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Charlie Wilson's War - School Essays

Charlie Wilson's War

Based on a true story (and a book of the same name), the film centers around Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks). Wilson is an alcoholic and a womanizer, and is that rare breed of philanderer whose debauchery somehow adds to his charm. His chief concerns are getting reelected and not getting caught, but as the film progresses he takes an increasing interest in the situation in Afghanistan, where the Soviet Union is massacring the population.

His burgeoning interest is helped along by Joanna Herring (Julia Roberts), the sixth-wealthiest woman in Texas, whose religion has made her fiercely anti-Communist. Wilson, she notes, sits on two key Congressional committees, and represents ...

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as no surprise that the performances range only from good to great. Roberts does a fine job playing the southern belle who seduces Wilson into investigating things for himself. Hanks has charm to spare as the impulsive, transient Wilson. And Hoffman steals the show as the boisterous Gust who, to be fair, gets most of the best lines.

Though a bit short for a film of this nature at only 97 minutes, writer Aaron Sorkin still manages to run the audience through the gamut of emotions. Charlie Wilson’s War plays out like a straightforward comedy for the first half-hour, until its world is upended by Wilson’s visit to the refugee camps in Pakistan. There he witnesses the horrors of the war being fought, and his true character shows through in his resolve to fix the situation.

It’s not easy, of course, and Sorkin does a good job of maneuvering us through the Congressional system in a way that is easy to follow, but which also shows us just how hard it can be to get things done in the ...

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Charlie Wilson's War. (2011, November 15). Retrieved January 14, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Charlie-Wilsons-War/100049

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"Charlie Wilson's War." Essayworld.com. November 15, 2011. Accessed January 14, 2026. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Charlie-Wilsons-War/100049.

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 11/15/2011 05:14:12 PM
Submitted By: marley1
Category: Film & Theater
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 573
Pages: 3

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