Tom Hanks’ Top-Rated Film Is Hiding From Viewers, A Cover-Up Of War Corruption
By TeeJay Small | Published
Last year I decided I hadn’t seen enough Philip Seymour Hoffman movies. The late Academy Award winner has been called one of the greatest actors of his generation, despite often appearing in supporting roles, rather than supporting films as the lead. While tracking down movies I hadn’t seen yet to cross off my list, I came across them Charlie Wilson’s WarI rented it from YouTube. The film was so incredibly clever that it feels like it was purposefully designed with today’s politics in mind, so it’s a shame it’s not currently streaming on Netflix or any of the major streaming outlets.
Real Life Adapted to Film
Charlie Wilson’s War is a true story biopic about US Congressman Charlie Wilson, who worked with the CIA to support the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War. It’s a topic I wasn’t very familiar with before watching the film, as I was born nearly two decades after this real-life conflict began. Still, this story felt very familiar to me, because it reflects something that has been recurring in American politics for the past 60 years.
Tom Hanks portrays the title character, while Philip Seymour Hoffman takes on the role of CIA operative Gust Avrakotos. At the beginning of the film, Charlie Wilson is more concerned with hanging out and meeting with rebels than doing his actual job. He even incurs the wrath of a young Rudy Giuliani, who opens a federal investigation into Wilson’s drug and alcohol abuse. After meeting a few members of the Houston community at his group gatherings, Charlie changes his tune and becomes convinced that he will take up the fight to help the Afghan people fight the Soviet occupation overseas.
Destruction, Not Reconstruction
Throughout the story, we see Charlie Wilson defend against possible impeachment, lobby Congress to send more money and weapons to the Afghans, and work closely with the CIA to ensure that foreign nations like Israel and Egypt help the war effort. I would have thought a congressman putting in this much work was science fiction if I hadn’t looked at it myself, and he managed to do it all with a huge hangover. Over the course of the film, the CIA’s anti-communist budget balloons to $500 million a year, effectively kicking off the Reagan Doctrine, which spread American influence throughout nations vulnerable to communist revolution.
Towards the end of Charlie Wilson’s Warthe Afghans emerged victorious, and American forces intend to support the region once the dust settles. Gust and Charlie are working to ensure that the US puts some of its Reagan Doctrine money into rebuilding roads, schools, and hospitals, not just blowing them up, but the American taxpayer wants no part of it. In the end, it looked like a great victory for all the anti-communist groups, but America’s failure to help with reconstruction set the stage for extremist groups to take over, which directly led to the rise of terrorism around the world and the September 11, 2001 attacks.
A Serious Subject, But Not Without Humor
I won’t get too political here, but I will say that Charlie Wilson’s War it is a difficult idea given the current political climate. As the US prepares to engage in a boot-on-the-ground war with Iran, aided by Israel, to fight a Middle Eastern government that only exists because of America’s meddling in the first place, Charlie Wilson’s War all very informative. This film highlights the ways our government, which likes to drop bombs but hates to board buildings after clearing the rubble, has been making the same mistakes for decades.
However, Charlie Wilson’s War a great watch with amazing characters and an interesting story. It’s funny and surprising, with well-chosen fast sequences that feel like they’ve been pulled out of context. The archer. If you’re not into this period of history, you absolutely must track this movie down and give it a watch. It made nearly $120 million at the global box office on a $75 million budget and received plenty of Oscar buzz upon its release. In that Charlie Wilson’s War critically acclaimed in 2007, it’s such a head-scratcher that streaming services don’t seem interested in airing it.
As of this writing, Charlie Wilson’s War can be rented or purchased on demand through YouTube, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Fandango Home.
