Charlie Wilson's War Reviews
Critic & User Reviews
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Critic Reviews
More of a hoot than any picture dealing with the bloody, protracted fight between the Soviet Army and the Afghan mujahedeen has any right to be.
Read the full reviewWith its rapid pace, smart screenplay, and top-notch acting, this is one of the 2007 Oscar season's most appealing and compelling adult motion pictures.
Read the full reviewIt's all about a likable scoundrel who discovers what it means to act out of conviction. The film's underlying twist, though, is tartly ironic.
Read the full reviewCharlie Wilson's War is that rare Hollywood commodity these days: a smart, sophisticated entertainment for grownups.
Read the full reviewThis movie probably gets the Washington process better than any since Otto Preminger's underrated "Advise & Consent" in 1962. It's not about men of virtue doing the impossible, but men of flaws doing the doable, but just barely.
Read the full reviewYou might think Tom Hanks is miscast as the lovable sinner. Dennis Quaid, maybe, or Woody Harrelson. But Hanks brings something unique to the role.
Read the full reviewRude, crude and hilarious, whether he's hitting on Joanne or brokering the sale of Soviet weapons through Israel and Islamic Pakistan, Hoffman is the film's sparking live wire.
Read the full reviewThis is definitely the year of Philip Seymour Hoffman.In Charlie Wilson's War, he and Tom Hanks make a particularly sharp and engaging duo, bouncing clever lines off each other as if it were a verbal ping-pong match.
Read the full reviewA funny, sprightly tribute to the American can-do spirit, with a bleak ending that suggests that our plucky protagonist may have just dug his own (or, in this case, his country's) grave.
Read the full reviewIn this film, directed by Mike Nichols in one of his most satirical moods and scripted by Hollywood's most politically astute writer Aaron Sorkin, a womanizing, alcoholic, easily tempted bachelor gets elected in a Texas district that doesn't care what he does as long as he brings home the bacon.
Read the full reviewNichols succeeds in spinning an entertaining yarn, but the cautionary aspects feel fatally undernourished.
Read the full reviewIs, in its way, an apolitical comedy about politics. Or at least a naïve one, since those weapons likely eventually made their way into the hands of Al Qaeda.
Read the full reviewOverall, Charlie Wilson's War is glib rather than witty, one of those films that comes off as being more pleased with itself than it has a right to be. It also suffers from being not all of a piece, with mismatched elements struggling to cohere.
Read the full reviewReview excerpts provided by Metacritic.com.
The Metascore® designation for this movie is 69
User Reviews
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Good to see Hanks, and Roberts, and Hoffman on the Big-Screen
"I loved every amazing, and comical, and entertaining scenes in Charlie Wilson's War, All Three Oscar Winners delivered such best, and worth-watching performances. Especially for Roberts who hasn't been in a movie since she won her Oscar for Erin Brockovinch, She really played the role in the movie with so much grace, class, and worth-watching. Hanks made the leading role so worth-seeing, and Hoffman simply did his performance worth-comical and worth-seeing as well. I simply would say this movie was good."
It could be done better
"Highly recomended by a friend,my wife and I were completly disappointed of this movie.We think that the cast was not the appropiate for this movie, although great actors and actres did delivery, they lacked to conect dots between audience and caracters."
Pretty Good
"I did not realize this was based on a true story..very interesting.I enjoyed the acting, it was a little slow in the middle, but most movies are like that, but truly interesting what our country did, but also SAD at the end. The fact that our government can start a war, kill so many people and destroy their country is bad enough, but for us to now walk away and not improve the country once we devestated it. That part was and is sad, as we still do that..a must see though."
A must see
"I generally don't like Tom Hanks movies. Usually far too hokey or (God forbid) to preachy ("Philadelphia").But this one is top notch. Another Oscar contender for sure. Hanks makes Charlie Wilson come alive.Good work."
TYPICAL
"It's so typical...when a liberal (both moral and political) Democrat spends billions of tax-payer dollars in an un-declared war, which BTW trained and armed the Osama bin Laden's of the world, it is hailed as being patriotic. Yet, when that same party denigrates President Bush for going to a real war, with Congressional approval, he is accused of war-mongering and worse. Typical Hollywood B-Spin."
Good Movie
"Good story and well acted. Philip Seymour Hoffman was great!"
A Little bit of History
"Besides being entertaining, you will learn a little bit history. Proves that we do not really know what is happening today until years from now."
Great Story, Great Acting
"Very timely topic with Pakistan on the front pages...or is that Afghanistan...anyway...great acting with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts (would have liked to see more of her). Very entertaining if you like a real storyline that requires some thought. Some sarcastic comments could be missed if you are not paying close attention.The politically incorrect aspects were most appealing. Charlie says "You can teach 'em to type but ..." (go see the movie)Love that line...Happy Viewing...Auto G"
Was ok but.. BUY THE BOOK
"I just saw this movie and i must say it was good, but it could have been so much better! I mean it could have been so much more entertaining. Please go buy the Book "Charlie Wilson's War" you will get the real picture... the movie doesnt do it justice.What the movie didnt show you was the real war in Congress at the time and nothing about Pakistan was real. They could have at least filmed it there and shown the real Pakistan as well as included some Pakistani actors. Also they didnt show the Stinger missiles or the CIA director William Casey or how the freedom fighters were striking inside the USSR. There was nothing about the C-5 flights to Islamabad landing in the middle of the night disgorging untold amounts of weapons and war supplies..or Wilsons battles in Congress to secure AID against the vile india paid US congress (Democrat of course). The movie also failed to capture the real struggle of the afghans against the Soviets.Also...some footage of Reagan would have been appreciated..after all he was our cold war hero! I think Charlie Wilson should REMAKE THIS MOVIE !!"
BORING
"I am sorry to say that my husband and I were bored with this movie. It could have been a great movie if we could have connected with the characters. It seemed all surface and gloss and talk, talk, talk (politics). I do understand that if a person likes to learn about history...this certainly was a historical movie. But it was still boring. The acting was excellent...but the actors did not delve into the personal lives of the main characters enough to make it personal to the audience.Sorry I don't love this movie as much as many of you did."
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