Recent Reviews for Charlie Wilson's War
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MCT:July 22, 2008This was incredibly well scripted. The dialogue was truly on fire, and it delivers a political point that is as complex as it is in your face with its simplicity. Devoid of usual pathos on war, very matter of fact. Not a great fan of Tom Hanks but he is doing fine work here especially in the scenes with Phillip Seymour-Hoffman. This is what movie-making is all about!!
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MCT:July 22, 2008The road to hell is paved with good intentions. This good film illustrates the how every foreign policy decision reverberates for years and years down the road. In this true story a Texas congressman basically helps to form what is now the Taliban in Afghanistan. Phillip Seymour Hoffman kicks ass in his role as a jaded CIA operative.
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MCT:July 19, 2008
This was fantastic. Like, an actual right-wing slanted movie out of Hollywood. It captured your attention right away, REALLY good.
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MCT:July 18, 2008This movie is based on a true story, when you know that the movie felt really interesting, otherwise it felt rather slow and boring. I use to have problems with these kind of political-movies but the history touch and to learn what USA did to help the Afghanistans in the war against Sovjet was nice. Tom Hanks is good as always but I think I like Philip Seymour Hoffman even more, he's damn cool.
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MCT:July 18, 2008
An interesting take on congress and how one man can make a different. Hoffman made an outstanding performance, His has come a long way since Leap of Faith (1992). Make sure you watch the extra's on the DVD's with the Real Charlie Wilson.
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MCT:July 14, 2008
Julia Roberts' best performance- not saying much. But it fit her personality, nicely
Good story. Good acting. I can watch it again, and try to remember some of the good things that they said. Lots of sarcastic humor, and I liked it. -
MCT:July 14, 2008It's good, mostly due to Philip Seymour Hoffman and Tom Hanks who I usually don't like but lately have been for whatever reason.
Oh and Emily Blunt and Amy Adams are hot and that's important when I am determining the quality of a film. -
MCT:July 13, 2008
I wanted to see this movie after seeing an episode of Oprah Show.
When all of this was happening, I never understood it and I was really young (and it began before I was born). So it was nice to watch a film about the goings on & understand what it was all about and some of the things that happened behind the scenes.
Just goes to show that a war isn't always fought by who we think it is. A lot of the time there is somebody in the background pulling the strings. -
MCT:July 13, 2008I heard this was so weak and really not that left-wing, showing how distorted people's ideas of politics are.
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MCT:July 13, 2008
Tom Hanks makes an unconvincing and uninspiring congressman, but still delivers his magical touch anyway. The chemistry is a little unnerving and off between him and Roberts. An insipid and disappointing offering by two of the most talented in Hollywood.
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I never would have though a political war movie based on a true event could be as hilariously entertaining as it is sincerely moving. No matter where you stand politically you'll be able to enjoy the brilliant characterizations and phenomenal performances if nothing else.
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MCT:July 10, 2008
Enjoyed the movie. Learnt a few things. The ending was dissappointing but you cant edit real life and thats how it went down. Could have made the effects more clear. Minor copout by the americans with that.
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MCT:July 8, 2008
Directed By : Mike Nichols
Casts : Julia Roberts,Tom Hanks,Philip Seymour Hoffman,Amy Adams
In-One-Sentence : Smart politic satire,with overrated performance by all the casts.
The Review
From it's very first buzz of Charlie Wilson's War and it's very high-price actors,3 oscars-winner in one frame,I am already dying to see it,and now,3 minutes after I watched it(right when I wrote my review),I'm in a peak-of-dissapointment,Charlie's Wilson War should be a sleek political drama with such a high-class actors,and the result,clever script but Tom Hanks as Charlie Wilson,is just wrong,definitely a misscast.But Tom Hanks IS Tom Hanks,no matter how unfit the role to him,he always make it works and end up own the character with solid acting as usual.While,Julia Roberts is "great",She played Joanne Herring with great accent and Julia Roberts' charisma,but again,it wasn't enough to give birth to an another legendary performance like in her other movie.Philip Seymour Hoffman is the one that really "pop" in this one without feeling intimidated by his "over-the-top" co-star,and it was no doubt,this performance is one of the best supporting performance done by a male actor in 2007,even in the situation when he is in between Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks,he can still shine as his own,most brilliant performance in the scene.
Charlie Wilson's War revolves around the Cold-War,where Charlie Wilson was a bachelor congressman from Texas,His "Good Time Charlie" exterior, however, masked an extraordinary mind, a deep sense of patriotism and a passion for the underdog, and in the early 1980s the underdog was Afghanistan-which had just been brutally invaded by the Russians. Charlie's longtime friend and patron and sometime lover was Joanne Herring, one of the wealthiest women in Texas and a virulent anti-communist. Believing the American response to the Russian invasion was anemic at best, she prods Charlie into doing more for the Mujahideen (Afghan freedom fighters).The story of Charlie's Wilson War is undoubtly sharp and remarkable,as we tried so hard to leave the story without feeling what we supposed to feel?Feel good because we've just seen a man's triumph to win war over the mighty soviet,and feel really good because we've finally relieved,that this movie was not a mess,cause' when you have 3 biggest actors in Hollywood,it's so hard to keep up the story without one actor overshine the others,or vice versa,and fortunately Charlie's Wilson War is not only a starfest,like The Ocean Trilogy,but also a movie with such quality.
