Charlie Wilson's War ****1/2

Cinema showed us wars in many ways. Spielberg took us to the frontline in Saving Private Ryan and captured the human drama in Schindler's List. Richard Fleischer presented the planning behind Pearl Harbor in Tora!Tora!Tora!, while Michael Bay concentrated on the human side 30 years later.

In Charlie Wilson's War Mike Nichols and Aaron Sorkin try yet another approach, go back to a forgotten war after Vietnam, before Iraq and take a look at the current situation from there.

Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) is the congressman from second district of Texas and he is enjoying it. Some power, some money, good entertainment, an office filled with beautiful secretaries. What else would a man want? Then one day an image on TV catches his eye during a hot tub party (this should say something about his character). Dan Rather reports from Afghanistan among Afghan mujahidin (warriors), who are fighting against the Russian army. Being a man of power, Wilson finds out that the US support behind Afghans is quite insignificant and makes sure that it increases.

Having done his part, Wilson moves on with his life until a rich, influential Texan widow, Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts) interferes. She sets up a meeting with the president of Pakistan (yes, she has that much influence), who sends Wilson to an Afghan refugee camp on the border to witness the effects of the war firsthand. The field trip puts Wilson into action and with help from the CIA operative Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman), he starts the war.

I didn't know what to expect from Charlie Wilson's War. A Nichols movie, with long, slow dialogues and heavy performances or an Aaron Sorkin production with fast scenes and snappy jokes. The younger of the two, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, seems to have prevailed on the familiar ground, the Senate. Once Team Charlie gets rolling there is no stopping them. After the introductions, clash of Charlie's troubles in private life and political arena takes the audience into a torrent of laughter and drama that doesn't calm until the last scene, which is also the moment you are asking yourself "Has it really been that long? I want more!"

Apart from a few intimate dialogues, the most Nichols-like part of the movie is the ensemble cast. The three leads (Hanks, Hoffman and Roberts) have four Academy Awards and nine nominations among them. Still, it is a war movie and boys do most of the talking, joking and acting. The always "good guy" Hanks effortlessly sells a corrupt congressman as the hero (or he makes it look easy); while Hoffman brings his energy and his mumbling comedy to create the unusual CIA agent Gust. The ladies; Roberts, Amy Adams Oscar nominee from Junebug and Emily Blunt the great comedienne from last year's The Devil Wears Prada don't have enough time to really build character, which leaves them in the background.

Naturally, with this many stars on both sides of the camera, Charlie Wilson's War is creating some awards buzz. Unfortunately, the movie, although written brilliantly, is somewhat light to be considered for the best feature category by the Academy. The acting parts are not long or dramatic, except for Hanks, who may actually land a nomination. Also, Sorkin may go for the Adapted Screenplay. Of course, this is just me talking. Who knows, last year we had Little Miss Sunshine among the dramas and Judi Dench got an Oscar for basically a cameo in Shakespeare In Love. So, there is still hope.

It is funny how time changes things. 10 years ago this would have been an "American hero" movie. They would have sold it as "The American Bond". (of course Emily Blunt would have been 14 and thus too young to play the Bond girl, but I am sure we could have found someone) Now, it is a harsh satire, disguised by smart comedy. It is a different kind of political movie, it is entertaining and it is definitely worth watching.