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There is an anecdote shared on this film by Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an abrasive but dependable CIA operative, about a Zen master and a little boy in a village and how every action has short and long term effects that we can't always see right away. "We'll see", says the anecdote in the end. He shares it as some sort of reserved warning not to celebrate the victories of today too much, because we never know what will happen later.
Charlie Wilson's War follows the titular Congressman (Tom Hanks) and his efforts to support the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s. He does so with the assistance of Avrakotos and Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts), a wealthy, right-wing socialite.
This is Mike Nichols' last film. He started his career as a comedian and then a stage director, before hitting it big on film with his first two films: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Graduate (he was nominated for Best Director for both, and won for the latter). As someone who just saw both films (and Carnal Knowledge) within the last year, you can see his talent in handling personal relationships and exchanges between characters.
Charlie Wilson's War is different because the scope is bigger and the stakes are higher, perhaps? But he still puts the focus on the characters' personal relationships; particularly Wilson with Avrakotos and Herring. In that aspect, we can say the film is successful, also thanks to the sharp dialogue from screenwriter Aaron Sorkin.
The script doesn't necessarily portray Wilson as a hero, but he does maintain a light tone that plays his flaws in a more comedic tone. I wasn't particularly bothered by that, but for a film with such baggage, I can't help but think what an edgier and more serious script could've achieved.
But once again, the film is held together by great performances and chemistry from all three leads and a pretty solid script that doesn't try to shove its underlying message down our throats, but also doesn't absolve the US government from f-ucking up the endgame.
Grade:
CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR
(2007, Nichols)
The last film from any deceased director I like
(2007, Nichols)
The last film from any deceased director I like
"These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world... and then we f-ucked up the endgame."
There is an anecdote shared on this film by Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an abrasive but dependable CIA operative, about a Zen master and a little boy in a village and how every action has short and long term effects that we can't always see right away. "We'll see", says the anecdote in the end. He shares it as some sort of reserved warning not to celebrate the victories of today too much, because we never know what will happen later.
Charlie Wilson's War follows the titular Congressman (Tom Hanks) and his efforts to support the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s. He does so with the assistance of Avrakotos and Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts), a wealthy, right-wing socialite.
This is Mike Nichols' last film. He started his career as a comedian and then a stage director, before hitting it big on film with his first two films: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Graduate (he was nominated for Best Director for both, and won for the latter). As someone who just saw both films (and Carnal Knowledge) within the last year, you can see his talent in handling personal relationships and exchanges between characters.
Charlie Wilson's War is different because the scope is bigger and the stakes are higher, perhaps? But he still puts the focus on the characters' personal relationships; particularly Wilson with Avrakotos and Herring. In that aspect, we can say the film is successful, also thanks to the sharp dialogue from screenwriter Aaron Sorkin.
The script doesn't necessarily portray Wilson as a hero, but he does maintain a light tone that plays his flaws in a more comedic tone. I wasn't particularly bothered by that, but for a film with such baggage, I can't help but think what an edgier and more serious script could've achieved.
But once again, the film is held together by great performances and chemistry from all three leads and a pretty solid script that doesn't try to shove its underlying message down our throats, but also doesn't absolve the US government from f-ucking up the endgame.
Grade: