Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)

A journalist recounts her wartime coverage in Afghanistan.

Directors:

Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Writers:

Robert Carlock (screenplay), Kim Barker (based on the book "The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan" by)

Stars:

Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tina Fey	...	Kim Baker
Margot Robbie	...	Tanya Vanderpoel
Martin Freeman	...	Iain MacKelpie
Alfred Molina	...	Ali Massoud Sadiq
Christopher Abbott	...	Fahim Ahmadzai
Billy Bob Thornton	...	General Hollanek
Nicholas Braun	...	Tall Brian
Stephen Peacocke	...	Nic
Sheila Vand	...	Shakira Khar
Evan Jonigkeit	...	Specialist Coughlin
Fahim Anwar	...	Jaweed
Josh Charles	...	Chris
Cherry Jones	...	Geri Taub
Scott Takeda	...	Ed Faber
Eli Goodman	...	Tucker Wang

Storyline

A journalist recounts her wartime coverage in Afghanistan.

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Plot Keywords:

afghanistan | journalist | three word title | based on book | embedded journalism | 

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Genres:

Comedy | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content, drug use and violent war images

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 March 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Taliban Shuffle

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$7,443,007 (USA) (4 March 2016)

Gross:

$23,049,575 (USA) (22 April 2016)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's title is military phonetic alphabet for, and a humorous allusion to, the abbreviation "WTF".

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Goofs

Billy Bob Thornton's hair and mustache are not even close to US Marine Corps grooming standards.

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Quotes

Kim Baker: No, you are a bad friend.

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Connections

Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Steve Martin & Edie Brickell/Martin Freeman/Bright Star (2016)

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Soundtracks

Come Up Fatty Haze
Written by Nik Frost & Ben Kahle
Performed by Bristol Bounce
Courtesy of Fundamental Music

User Reviews

From the Book: The Taliban Shuffle

This movie is totally worth a prime-time ticket and a big popcorn. Then get the DVD to show it to friends. No scenery/FX worth a BluRay.

Some folks question changing the excellent title of the book on which it is based to: WHISKEY, TANGO, FOXTROT. That phrase may not be as well known as what it translates to ("What The Fsck,") but wondering-then-figuring-it-out does get attention. The sales cycle Attention/Interest/Desire/Action is thus well served.

I suspect that "Foxtrot/Fsck" in a movie title with Margot Robbie's character admitting she knows she's a "15" in AfPak and then "usin' it" in the trailers, sets an expectation that we'll see at least as much of her as we did in say, "The Big Short" or "Wolf of Wallstreet" and that sells tickets. Ms. Robbie has a lot of well deserved "body confidence," which by itself did not sell me a ticket - but it didn't hurt either.

Co-Producer Fey wants to tell tickets, yes, but she has told us a story and she wants us to see it. A 5-star business decision, say I.

The movie shows what happens when you mix a stone-age culture with modern weapons from the POV of a New York Girl/Journalist. Neither book or movie have suggestions on what to do about AfPac. It does however help us understand what "The Graveyard of Empires" is all about.