Charlie Wilson's War

by Rebecca the Bookseller

If my husband hadn't read the book, I might have skipped this movie. But he did, and he couldn't wait to see it, so we went.

Boy, am I glad. It's one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Lots of reasons, mainly that it's a great story - and a true story. But also because the great Aaron Sorkin did the screenplay, and that man is the best at dialog since Neil Simon. If you ever watched "Sports Night" or " The West Wing" or my beloved "Studio 60" (and do NOT even get me started on why that show was cancelled given the absolute dreck that clutters the TV schedule) then you already know how good he is.

His words help bring this story to life - in a very limited time frame. It's a big book, filled with lots more details and anecdotes about Charlie and Gust (the colorful CIA guy who helps Charlie get the job done). Worth a read, if you are interested. The movie is about as good as a book adaptation gets.

If you don't remember what was going on in the '80s over in the Middle East, guess what? Fighting was going on. What a surprise. But in this case it was Russian-funded Afghanistan rebels killing the natives. The story of how we got involved, how we helped engineer the Russian loss, and how it was the beginning of the end of the Cold War, is Charlie Wilson's story.

It's been categorized as a comedy (I know this because I checked to see who was nominated for Golden Globes - and if the brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman doesn't win, there is going to be trouble at my house) but it's much more than that. It's a lesson on history and how it is doomed to repeat itself if we don't learn something from it. Duh. That seems so simple, and yet it eludes us.

The final frame is a quote from Charlie Wilson himself, and it's worth staying in your seat to read.

Oh - sorry about the delay in posting this morning - imagine my surprise when I checked in after a conference call to see that Mr. Typepad had not only failed to post this, but had lost it completely. I'm going to have to send Margie over there.

Comments

[ArkansasCyndi]

Hubby has been wanting to see this, so glad to see your comments. Will probably go this weekend.

Hijacking the blog for a brief announcement...
Our own Nancy Martin has been nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for her Blackbird Sisters Mysteries Series (category is Amateur Sleuth) CONGRATS NANCY

Now, I return the blog to Rebecca

[Elaine Viets]

I trust your reviews more than the big-time critics, so I'll definitely have to see this. Anyway we can put a contract out on Mr. Typepad?

[William Simon]

Charlie Wilson is from Texas. So is Joanne Herring.

'Nuff said.

[Nancy Martin]

My husband and I saw this movie last night. Excellent. It was chilling, though, to see it the night Benazir Bhutto was murdered.

Jeff and I are also back from a trip around Greece, which was essentially a tour of battle sites of the Pelopennesian wars. If you take the long view, the same conflict has been going on for thousands of years. With no end in sight.

[Nancy Martin]

Aw, shucks, Cyndi. Thanx.

[Harley]

I haven't been to see a movie in so long I can't even remember. But i'd love to see this one.
Go, Nancy, go! First the kitchen achievement, and now the career achievement. Can a vice-presidential nomination be far behind?

[Harley]

By the way, I just reread yesterday's blog and am impressed at how we went from Nancy's kitchen to Osama Bin Laden in a suit and back again.

[Maryann Mercer]

I would go see Tom Hanks drink coffee (as my daughter will attest since I sat through Joe and The Volcano). Add Philip Seymour Hoffman and I'm there.The story itself is amazing (yep,I read the book too)not only because it's history, but because every time this country "helps", we risk getting bitten in the nether regions years later. I'm also a big Aaron Sorkin fan and have heard interviews with him and the "real" Charlie Wilson that impressed me bigtime. If not this weekend, next for sure. I'm already busy New Year's Day with Illinois in the Rose Bowl, but this movie is worth spending the $$ and not waiting for the DVD.
Nancy---no one deserves it more :o) Brava!

[Pam aka SisterZip]

Rebecca, I'm so glad to see another Studio 60 fan! And (sorry Michele)I don't get 30 Rock. I love Tina Fey and I loved Mean Girls, but I just don't get it. From The American President to A Few Good Men to The West Wing to Studio 60 to Charlie Wilson's War...the best dialog guy ever!

Now they are saying that Bhutto didn't die of a gunshot wound...she hit her head on the roof of the car trying to duck back inside when she heard the gunshots. Fractured skull. Oops! We will never know the truth.

[Kathy Reschini Sweeney]

Great movie - and other than the language and a couple of sets of naked breasts in a hot tub, it's pretty tame if you are thinking of taking older kids.

I loved the fact that Charlie Wilson's staff, made up of candidates from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, turn out to be smart as hell.

And since we are still in the Christmas Season, if you get a chance, watch Studio 60's Christmas Show. If the rendition of "O Holy Night" doesn't bring tears to your eyes, you need to get them checked.

