RateItAll: The Opinion Network

Well written, well acted and finely directed film with strong performances by Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts (surprisingly) and an absolutely brilliant piece of work by Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

The film deals with the covert funding of the Mujahideen fighters in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation of that country in the 1980's and the role played by a relatively obscure but influential playboy congressman called Charlie Wilson.

Its based on the book Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History by George Crile, which I went out and bought after seeing the film this weekend.

Hanks, as Wilson, is excellent. Witty, somewhat dissolute, and adept at the deal-making in the corridors of congress, Hanks portrayal of Wilson is thoroughly charming and believable. Roberts, as a wealthy anti-communist socialite is also strong, and an excellent counterpoint to Hanks' role. Many of the lesser characters are also very strong, particularly Ned Beatty, but also Om Puri, and Amy Adams. All of the cast, however, takes a back seat to a spectacular performance by Hoffman as blunt-spoken quasi-rogue CIA analyst Gust Avrakotos, who is abrasive, brutally funny, and the mechanic to Wilson's role as paymaster.

I knock a star off because the film carefully skirts the intriguing question of the ultimate end-game of the Afghani operation. While there are a few subtleties in the dialogue that reference the long-term implications of support for folks like Bin Laden, you have to be paying attention to hear them.

Charlie Wilson's War is based on a true story about a serious subject, but the vast majority of the film is sophisticatedly funny and very witty. Excellent portrayals by Tom Hanks, as an influential playboy congressman who becomes interested in covertly helping the Afghanis fight the Russians, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, as a brilliant but cynical, acerbic, outspoken CIA analyst. Julia Roberts, in a more matronly role than usual, is good as a smart, shrewd socialite who does some of the heavy lifting for the congressman. I found myself laughing often at the clever humor throughout the first two-thirds of the film, which is where the film really shines. Then it turns serious as the covert funding and obtaining of weaponry for the Afghanis results in them chasing the Russians out of their poor, abused country. Predictably, Congress then drops the ball by refusing any further funding, even minor amounts to rebuild schools, etc., to the great dismay of Hank's character. But don't skip this movie because of the serious ending, particularly if you enjoy good, clever, witty humor.

I need to get caught up on the current movies. Martha and I caught this recently after dumping about fifty bucks on tickets, popcorn, soda, and candy. (Whew, prices are skyrocketing!)

Anyhow, I actually enjoyed Julia Roberts in this flick. She played the same stupid Julia Roberts character that she always plays, but it didn't seem so bad.

Tom Hanks plays Charlie Wilson, a playboy Texas Democratic Party Congressman. Charlie is in Vegas, sitting in a hot tub with a gaggle of whores, drinking and snorting cocaine. He sees Dan Rather in Afghanistan and gets interested in the fight against the USSR. Charlie has a power position, and gradually moves billions into the fight against the Russkies until they are booted out of Afghanistan.

I hope part of the flick, at least is true, as it was great fun. Go see it.