STREAM ANYTIME with Prime Video from $14.99

$3.99

$2.99 delivery: Sep 21 - 23

In stock.
Usually ships within 4 to 5 days.

$$3.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Secure transaction

Ships from and sold by GRUV.

Return policy: Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement

Other Sellers on Amazon

$7.99
FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon.

Sold by: Amazon.com

$8.00
& FREE Shipping

Sold by: insomniacsonline

$3.43
+ $4.57 shipping

Sold by: TheBestUsedBookscom

Charlie Wilson's War (Widescreen Edition)

DVD

Tom Hanks (Actor), Julia Roberts (Actor), Mike Nichols (Director) Rated:

Format: DVD

2,551 ratings

IMDb7.0/10.0

List Price:	$9.98 Details
Price:	$3.99
You Save:	$5.99 (60%)

Additional DVD options

Edition

Discs

Price

New from

Used from

DVD
January 3, 2010

"Please retry"

DVD

$3.99

$3.43

$1.49

DVD
April 22, 2008

"Please retry"

DVD

$7.77

$3.98

$0.77

DVD
June 7, 2010

"Please retry"

—

$8.50

$8.49

$3.42

Watch Instantly with

Rent

Buy

Charlie Wilson's War

$3.99

$14.99

Enhance your purchase

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Tom Hanks
45,851
DVD
in Westerns
$13.99
Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 16
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
12
DVD
$15.94
+ $3.99 shipping
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Tom Hanks
5,467
DVD
$13.99
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
In stock soon.
Tom Hanks
32
DVD
$14.47
+ $4.58 shipping
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Tom Hanks
21,181
DVD
$14.83
Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 16
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
Meryl Streep
5,252
DVD
$11.78
& Free Shipping

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Tom Hanks
32
DVD
$14.47
+ $4.58 shipping
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Tom Hanks
10,519
DVD
$9.99
Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 16
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
George Crile
590
Paperback
$12.29
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
In stock soon.
Julia Roberts
126
DVD
$9.35
Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 16
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
Only 3 left in stock - order soon.
12
DVD
$15.94
+ $3.99 shipping
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Tom Hanks
5,016
DVD
$7.82
Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 16
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon

Special offers and product promotions

Amazon Business: Make the most of your Amazon Business account with exclusive tools and savings. Login now

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Academy Award winners Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman star in this compelling and witty film from Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols and Primetime Emmy-winning writer Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing). Based on the outrageous true story, Charlie Wilson's War shows how one congressman who loved a good time, one Houston socialite who loved a good cause and one renegade CIA agent who loved a good fight conspired to bring about the largest covert operation in history.

Bonus Content:

The Making of Charlie Wilson's War

Who Is Charlie Wilson?

Amazon.com

Political movies about backroom negotiations need not be dry or heavy-handed, as Charlie Wilson's War delightfully proves. Based on the true story of playboy congressman Wilson's efforts to fund Afghanistan's defense against the Soviet invasion of the 1980s, the film is borne along on breezy attitude and a peppery script by West Wing scribe Aaron Sorkin. Wilson, played by Tom Hanks (who also produced), is the perfect hero for this kind of tale, because there's nothing perfect or heroic about him: He's a highball-swilling, fanny-pinching gadabout who becomes radicalized on the issue of helping the Afghans against their mighty aggressor. He has help in the form of a right-wing Texas anti-Communist (Julia Roberts) with a genius for raising money, and a sardonic CIA operative (Philip Seymour Hoffman, stealing the show) who lacks all the social skills Wilson has in abundance. Sorkin's syncopated speech is just the ticket for director Mike Nichols, who understands exactly how to keep this kind of political comedy popping (the complicated story comes in at a hair over 90 minutes, amazingly). Some scoundrels are on the right side of the angels, and the movie's Charlie Wilson is one of them. --Robert Horton

Beyond Charlie Wilson's War on DVD

More Tom Hanks

Films by Mike Nichols

More Julia Roberts

Stills from Charlie Wilson's War (Click for larger image)

Product details

Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.85:1
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.57 x 5.44 x 7.46 inches; 2.96 Ounces
Item model number ‏ : ‎ 61100566
Director ‏ : ‎ Mike Nichols
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Multiple Formats, Widescreen, NTSC
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 42 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ January 3, 2010
Actors ‏ : ‎ Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty
Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ French, Spanish
Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, Spanish, French
Language ‏ : ‎ English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Unqualified, Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Studio ‏ : ‎ Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0013XZ2QK
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

Best Sellers Rank: #4,302 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #564 in Comedy (Movies & TV)
- #871 in Drama DVDs

Customer Reviews:
2,551 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		77%
4 star		14%
3 star		5%
2 star		1%
1 star		3%

How are ratings calculated?

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Peel back one layer of this onion and it’s a disturbing film.

Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2020

Verified Purchase

Once again, Hollywood finds a way to trivialize and sanitize US actions should be somewhat disturbing when you look at the underlying “facts” of this movie. All we needed to do was give the Afghanis some weapons and they would take care of the Russians for us and this was started by a Texas woman who owned a Congressman that was on the Appropriations Committee. It was an interesting movie but there was no need to glamorize what was happening and how little it took to commit $500M in taxpayer money for something that originated behind closed doors in secret meetings. They even found a way to make Charlie a likable character in what was likely a much more sleazy operation that could have benefited from making it a more realistic movie… but that’s not the Hollywood model.

