I wasn't a big fan of Tom Hanks until I saw this movie.  Or Julia Roberts, for that matter.  And, for me, Philip Seymour Hoffman had always just been there.  What can I say?  I'm ignorant.  This movie changed all that for me.    

     Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks), an alcoholic party animal Congressman, embarks on a covert operation with Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman) to arm and train Afghan soldiers in their fight against the Soviet Union.

     Julia Roberts, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty and Emily Blunt round out this surprisingly hilarious bio pic.  It's well paced, intelligent without being condescending, and tender where it's needed.  I like that.

 

     What Makes This Movie Cool:  Philip Semour Hoffman.  His performance earned him an Oscar nod.  And he deserved it.  He's crabby, easily upset, and quite lethargic for a spy.  Just his first scene alone will hook you in like a methhead.  From his cursing out his boss in front of an entire office, to negotiating with the Pakistani President, to asking Julia Roberts to sleep with him, Hoffman turns in a tour de force performance.