Charlie Wilson's War (DVD)

Charlie Wilson has little more than a passing interest in Afghanistan and the war the Russians were waging against it. Then he met Joanne Herring, a socialite who opened his eyes to the horrors that were happening - something he saw for himself when visiting a refugee camp. Along with CIA man Gust Avrakotos, Wilson spends his time and efforts trying to ensure that the Afghan mujahideen are well enough armed to fight back, which eventually helps bring about the end of the Cold War. But will his actions have serious consequences for future politics? And has anyone back in the US realised what he has been achieving? This is not a film that I would ordinarily have ...  Read the complete review

Charlie Wilson is a Texan politician famed for his hard-drinking, hard-living ways; famed for getting things done in politics and desired by all the women around him. Secure in his place in the world, he focuses entirely on representing his state, with little interest in foreign politics or upsetting the order of anything. However, when he comes into contact with Joanne, a powerful and rich Southern socialite, with ideas of stopping the Russians from entering Afghanistan he gets embroiled in a race to raise arms for the Afghans. But will his political position and good name stay intact when all is said and done? Charlie Wilson's War is a witty and ...  Read the complete review

(film only review) "Charles Nesbitt "Charlie" Wilson (born June 1, 1933) is a former United States naval officer and former Democratic United States Representative from the 2nd congressional district in Texas. He is best known for leading Congress into supporting the largest ever CIA covert operation, which supplied the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet war in Afghanistan." This entry from Wikipedia is also the plot of the film Charlie Wilson's War. If you follow world politics, I can't spoil it for you by giving away the ending, you'll know that the Mujahideen succeeded in driving the Soviet invaders away. In 2003 the author ...  Read the complete review

It's the early 1980s, the Cold War still hangs over American/Russian relations, and the Soviet army is in the process of warring with the rebel mujahideen in Afghanistan. The mujahideen are badly equipped and the current covert funding from the US is a pittance when they are having to fight against a well-trained Russian army with its well-armoured, heavy-weaponed gunship helicopters. Helicopters that are destroying villages and families alike. Charlie Wilson, played by Tom Hanks, is a womanising, fast-talking Democratic Congressman, who should by all rights be at the bottom of the political ladder, but is actually on several different ...  Read the complete review

He was an alcoholic, a drug user, a womaniser, and a congressman; but one day Charlie Wilson started a chain of events that bought acclaim, but ultimately caused America to have a terrible loss. I can't deny that during the first portion of Charlie Wilson's War I was a little baffled, I don't consider myself to be stupid but I found a lot of the political build up to the movies main story difficult to follow. And I guess like many people watching the movie that live outside America they might feel the same. This is due to the differences between our political systems, but once you have chance to absorb what's being said, and more importantly what's actually ...  Read the complete review