Friday Film Noir
Charlie Wilson's War (2007) is a political drama directed by Mike Nichols and written by Aaron Sorkin. The film is based on the true story of the largest covert operation of the Cold War. The story follows U.S. Congressman Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks), a charismatic Texas Democrat, who is persuaded by anti-Communist activist Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts) to use his political clout to fund the Afghan resistance against the Soviet invasion. Wilson partners with a cynical CIA operative, Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and together they secure massive, unprecedented funding for the Afghan Mujahideen. This operation eventually succeeds in driving the Soviet army out of Afghanistan, marking a crucial strategic victory in the Cold War.
The film was shot primarily in California, with scenes depicting Afghanistan filmed in Morocco. Julia Roberts met extensively with the real Joanne Herring, who used her socialite status to influence powerful political figures. Herring hired a lawyer to demand changes to her initial, unflattering portrayal. The real Gust Avrakotos broke a window in his superior’s office, a detail directly incorporated to reflect the CIA operative’s volatility. Its famously somber final line, “we f---ed up the endgame,” was a deliberate narrative pivot. An earlier draft had concluded with a scene featuring the September 11 attacks, an ending Tom Hanks found too jarring. The film explores complex themes, primarily the long-term consequences and moral responsibility of covert foreign policy. Philip Seymour Hoffman received an Oscar nomination for his performance.
