Charlie Wilson’s War
Lissa Coffey
Grade: B
| Mike Nichols is one of my favorite directors, and he doesn’t disappoint in “Charlie Wilson’s War.” Based on a true story, Charlie Wilson (played perfectly by Tom Hanks) is a United States Congressman from Texas. He meets up with a Texas socialite (Julia Roberts) who entices him to take on a challenging covert mission – to fund the Afghans in their fight against the Soviets by providing weaponry and training. What starts as a budget of 5 million dollars pretty quickly grows to 500 million when he brings other politicians on board and they see the good that they can do in this war-stricken area.
Sassy banter between these two major stars is the highlight of the film. Aaron Sorkin, who is so good at political comedy, wrote the screenplay. Another quick history lesson – one that we all wish had ended on a better note, given what we know has happened since then. |