BEFORE: Another film about war in the Middle East - but this film takes place during the war between Afghanistan and the Soviet Union in the 1980's. Remember when we didn't send a team to the Olympics in Moscow, and then 4 years later, the Russians didn't send a team to the Olympics in L.A.? Turns out there was a lot more to it than that...
THE PLOT: 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.
AFTER: Essentially, this is the back-story to the Middle East mess that the U.S. found itself in over the last decade. In 1980, the enemy of our enemy (U.S.S.R.) was perceived to be our friend, and shipping arms to Afghanistan in a covert operation seemed like an elegant way to bankrupt the Commies and win the cold war. And it worked - right up until the time that it didn't.
They say half of life is just showing up - so what do we call the other half? Following through? I'm all about following through. The U.S. used the Afghan rebels for short-term gain, and where did it get us? Without funding to rebuild their country, and a decade or so to hold a grudge, the Taliban took control, and the U.S. ended up fighting soldiers that they trained and armed 2 decades before.
And that leads us rather neatly into tomorrow night's film...
Starring Tom Hanks (last seen in "The Man With One Red Shoe"), Julia Roberts (last seen in "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind"), Philip Seymour Hoffman (last seen in "The Talented Mr. Ripley"), Amy Adams (last seen in "Enchanted"), Emily Blunt (last seen in "The Wolfman"), John Slattery (last seen in "Bad Company"), and Ned Beatty (last seen in "The Russia House")
RATING: 5 out of 10 stinger missiles
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