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    Charlie Wilson's War

    • 20072007
    • RR
    • 1h 42min
    IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    113K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,616
    537
    • Cast & crew
    • User reviews
    • Trivia
    • IMDbPro
    Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    Charlie Wilson's War Trailer
    Trailer2:34
    11 Videos
    99+ Photos
    BiographyComedyDrama

    A drama based on a Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.A drama based on a Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.A drama based on a Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.A drama based on a Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.A drama based on a Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.

    • Director
      • Mike Nichols
    • Writers
      • Aaron Sorkin(screenplay)
      • George Crile(book)
    • Stars
      • Tom Hanks
      • Julia Roberts
      • Philip Seymour Hoffman
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Mike Nichols
    • Writers
      • Aaron Sorkin(screenplay)
      • George Crile(book)
    • Stars
      • Tom Hanks
      • Julia Roberts
      • Philip Seymour Hoffman
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 330User reviews
    • 273Critic reviews
    • 67Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 5 wins & 23 nominations total

    Videos11

    Charlie Wilson's War
    Trailer 2:34
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Clip 0:55
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Clip 0:52
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Clip 0:32
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Clip 0:55
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Clip 0:40
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Clip 0:39
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Interview 0:39
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Interview 0:29
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Interview 0:42
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Charlie Wilson's War
    Interview 0:34
    Charlie Wilson's War

    Photos106

    Tom Hanks in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    Tom Hanks in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    Tom Hanks and Mike Nichols in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    Mike Nichols in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    Julia Roberts in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, and Amy Adams in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    Julia Roberts and Mike Nichols in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    Tom Hanks in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tom Hanks
    Tom Hanks
    • Charlie Wilsonas Charlie Wilson
    Julia Roberts
    Julia Roberts
    • Joanne Herringas Joanne Herring
    Philip Seymour Hoffman
    Philip Seymour Hoffman
    • Gust Avrakotosas Gust Avrakotos
    Amy Adams
    Amy Adams
    • Bonnie Bachas Bonnie Bach
    Terry Bozeman
    Terry Bozeman
    • CIA Award Presenteras CIA Award Presenter
    Brian Markinson
    Brian Markinson
    • Paul Brownas Paul Brown
    Jud Tylor
    Jud Tylor
    • Crystal Leeas Crystal Lee
    Hilary Angelo
    Hilary Angelo
    • Kellyas Kelly
    Cyia Batten
    Cyia Batten
    • Staceyas Stacey
    Kirby Mitchell
    Kirby Mitchell
    • Stoned Guyas Stoned Guy
    Ed Regine
    Ed Regine
    • Limo Driveras Limo Driver
    Daniel Eric Gold
    Daniel Eric Gold
    • Donnellyas Donnelly
    Emily Blunt
    Emily Blunt
    • Jane Liddleas Jane Liddle
    Peter Gerety
    Peter Gerety
    • Larry Liddleas Larry Liddle
    Wynn Everett
    Wynn Everett
    • Receptionist - Charlie's Angelsas Receptionist - Charlie's Angels
    Mary-Bonner Baker
    Mary-Bonner Baker
    • Marla - Charlie's Angelsas Marla - Charlie's Angels
    • (as Mary Bonner Baker)
    Rachel Nichols
    Rachel Nichols
    • Suzanne - Charlie's Angelsas Suzanne - Charlie's Angels
    Shiri Appleby
    Shiri Appleby
    • Jailbait - Charlie's Angelsas Jailbait - Charlie's Angels
    • Director
      • Mike Nichols
    • Writers
      • Aaron Sorkin(screenplay)
      • George Crile(book)
    • All cast & crew
    See production, box office, & company info