NANCY! How cool is that?! And the RT Convention is here in Pittsburgh this year - we need to start planning a TLC gathering!

[mary alice at mystery lovers bookshop]

Ditto......don't miss this one.

There is also Tome Hanks (or somebody's) bare behind...just a parental warning.....sort of!

[Kerry, the Martial Tart]

First - congrats, Nancy!! And Rebecca, thanks for the review. I'd planned on seeing it (Aaron Sorkin -- heck, I'd watch commercials if he wrote them). Quick hijack -- we went to see "The Great Debaters" on Christmas Day. You MUST see this film. It's impeccable. Funny, uplifting, heartwarming, painful, and deeply humbling, and one of the best-crafted movies I've seen in ages.

[Libby Hellmann]

Hi, all. I also saw the film last night, Nancy... and loved it. And yes, it was curious timing, given Benazir Bhutto's assasination... Especially the endquote of the film. And Tom Hanks last close-up. He spoke volumes, didn't it? No satisfaction. Just worried.

In fact, it has stayed with me all day. I keep asking myself whether -- in the final analysis -- it was worth the effort (Charlie's not mine)... What if he hadn't upped the ante? What would have happened to the Russians? To the Soviet Empire? To Afghanistan? We only did half the job (typical of the US... it's always easier to make war than to make peace...) If we'd done more to rehabilitate the country, would the Taliban have taken over?

I know it's easy to Monday morning quarterback history... but you'd think we might have learned something since then. Unfortunately, we havent... we're doing the same thing in Iraq.

Sorry... I'll get off my soapbox now. But I did love the film.

And yes, Philip Seymour Hoffman was incredible.

Happy New Year, guys.. you're doing a great job!

[Carol Baier]

I loved this movie, too. Sublime screenplay, of course (it's Sorkin, what else could it be?) and the actors are terrific, especially Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Three great performances this year -- three! -- this one, The Savages, and my favorite, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. What a range -- the man can do it all. The director's no slouch, either :)

Ditto, Rebecca, on Studio 60. Broke my heart when they cancelled it. At least A&E renewed Mad Men. And The Wire's back on next month. So there are a few gems left in the wasteland.

And last but not least, congratulations, Nancy! Long may you and the Blackbird Sisters thrive.

[Mary Storyteller]

Yeah, Nancy! Congratulations! The Blackbird sisters rule! Actually, too bad they can't really rule . . . they could sort out the various messes we seem to be getting in.

[REbecca the Bookseller]

Congratulations to Nancy!

Glad other people liked the film. I'll be blogging about The Wire in the next couple of weeks - amazing series, and its final season will begin in January.

Anyone know what Aaron Sorkin's next project might be?

[hollygee]

I saw the movie on Thursday, also (first date with my SO after living together almost a year! -- actually it is our first date ever in our [interrupted] 40-year history). It was all that I was hoping for from Sorkin, Nichols, Hanks, and Hoffman.

Rebecca -- this is from Variety:
Onetime NBC Messiah Aaron Sorkin has signed on for a three-picture deal with DreamWorks. First up is a script for The Trial of the Chicago 7, a period political piece about the clash between protestors and police at the 1968 Democratic convention that Sorkin was able to adapt from an unaired Studio 60 sketch in which Lobster Boy and new character Pigasus the Immortal argue over who might be the better Yippee candidate for president.

[Marianne]

Hey Ladies:

I've seen this movie TWICE!! It's brilliant!

Things to watch for:
-Tom Hanks nekkid butt,
-The John Singer Sargent reference that had us howling
-The shell game in Charlie's office when he first encounters Gust,
-Jailbait!!
-Tom Hanks portrait of a politician who really cared.
-Philip Seymour Hoffman - nuff said.

Now I gotta go read the book... :-D

Congratulations, Nancy!

Two Degrees of Separation:

Benazir Bhutto was the college room mate of the best friend of a very good friend of ours. (God, her death was such a tragic thing to happen)

My husband and I have worked for Tom Hanks: he produced the movie we worked on - The Ant Bully. Never met him though - came close a couple of time, however. :-D Dang.

Cheers,
Marianne

[Alison]

I am from Austin, Texas and my father was a friend of Charlie Wilson...I am sooo young I barely remember him too, not. At any rate, my father saw the movie and was overwhelmed by how well Tom Hanks had "Charlie" down. He lived the times and said it was very true to life as he remembered it. I plan to see the movie when the Holiday rush is over. It is amazing how fast folks forget the "cold war" and the fear we lived in over what Russia was going to do next...and here we go again. Once again, a man who was a part of the Wilson scene was amazed on how "dead on" it was.