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Charlie Wilson's War [2007] | ![Charlie Wilson's War [2007]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51TF-n3JrtL._SL75_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Mike Nichols
Actors: Tom Hanks, Amy Adams, Julia Roberts, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Ned Beatty
Studio: Universal Pictures UK
Category: DVD
List Price: £19.99
Buy New: £7.77
You Save: £12.22 (61%)
New (18) Used (9) from £5.98
Avg. Customer Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 422
Format: Pal
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 102
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5050582550474
ASIN: B0014JGFD2
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: May 5, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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Amazon.co.uk Review
Overlooked in the end at the Academy Awards, and not ratcheting up the box office you'd perhaps expect of a Tom Hanks movie, Charlie Wilson's War is nonetheless a challenging, entertaining and underappreciated film, that deserves to find a bigger audience on DVD. Starring Hanks in the title role, the strength of Charlie Wilson's War is in some talented people doing what they do best. Hanks eases into his part, as the Texas congressman who uses his extensive contacts book and unorthodox nature (which is putting it mildly) to initiate and wage a secret war. Alongside him is Julia Roberts on fine form in a small part, and the excellent Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who is at the heart of the film's best, and funniest, moments. Gluing Charlie Wilson's War together is an assured turn behind the camera from veteran director Mike Nichols. Nichols, still best known for The Graduate, is confident enough to let the comedy in a deathly serious story play out, while not shirking the drama either. It's a tender balancing act, that only flusters a little near the end. It's not a perfect film, and the tone may be a little uneasy for some. But Charlie Wilson's War is, nonetheless, a very strong piece of American cinema, that has questions to ask, and manages to entertain at the same time. Well worth discovering. --Jon Foster
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
when there's nothing else on... July 23, 2008
Ok, so it was Tuesday night, there wasn't anything on and this was on pay-per-view. Based on the true story of one congressman's efforts in fighting a covert war in Afghanistan it is fairly lighthearted fun which I will probably have entirely forgotten by the time I've finished writing this.
Tom Hanks plays the man from Texas on Capitol Hill, first seen in a hot-tub with strippers and a Playmate whilst cocaine does the rounds. Almost never without a glass of whiskey he isn't the obvious facilitator of funding for the mujahadeen in Afghanistan. The woman pushing his buttons is the wealthy and anti-communist socialite Julia Roberts. Together with the guidance of CIA man Philip Seymour Hoffman, Wilson brings together Israel, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt and America in an unlikely alliance against the Soviets. Hanks is on reliable form enjoying the character of a man who's hiring policy in the office is 'you can teach them to type but you can't teach them to grow t*ts'. Roberts does well in a small role but most of the laughs come from Hoffman whose belligerent spy deals in the uncomfortable truth from behind his ever present shades. The film deals with the politics pretty lightly and seems to take quite a long time to make a fairly simple point. It lacks the skill employed in another Hanks film 'Catch Me If You Can' which made a real entertainment from the life of fraudster Frank Abagnale. Not to worry though, it filled a couple of hours nicely enough.
 Not a comment on the film itself... July 8, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
... My objection is to being compelled to watch a UNICEF fundraising appeal. You cannot skip or fastforward through it, and it goes on for several minutes. I make no comment about UNICEF or its work, but I take very strong exception to being forced, in my own home, to watch something anicllary to the film I wanted to see. I have never encountered this on a disc before, and I hope it is not a sign of things to come, no matter how worthy the cause may or may not be.
Uninvolving June 23, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I sat, I watched and went away with no emotion, no feelings and no opinion on this film. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts are two of my favourite actors and both act their roles very well indeed but the story seems very condensed and while I understand the cold war is big topic to tell in a film perhaps a little more depth would have made me understand and enjoy this film a little more.
However I have to mention something another reviewer talked about and that's the awful charity advert with Gwyneth Paltrow in it. Every time you watch the dvd you must endure a five minute charity advert. You can not skip it ever nor fast forward it and I accidentally pressed root instead of menu when I needed to pause the film and I had to watch the entire five minute ad again! I wonder how much of our charity money was given so that the ad could take place.
Apart from that, ok film but nothing special, ruined further by stupid dvd features.
The Cold War, now available in Primary colours... June 14, 2008
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
So what do you know - it's possible to make a cheerful movie about the war...
Actually, the reason this movie feels so light and cheerful is that it is really about Charlie Wilson the man rather than the war. The movie tells the (based on true) story of the Texas Congressman who played a pivotal role in getting substantial funding to the Mujahedin in Afghanistan, eventually leading to the forced withdrawal of the Russians, thereby paving the way for the downfall of the Soviet Empire - as told by this movie at least. The interesting part is that Charlie Wilson was a womanizing party animal who was the last person many would have thought would tackle this issue.
The cast fit the bill perfectly - Tom Hanks surprises as the drinking Congressman, sharing a hot tub with strippers doing coke.. but retains the naivete that seems to have allowed him to say `why not' when faced with the question of increasing funds to Afghan freedom fighters. The woman asking the questions is a rich, headstrong Texan woman played by Julia Roberts, and the man in the CIA actually getting the job done and providing the technical explanations, is played by Philip Seymour Hoffman.
It's shot well, in bright colours and plenty of lighting so we never have a dark moment, and acting is perfectly fine throughout. There is even just a touch of acknowledgement at the end that things were not so straightforward, and a warning that with the Russians gone, and without funding rebuilding infrastructure and schools, the `crazies' would inevitably take the leading role. As of course they did.
On the downside, this is really a very superficial look at the issues, and a rather one-sided look at events in history. On the plus side, it's a fun and entertaining introduction to the man and the history, that at 1hr 38 min never outlasts its welcome.
 The Great Game - not so great, not much of a game June 8, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a great movie, a cinematic version of Waugh's 'Scoop', but aimed oh-so-sharply at the blithe enthusiasm and well-meaning idealism that funds freedom fighters as they engage your enemy, and then wrings its hands as they metamorphose into terrorists and turn their weapons against you.
As the director of 'Catch-22', Nichols is on very secure territory. This film, and the book that inspired it are salutary satirical warnings against the dangers of nation building.
Hanks's urbane and engagingly predatory Representative sharks his way through 1980s Washington, and forms part of an unlikely trio that includes Right-wing ideologue Julia Roberts and troubled CIA agent Philip Seymour Hoffman. Wilson becomes aware of the need to support the anti-Communist mujahdeen in Afghanistan, and uses every kind of leverage to boost their funding.
Hoffman steals the film with a great performance, and Hanks isn't far behind. Roberts disappoints, not really due to her acting, more to the difficulty of making such a downright odd character accessible.
There are come cute references to the early 80s (Bowie singing 'Let's Dance' a bit anachronistic as I recall) and a great small part by the luminous Emily Blunt. The sub-Airwolf special effects are most charitably regarded as symbolic of the protagonists cartoon-level attitude to the violence they're organising. The chilling reference to the bitter fruit of the failed state of Afghanistan on 11/9/2001 is well done.
A great war film; 'Mr Smith goes to Washington' for the class of '86.
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