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In the early 1980s, Charlie Wilson is a womanizing US congressional representative from Texas who seemed to be in the minor leagues, except for the fact that he is a member of two major foreign policy and covert-ops committees. However, prodded by his major conservative supporter, Houston Socialite Joanne Herring, Wilson learns about the plight the people are suffering in the brutal Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. With the help of the maverick CIA agent, Gustav "Gust" Avrakotos, Wilson dedicates his canny political efforts to supply the Afghan mujahideen with the weapons and support to defeat the Soviet Union. However, Charlie Wilson eventually learns that while military victory can be had, there are other consequences and prices to that fight that are ignored to everyone's sorrow. —Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)
    afghanistanarms dealerbased on true storymujahideensoviet army166 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • A stiff drink. A little mascara. A lot of nerve. Who said they couldn't bring down the Soviet empire.
    • Genres
      • Biography
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • History
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for strong language, nudity/sexual content and some drug use
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Though recuperating from heart transplant surgery, the real Charlie Wilson made it to the red carpet premiere of the film.
    • Goofs
      The Texas flag in Charlie Wilson's office is upside down; the white field should be at the top.
    • Quotes

      Gust Avrakotos: There's a little boy and on his 14th birthday he gets a horse... and everybody in the village says, "how wonderful. The boy got a horse" And the Zen master says, "we'll see." Two years later, the boy falls off the horse, breaks his leg, and everyone in the village says, "How terrible." And the Zen master says, "We'll see." Then, a war breaks out and all the young men have to go off and fight... except the boy can't cause his legs all messed up. and everybody in the village says, "How wonderful."

      Charlie Wilson: Now the Zen master says, "We'll see."

    • Crazy credits
      This film is carbon neutral with NativeEnergy
    • Connections
      Featured in HBO First Look: Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
    • Soundtracks
      Never, Never Gonna Give You Up
      Written and Performed by Barry White

      Courtesy of The Island Def Jam Music Group

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews330

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    Who did 9/11? Charlie did it!
    The movie is pretty much okay on technical level and the acting is good. It shows, however, the real nature of American stupidity when it comes to politics. The proverb that the "Enemy of my enemy is my friend" is basically wrong. You may help your enemy to fight his enemy, but you will never become his friend when it comes to Islamic countries. At the best you will become "the useful idiot".

    You can see it in documentaries: The Americans are proud to help "freedom" in the Afghanistan, but the Afghan leaders actually had no idea who was helping them. It was irrelevant to them who would supply them the weapons and explicitly told they gave no damn about Americans, because "it was their own (Afghan) blood that will be spilled" and "they gave us just some money". Absolutely no respect, absolutely no gratitude. The Americans were the same enemy as the Russians. They were both decadent infidels. The American help actually lead to disruption of the country, increased the production of drugs, lead from communistic dictatorship to the theocratic dictatorship, provided the safe ground for Islamic terrorists and finally destabilized the region including the Pakistan.

    In the tactical level the "help" was a success. But it was the same success as was the success of Enron or Worldcom - short time success followed by the catastrophic collapse. From the long term point of view it would be better to keep Russians in Afghanistan to repair the infrastructure from their own pocket and let them bleed slowly. The Russians could not afford long time "help" for financial reasons - the same reasons that Americans cannot afford to "stay and help" in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    The movie was created as a celebration of the success, but more or less it should be presented as a warning. Al-Qaeda is the creation of Charlie Wilson. When you ask who did 9/11 - Charlie did it! Your enemy may defeat another enemy of yours, but in the end he will remain to be your enemy. He will be just better armed and trained than ever.
    helpful•48
    15
    • the_wolf_imdb
    • Jan 17, 2012

    FAQ1

    • Is Mercury Bay, New Zealand really a hotbed of anti-American activity?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 21, 2007 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Germany
    • Languages
      • English
      • Dari
      • Russian
      • Urdu
      • Hebrew
      • Arabic
    • Also known as
      • Cuoc Chien Cua Charlie Wilson
    • Filming locations
      • Marrakech, Morocco
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • Relativity Media
      • Participant
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $75,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $66,661,095
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $9,656,250
      • Dec 23, 2007
    • Gross worldwide
      • $119,483,446
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 42min
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • SDDS
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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