me felt it was a little Americanised and didn't reflect events that have since happened in Afghanistan, but I don't feel this took anything away from a good film.

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Charlie Wilsons war zzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

TracyW from Scotland [Highly rated reviewer] , 05/05/2008

This movie was absolutely dire, I was expecting better things from the star studded cast but this was so boring I switched it off after 30 minutes. A good movie to watch if you are having trouble sleeping at night!

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Superb!

A customer from SW London , 15/01/2008

What is it they say?Ah yes:Behind every good congressman in the US there's a glamourously rich Christian woman?

I think this sums it up for me. This film does NOT disappoint! The acting from Seymour Hoffman, Hanks and Roberts is as expected: excellent. The film really hit the mark for me because of the humour that was carefully injected into this A Class script. It wasn't so much a film about war and politics but more about what one man will do when he sets his mind to it (of course will the help of others! And goaded by a very rich influential woman in Washington). An interesting and rivetting film to watch, although the contents are perhaps questionable in certain places throughout the film. However if what you're after is a film with solidly well acted characters that keep you glued to the screen then Charlie Wilson's War is a sure bet!

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A Bit of a Disappointment

A customer from Cheshire England , 10/05/2008

On the whole I do like films that are based on fact - and although I did not actually dislike this film it won't go down as one of my favourites. I like Tom Hanks and Julie Roberts but I don't think this is one of their best pictures either.

The best you can say about it is it shows the manipulating that goes on in American politics..

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Zzz Zzz Zzz Zzz

A customer from Eastbourne, East Sussex , 03/06/2008

I did not know an awful lot about this film, however based on reviews by TV movie buffs (!), I thought we'd give it a go.

I wish we hadn't!

My partner fell asleep at around 37 minutes in to the film and then I must have nodded off at about 58 minutes gone. When i awoke, there was about 10 minutes left to go, but I just could not be bothered to rewind the last 20 minutes.

Do I need to say anything about the story? I don't think so. Watch if you're having trouble sleeping maybe?!

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