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Generally favorable reviews - based on 39 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 99 Ratings

  • Starring: Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tom Hanks
  • Summary: Charlie Wilson's War is the true story of how a playboy congressman, a renegade CIA agent, and a beautiful Houston socialite joined forces to lead the largest and most successful covert operation in history. Their efforts contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, with consequences that reverberate throughout the world today. (Universal Studios) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 39
  2. Negative: 1 out of 39
  1. 90
    The two actors (Hanks/Seymour Hoffman) have terrific chemistry and riff off one another like partners in a veteran comedy team.
  2. Reviewed by: Chris Hewitt
    80
    Extremely enjoyable. Although it’s a little tonally unsure, whenever Hanks and Hoffman are on screen, any misgivings are forgiven.
  3. It is well made as far as it goes. I wish it went beyond its own carefully prescribed limits of the commercially acceptable.
  4. 30
    As creator and head writer of "The West Wing," Aaron Sorkin had a gift for making policy debate seem sexy, but what worked in the context of that liberal fantasy founders badly amid the realpolitik of this cold war drama.

See all 39 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 49
  2. Negative: 1 out of 49
  1. TimH
    10
    Anyone who doesn't give this movie an 8, 9, or 10 must not have gone to the movies lately. This movie is funny, intelligent and the acting goes from very good (Hanks and Roberts) to great (Hoffman). It also is about real life important events that have been shot as an entertaining story that never lets the pace slow down. I just wish I had seen ot on the big screen rather than on a DVD, it probably would have been even better. Expand
  2. This movie was hilarious and considering the fact that it was based on politics made it even more amusing. I was not expecting what I got out of this movie. Expand
  3. First and foremost, Charlie Wilson's War is extremely well-performed, with Tom Hanks giving his best performance in years as the Texas Congressman who transforms from an irresponsible playboy scumbag to a moralistic defender of Afghanistan. Julia Roberts also impresses as Joanne Herring, a manipulative and religious socialite, as does Philip Seymour Hoffman playing the maverick CIA operative Gust Avrakotos. Aaron Sorkin's script is an absolute joy, full of fun, energy and satire not only of the past, but the present as well. It's really a wonder why the events shown are not more widely known about, or heavily appropriated for film, as "the largest covert operation in history" makes for cinematic gold. Everyone thinks of this fascinating period of history as simply another war (albeit without actual military engagements) between the USA and the USSR, and it's easy to forget how many other countries were drawn into this conflict between two superpowers. The film does attempt to address this oversight in cinema, and its hugely gratifying to witness lesser-known history on the big screen. The finale is a little generic and disappointing in comparison to the rest of the film, and you could certainly ccuse director Mike Nichols and Sorkin for presenting a rather rose-tinted view of the controversial Wilson. Though the congressman's intentions may have been noble, you cannot ignore the fact that he lent substantial support to groups and individuals whose intentions were decidedly less so. Romanticised though it may be for the sake of empathy and dramatic resonance, the film is still an enjoyable insight into an extraordinary figure in the history of international politics, and a fitting and intelligent tribute to a man who many remember with much admiration. Expand
  4. When I sat down to watch Charlie Wilson's War, I thought it would be a can't miss. A true story, covered up by the government, starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts!? How could that be bad!? Well, for a change, Tom Hanks isn't playing a likeable character. Charlie Wilson is portrayed as a sex addicted man whore, who follows his dick more than his brain. As for the film, it was just so confusing to me, they jump from scene to scene so quickly and introduce a ton of characters so fast, that by the time they got to Julia Roberts, I was already sick of the film. I didn't even get through the whole thing to be completely honest with you. It's an unbelievable cast and a pretty cool story, but I was not happy with the way the movie was done. It was not easy to sit through or follow. Expand

See all 49 User Reviews