Charlie Wilson's War [WS]

Director: Mike Nichols Mike Nichols

Overview

Produced by Tom Hanks, written by Aaron Sorkin, and directed by Mike Nichols, this adaptation of George Crile III's incendiary bestseller tells the remarkable story of the Texas congressman whose efforts to prevent the Red Army from overtaking Afghanistan eventually led to the collapse of the Soviet Union while simultaneously fueling the rise of radical Islam. In the early 1980s, a hastily assembled army of Afghan "freedom fighters" achieved the remarkable feat of fending off Soviet invaders despite the fact that the odds were overwhelmingly stacked against them. At the time, Texas congressman Charlie Wilson (Hanks) was a key member of the hugely powerful House Appropriations Committee. Illuminated to the specifics of this remarkable war by a high-profile Houston socialite, Wilson spearheaded an effort to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in weapons and training to the Mujahideen with more than a little help from brilliant but prickly CIA operative Gust Avrokotos.

Product Details

Release Date:	04/22/2008
UPC:	0025195004848
Original Release:	2007
Rating:	R
Source:	STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVS LLC
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:42:00
Sales rank:	39,217

Special Features

The Making of Charlie Wilson's War; Who Is Charlie Wilson?

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Tom Hanks	Charlie Wilson
Amy Adams	Bonnie Bach
Julia Roberts	Joanne Herring,Joanne Herring
Philip Seymour Hoffman	Gust Avrakotos
Terry Bozeman	CIA Award Presenter
Brian Markinson	Paul Brown
Jud Tylor	Crystal Lee,Crystal Lee
Hilary Angelo	Kelly,Kelly
Cyia Batten	Stacey,Stacey
Kirby Mitchell	Stoned Guy,Stoned Guy
Ed Regine	Limo Driver,Limo Driver
Daniel Eric Gold	Donnelly,Donnelly
Emily Blunt	Jane Liddle,Jane Liddle
Peter Gerety	Larry Liddle,Larry Liddle
Wynn Everett	Receptionist - Charlie's Angels
Mary-Bonner Baker	Marla - Charlie's Angels(as Mary Bonner Baker)
Rachel Nichols	Suzanne - Charlie's Angels
Shiri Appleby	Jailbait - Charlie's Angels
P.J. Byrne	Jim Van Wagenen
John Slattery	Cravely,Cravely
Thomas Crawford	Maintenance Man,Maintenance Man
Joe Roland	McGaffin,McGaffin
Patrika Darbo	Auctioneer
Carly Reeves	Slave Girl,Slave Girl

Technical Credits

Mike Nichols	Director
Celia D. Costas	Executive Producer,Executive Producer
Ryan Kavanaugh	Executive Producer,Executive Producer
Jeff Skoll	Executive Producer,Executive Producer
Gary Goetzman	Producer,Producer
Tom Hanks	Producer
Petur Hliddal	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

From his very first film, a blistering version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Mike Nichols has proven over and over again that he is arguably the finest adaptor of plays for the screen. His stage work -- in both improv theater and his legendary time with Elaine May -- taught Nichols the power of exquisite timing. He understands not only how a line should be delivered, but also when. Charlie Wilson's War continues this fine history. As Charlie Wilson, a Texas senator familiar with the shadier sides of his private appetites, Tom Hanks embodies someone who both enjoys the privileges of and respects the power he possesses. He embodies the seemingly sexist career politician with a winning good ol' boy charm. He hires only attractive women to staff his office, but they are all smart and politically savvy, and he listens to their advice. After seeing a news report about Afghani rebels fighting the Soviet invasion of their country, and being egged on by a very wealthy hardline Anti-Communist Texas socialite (Julia Roberts -- reteaming with Nichols after Closer) interested in funding his reelection, Wilson decides to covertly fund the rebels. The large portion of the film is a nearly journalistic revelation of the steps he took to achieve this. The script, adapted by Aaron Sorkin from a non-fiction book, has the snap of the best West Wing episodes. You feel as if you are seeing how politics really works -- how idealism and intelligence and humor can be used to manipulate the seemingly unmovable bureaucracy of the Federal government -- a process full of unique types like a youthful weapons expert and a spineless diplomat. This is not a dry history lesson, but a fast-paced, witty exposé of a man who found himself in the right place at the right time to affect history. The film maintains a sarcastic tone thanks to the crack writing, and the presence of the always brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman. As a violently moody, fiercely intelligent CIA man, Hoffman gets the kind of role good actors dream of and great actors, like him, make unforgettable. His impeccable delivery draws huge laughs from the script's best lines, and in a subtle final speech he offers the film's surprisingly pointed moral. For 90 minutes, Charlie Wilson's War is a portrait of American can-do ingenuity, but the final ten minutes offer a reminder of what can be expected from any change made in the world -- a lesson that couldn't be timelier. With Wit, Angels in America, the aforementioned Closer, and now Charlie Wilson's War, a 76-year-old Mike Nichols has proven over the course of this decade that while other skills might erode with age -- perfect timing does not have to be one of them.