Charlie Wilson's war was a fun movie to watch,despite all the failure to bring up a slick satire,Charlie's Wilson War was a hit,well-written script,and has a plenty moments.There's a brilliant scene in which Charlie is conferring with Gust and his aides keep interrupting with news about his involvement in a cocaine scandal.
To finish my review,Charlie Wilson's War is nice treat from Mike Nichols,Julia Roberts,and Tom Hanks himself,a delight,and a smart entertainment in this dessert of foolish movies.
The 360 Spin : For those who noticing,the story of Charlie Wilson's War is a bridge to a even bigger scenario,such the 9/11,and terrorism as it's drafted in the movie as the Mujahidin."So, for the first time, a civilian is being given our highest recognition, that of Honored Colleague. Ladies and gentlemen of the Clandestine Services, Congressman Charles Wilson" -
MCT:July 4, 2008ok so hoffman steals every scene he's in, hanks is good, roberts is shit as always
but the film is not that good, this needs to be longer, it needs to be not so feel good, like hey! america!
wasted opportunity -
MCT:July 3, 2008
I watched this because after watching the Kite Runner my Dad suggested watching this because it gave the American view of nearly the same story. But it did not like it one bit. It?s as though they expected the viewers to read a thousand history books before watching it. It was crazy, 90% of the time I had absolutely no idea what was going on. I think the only part I understood was the religious aspect. So if you?re not a history major then back away from this movie quickly.
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MCT:July 3, 2008
Refreshing cast, only Julia Roberts is out of place. Hanks' act is different to his previous ones. This sis simply a lot better.
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MCT:July 3, 2008
I wasn't too thriilled with this movie even though I know a lot of people liked it. I wish Mike Nichols would make another film almost as good as the Graduate, but that's got to be a tough act to follow for any artist.
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MCT:July 3, 2008
Can't underestimate some people! Loved the story Charlie tells about his dog and how he came to love politics!
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MCT:July 1, 2008When I think about Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf, and of course The Graduate, I think that Mike Nichols must be one great director. But then I think about a lot of his other work, specifically Working Girl or Wolf, and I think, "Ah well." Hits and misses. A lot of misses. I think Nichols wants to do "important movies," but he just doesn't always seem to pick good projects.
Charlie Wilson's War is a kind of important idea that doesn't end up very important. Strangely enough, I have a hunch that its being based on the "true story" of how America came to train and back Afghan freedom fighters against the Soviet Union is actually the movie's downfall.
We are taken on a very superficial tour of this strange history of how the US came to actually bolster the efforts of the future terrorists who would ultimately engineer 9-11, and we see -- good -- how we helped undo the Soviets while simultaneously fostering an Afghan friction with the US -- bad -- we abandon them in their recovery.
This glossing over of a tremendously complex historical relationship is, at best, irritating. And being a light slave to the facts brings about the bog-down of dealing with some very unappealing characters, such as Julia Roberts' Joanne Herring, which just makes the whole entertainment value even less.
This really isn't very good, and I surely cannot even recommend one viewing for any fans of Tom Hanks, Amy Adams, Philip Seymour Hoffman, or, especially, Julia Roberts.
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MCT:June 30, 2008
Films about politics can be quite boring, but not this one. It's accurately based on a true story, and the Hank's, Hoffman's and Robert's characters are as well developed as they are entertaining. Not M. Nichols' best film, but it's far from being his worst.
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MCT:June 30, 2008
Charlie Wilson's War came off so well because of the brilliant acting by the always amazing Philip Seymour Hoffman. Tom Hanks carried the role of the bachelor congressman with delightful wit and clever diction. The exchanges between Hanks and Hoffman were comicial and quick yet sharp. This movie is a satire in itself , and although it was at times slow in its delivery, it was enjoyable and incredibely thought provoking. The ensemelbe cast delivered in the areas where they should of, and the plot itself unfolded well .
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MCT:June 28, 2008
Clever, fast paced, well written and thought provoking, this intriguing political satire is not only funny, but quite the acting showcase. Hanks and Hoffman play off eachother incredibly well and as the story hits closer and closer to home, it just gets more interesting. The dialogues is fast and sharp, and if it weren't for the amazing special features on the DVD, I would have thought it was pure fiction. Not so. Check out the feature on the real Charlie Wilson to see how scarily true this very clever satire really is. Oh, and Amy Adams is still gorgeous!!
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MCT:June 28, 2008
Interesting history lesson in light of the world's current situation. Really good cast but the movie was sort of slow and then short too.
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MCT:June 28, 2008
I thought this film was good but I expected more from Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks. My favourite actor and actress. Not one of best of either actors. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was brilliant in his Oscar nominated performance. In a way I am quite glad that this film wasnt a nomination for Best Picture. I was confused that this was a Golden Globe nomination for Best comedy or musical and it is neither. It is a drama film.
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MCT:June 25, 2008
Entertaining, with Aaron Sorkin's trademark snappy dialogue & a scene-stealing performance from Philip Seymour Hoffman.
