Charlie Wilson's War (Widescreen)

Most of the negative reviews didn't think the story was exciting enough or that Charlie was too flawed or that truth was mixed in with the story. To me that's the essence of why this movie is worth viewing. This is not an agenda driven film (like Oliver Stone's JFK) where Hollywood substitutes what never happened for what we know happened. Also, this is not an action movie like "The Bourne Identity". The strength of this movie is its frightening but accurate premise i.e. that a highly flawed nobody like Charlie Wilson ginned up the funding for covert operations in Afghanistan. He did it without any knowledge of the history of the region or of Islam. As Steve Coll described him in his book "Ghost Wars". "He saw the Mujahedin through the prism of his own whiskey soaked romanticism as noble savages fighting for freedom ,as almost biblical characters. Wilson used his trips to the Afgahn frontier in part to impress upon a succession of girlfriends how powerful he was( p91)." The movie is surprisingly faithful to this portrait of Charlie. Gust has perhaps the most important lines of the movie regarding the Zen Masters words after the Russians pull out. This brings the viewer to the question pertinent to today - yes, the USSR fell partly as a result of the covert war but what we created by arming and training the Mujahedin took on a life of its own that came back to bite the US. Would things have really been different if the US had stayed and built schools as suggested by Charlie?

The movie should be commended for faithfully portraying the mindset and US global outlook as it was in the 1980s. Its alarming that a single Congressman could drive foreign policy with little oversight and even less insight resulting in such profound and long lasting ramifications. It also leaves it up to the viewer to ask, knowing what we know now, was this really worth it? Would the downfall of Communism happened anyway? Reviews that praise the acting, directing and writing are correct but miss the main point that it is the story being told that is the movie's strength. Mike Nichols kept the story front and center and Aaron Sorkin's script delivers just what the title says it is - Charlie Wilson's War.

Have not been able to watch it yet. The delivery of the product was good and it was received in a very short time. Thanks. Jean

I think it important when reviewing a film to review the film as a complete work of art, being aware of current trends and opinions as well as historical accuracy, but willing to hold back political correctness and historical micro-accuracy so that the film can speak for itself. If you are willing to allow the characters to be humans with flaws and the historic events to be abbreviated and truncated so as to make a smooth flowing narrative, then you can 'go with the flow' and enjoy this well written, well directed, well acted and well intentioned film.

I found the story here to be fascinating and well presented even though it covers just the high points of a drama that actually took place over 10 years as the Mujadeddin Afghani rebels struggled to repel an invasion by the Soviet Union army at the height of the Cold War.

The story is one where a playboy US congressman from the 2nd district in Texas becomes concerned about the struggle of the Afghani's against the Soviets and becomes even more frustrated when he senses that the State Department has no real assistance plans or support for the Afghani struggle. He is aided by wealthy Houston socialite Joanne Herring as well as a frustrated rogue CIA agent, Gust Avrakolos, a 24 year veteran of the Cold War. Through their plotting and deal making and clandestine activities, they are able to increase funding to the Afghani rebels from 5 million a year to 500 million a year and to turn the tide of the war so that the Soviets were bogged down in their own Vietnam.

The acting is superb, especially by the three lead actors; Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Mike Nichol's direction is superb for we are never bored and on the edge of our seats throughout this 102 minute movie that covers over 10 years of cold war struggle. Aaron Sorkin's script is crisp, witty, and creates a cohesive narrative from a wide swath of historic events.

The central theme to me seems to be that flawed individuals can do great deeds. A playboy, hard-drinking womanizing congressman becomes genuinely concerned in the plight of the Afghani people and their under equipped rebels. A wealthy right-wing anti-Communist socialite finds just the right politician to be her partner in using her wealth and influence to open doors. A CIA agent, frustrated after 24 years of fighting cold war in a bureaucracy, is willing to take risks and work outside the system to influence the course of historic events. They succeed as a team in a way that none of them could have done alone. Sometimes working outside the system has its rewards. Sometimes flawed folks engage in great deeds.

Should we worry? Should we be concerned that similar clandestine events may be being carried out by persons of influence in high places? Of course we should be concerned and as citizens we should seek greater transparency in the operations of our government. But we have certain advantages in that for any political force moving in a direction will encounter a political force moving in the other direction. A natural system of checks and balances. Also, as flawed human beings we know that if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong, meaning that rarely do clandestine activities go as planned and remain secret, especially those that impact national security.

I suggest that you not allow this movie and actions of those in power freak you out but just enjoy a situation where a lot of pieces came together nicely for our national interests and that this tale is told cleverly and crisply.

I had been meaning to see this movie for a long time, and I'm really glad I did. I had heard a couple of less-than-glowing reviews, so I was prepared to not like certain aspects, but I found it very interesting, extremely well acted & the script was excellent. The actors seemed to riff off of one another. The dialogue was fast, witty, sharp & funny as hell! The subject matter is interesting, sadly still relevant in that there are many atrocities occurring around the world, but to catch a glimpse of some behind-the-scenes workings was intriguing & illuminating. This movie is well worth a watch, and the acting is very strong. Tom Hanks & Phillip Seymour Hoffman are both brilliant in their roles, and I really enjoyed Julia Roberts' performance too. Overall, this movie is interesting, funny, sharp, and again relevant to the world today. It doesn't sugar coat the subject matter or tie anything up in a neat little bow, it addresses flawed systems and 'solutions' and reminds us that the world is a very complicated place. A great script handled with skill.

Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands

What a wonderful story, and it's based on true events. This movie is highly recommended. It is also very well acted!!