Rating: 16/20 (Jen: 16/20)
Plot: A Texas congressman, with the help of a socialite and a mustachioed CIA agent, works a little political magic to help out the Mujahideen in Afghanistan in their efforts to shoot down Soviet helicopters.
Movies with history or at least Hollywood's versions of history confound me almost as much as comic book movies, but this had good characters and a vibrancy that made it easy to enjoy. Now, be aware that my above score is based on my assumption that that really was Tom Hanks' posterior in an early scene. If I find out that it's not, I'm taking those ten bonus points away immediately. I almost want to because of the presence of Amy Adams who I just don't get. I'm having trouble understanding why she's in every single fucking movie that I watch. Is there anything she does where she wouldn't be interchangeable with almost any other actress? I don't think so. And then she's nominated for things and mothers-in-law are talking about her and Ratboys are drooling. Can somebody explain Amy Adams to me? Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman are pretty much themselves which, probably in both cases, is a good thing. It's really really hard for me to take Tom Hanks seriously. He's so recognizable, and it's hard to shake every other character he's played when you see him in something like this. I think that despite how well regarded he is and the amount of awards he's collected, he's still a little underrated, more versatile than people might think and so capable of sliding into a role like this one--a womanizing, shady titular congressman with a Texas drawl--so effortlessly. Seemingly effortlessly, I mean. And oh, Hoffman. Man, that guy could curse with the best of them. No other actor's "fucks" have ever been as classy as Hoffman's. Here, he's a real-life caricature, gum-chawing and chair-throwing and yelling until his cheeks wobble and that vein pops up on his forehead. And then there's Julia Roberts who probably borrowed a lot of her Texas used in this movie from Lyle Lovett. The war footage in this movie looks a little weird, strangely artificial, but at least the chess looks real.
My favorite line: "You can teach them to type, but you can't teach them to grow tits." So true, Charlie Wilson, so true.
I honestly can't think of a better screenwriter than Aaron Sorkin...ever. One of my favorite TV series ever was "The West Wing". The last WOW movie I saw was "The Social Network". Both due to the way Sorkin's wit makes everyone on screen seem more interesting and intelligent than they have any right to be. I don't know if anyone in the real world can speak like that, but that doesn't stop me from wishing they could. The Sorkin dialogue elevates "Charlie Wilson's War" from what could have been a preachy or syrupy film into something that's fun and has some meaning. Hanks is great as always, and Hoffman is terrific. And the last quote from the real Charlie Wilson was painfully poignent. I just watched this a few days ago to refresh my memory, and would still give it a 17.
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