Charlie Wilson's War (Widescreen) From:Tom Hanks , Julia Roberts , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Amy Adams , Ned Beatty , UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAIN. , Mike Nichols , Universal Studios ,
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Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: DVD
Brand: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAIN.
EAN: 0025195004848
Format: Widescreen
Format: NTSC
Weight: 100 hundredths-pounds
Label: Universal Studios
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
Number Of Items: 1
Packaged Height: 60 hundredths-inches
Packaged Length: 750 hundredths-inches
Packaged Weight: 10 hundredths-pounds
Packaged Width: 510 hundredths-inches
Publisher: Universal Studios
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2008-04-22
Running Time: 102 minutes
Studio: Universal Studios
Theatrical Release Date: 2007-12-21
Product Description:
Academy Award® winners Tom Hanks Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman star in this compelling and witty film from Oscar®-winning director Mike Nichols and Primetime Emmy®-winning writer Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing). Based on the outrageous true story Charlie Wilson's War shows how one congressman who loved a good time one Houston socialite who loved a good cause and one renegade CIA agent who loved a good fight conspired to bring about the largest covert operation in history.System Requirements:Running Time: 102 minutes Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/BIOGRAPHY Rating: R UPC: 025195004848 Manufacturer No: 61100566
Customer Reviews:
1 of 1 customers found the following review helpful:
 Lighten up and enjoy the flow of the movie, 2008-06-28
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.
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