Customer Reviews
Surprisingly good - By: Chris Wood, 04 Nov 2008 
I didn't think this would be anywhere near as enjoyable as it is. I really liked it, & found it to be surprisingly good.
Don't buy if you want to know what really happened - By: David Lewis, 01 Nov 2008 
It's not a bad film as pure entertainment but, naturally, it depicts Americans as good (though flawed) & Russians as essentially evil. I should add that I'm no fan of the appalling Soviet Empire but we now know that, far from saving Afghanistan from Russia, the US government (and the CIA) provoked the Russian invasion as part of their Cold War strategy. Whether or not you think this policy was worthwhilein harming the Soviet Empire, the fact remains that Charlie Wilson's War totally ignores the real story. This from a 1998 interview (in a French publication) with Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jimmy Carter's National Security Advisor:
Q: When the Soviets justified their intervention by asserting that they intended to fight against a secret involvement of the United Statesin Afghanistan, people didn't believe them. However, there was a basis of truth. You don't regret anything today?
Brzezinski: Regret what? That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap & you want me to regret it? The day that the Soviets officially crossed the border, I wrote to President Carter: We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam war. Indeed, for almost 10 years, Moscow had to carry on a war unsupportable by the government, a conflict that brought about the demoralization & finally the breakup of the Soviet empire.
Q: And neither do you regret having supported the Islamic [integrisme], having given arms & advice to future terrorists?
Brzezinski: What is most important to the history of the world? The Taliban or the collapse of the Soviet empire? Some stirred-up Moslems or the liberation of Central Europe & the end of the cold war?
Surprisingly interesting movie! - By: A. Wasenczuk, 23 Oct 2008 Worth watching just for Hoffman's character, who manages to consistently upstage the two heavyweight leads of Hanks & Roberts. This guy is completelyin the spirit & period of the movie & makes the other two look like they're hamming it up something rotten.
I initially rented this & assumed the unskippable advert was only on the rental copy - bit of a shameful oversight if it's on the bought version, I think.
Good but could have been better - By: chuckles, 23 Oct 2008 
I have to agree with the reviews on here, this film covers a very touchy subject & gives you an insight into American politics. A floored but good congressman (Hanks) stumbles into a war that he didn't know that much about, upon finding out the true story dedicates his career with the help of a wealthy texas woman (Roberts) to righting the injustice, &in steps another floored but honest character (Hoffman). However a 90 minute movie on such a subject when no-one would blink if it were 2 hours doesn't do it justice. I feel if they had gone a bit further it would have been so much better.........
Great Film, hate the advert - By: Jilly SV, 29 Sep 2008 Although I already knew about US involvementin the covert war, it was interesting to see it splashed onto screen - not sure how the US Govt feel about it as it shows them being dragged into helping via Wilson, et al, rather than being proactive about it! The cast do a great job at getting into the skin of the characters they portray. I feel the film portray's Wilson's frustrations very well. Having rented the film, it is one I do feel I would buy. However - along with several comments here - that UNICEF advert at the beginning is incredibly annnoying. Was staggered that could not fast forward it, skip it, or get to the Menu. Never come across that before & it really wound me up as had to endure it. More likely to contrbute to UNICEF as a result? No.
