Charlie Wilson's War

There is one essential flaw in this film: the balance between comedy and drama is skewed. The poignant moments (pointing towards the current war in Afghanistan) lose their power because of the comedy before and after them. Likewise, the comedy loses its value because we are constantly reminded of the seriousness of what is happening. It is a dilemma that I'm not proposing I could solve. Charlie Wilson was a congressman in the 1980s who fought for heavier involvement by the CIA in Russia's conflict with Afghanistan. Russia, as the cold war enemy of the US, couldn't be fought openly, but the CIA could train and arm the Afghans to fight for them. Perhaps much of my enjoyment with this film came from learning about a period in history which I knew almost nothing. This would be hard on both Tom Hanks (who plays Wilson) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (as his contact in the CIA), as they are brilliant here. Hoffman in particular is exceptional. The humour comes from the incompetency in the system, and the ability of these two characters to manipulate it. The early exchanges between the two of them are unforgettable. The film moves along quickly, but perhaps the end is a little rushed. Julia Roberts' character feels like an unnecessary addition. It's undoubtedly great fun, but I returned again and again to my first fear: the balance between comedy and drama is wrong.