43 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jon

STARZ via Prime. LOVE this movie, no negatives whatsoever for me.

Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2019

Verified Purchase

One of my first thoughts when I first noticed this movie was this: Anything with Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman (RIP) has got to be great. I was not disappointed one tiny little bit, not for a single speck of a moment.

In a few words, the film is very serious while also being highly entertaining. Minor spoiler but nothing of great importance... Hanks as Charlie Wilson:
"What is Dan Rather wearin' right now?"
"What?"
"Dan Rather. What is he wearin'? ... Why hasn't he shaved?"
"Charlie, are we gonna do business?"
"Dan Rather... is wearin' a turban Paul."

Gotta love it.

Amy Adams does a great job as Charlie Wilson's girl Friday, who at least sorta worships him if not something more. Julia Roberts (is solid as "the sixth wealthiest woman in Texas", and in this role just a bit reminiscent of Erin Brockovich.
Joanne: "Why is Congress sayin' one thing and doin' nothin'?"
Charlie: "Well, tradition mostly."

Emily Blunt. Well, just wow. A minor part, but. Wow. "Just call me angel of the morning, angel." Whoa.

The meat of the storyline is great from start to finish, and I can't think of anybody who could've pulled it together in as fulfilling a fashion as Hanks and Hoffman. Brilliant through and through. Hoffman totally grabbed me ten seconds or less into his first scene, and then it got BETTER.

Having been quite familiar beforehand with the background of the story (via the likes of "The Main Enemy", co-written by James Risen, formerly with the NYT, and Milt Bearden, 30-year veteran of CIA clandestine services), I was pleased and satisfied with events related throughout this embellished account ("based on true events"). It was probably about as historically accurate as any mainstream production-for-profit can be. I might even call it a docudrama. It WAS dramatic, despite many lighter elements that also made it thoroughly entertaining.

All in all, "Charlie Wilson's War" competes for the best "political history" film I've ever seen. I've watched it multiple times and surely will again.

22 people found this helpful

Helpful

MyD -- The Viewpoint

SOVIET-AFGHAN CONFLICT, A PIVOTAL COLD WAR CHAPTER --- A MOVIE REVIEW... PLUS IMPORTANT NOTES ON HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2015

Verified Purchase

RARELY CAN A SERIOUS MOVIE BE THIS FUNNY AND STILL SOMEWHAT FACTUAL -- A MOVIE WITH SURPRISINGLY GREAT WIT! ***see notes on historic context below if you're interested***

Let me first caution everyone to apply just a tiny grain of salt when viewing any Hollywood movie based on true events. However, this one does a pretty good job. It depicts the true life involvement of U.S. Congressman Charlie Wilson in expanding the US budget for support of Afghan rebels during the Soviet involvement. This was a critical and dramatic chapter in the Cold War that affects the later history of the 20th century and beyond. That may not sound interesting to some viewers, but let me tell you, this movie has moxy and mirth at every turn. The characters have such natural wit that it can entertain even non history buffs.

THE PLOT (no spoilers): Texas Congressman and notorious playboy Charlie Wilson (a liberal Democrat but hawkish on foreign policy) becomes interested in the Afghan plight after seeing a news report. He sits on the house appropriations committee with the ability to affect flow of funds to entities like the CIA in order to supply better weapons and training to fight the Soviet forces in Afghanistan. The movie depicts his endeavor working with a CIA case officer, weapons specialists, a wealthy female right wing advocate and other members of congress. All are united in their fervent hate of communism. Charlie will need his exceptional skills in "horse trading", as well as his personal charm, to win others to his side and cause something truly momentous. His charm is matched with the surly disposition of CIA Case Officer Avrakotos. Both have a biting wit. Though some accents are a little exaggerated, generic southern (not Texan), and some scenes are a little melodramatic (particularly the combat involving attack helicopters), the spirit of Charlie's personality is quite faithful. Tom Hanks is more than token star power. He actually looks a bit like Wilson at that age. Hanks' accent was only a little exaggerated, Julia Roberts a little more so. She does make a very interesting character though. The verbal tête à tête between Wilson and almost every other character is hilarious! It's all done with a straight face. This is not a comedy. It's just that good! Verbal fencing occurs in almost every scene and the visit to Pakistan was a highlight for me as he spars with Pakistani officials.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: (no political statements, just information)

.....DID AFGANISTAN WIN THE COLD WAR?: That statement by itself is way too simplified. It is a critical chapter in a much bigger story. There were independence movements going on in Soviet States before Afghanistan, an untenable arms race against the west that outspent them, over half century of crushing economic policy, and a new generation of leaders embodied by Gorbachev that wanted to end the cold war. However, it is fair to say that Afghanistan is that proverbial "straw" on a very overburdened back. For those labeling the Soviets "occupiers", it's important to remember that the Taraki led government had a treaty with the USSR for protection and actually called on them for support. Initially that support was begrudging. After the coup led by Hafizullah Amin which deposed Taraki, they still called on the USSR for help in the north, though the new regime was somewhat anti Soviet. Russia had military involvement in Afghanistan going back to Tsarist times and the "Great Game" against Britain. The problem is that the actual people of Afghanistan were overwhelmingly against the atheist ideology and a brutal suppression was underway by the Afghan government against it's own people to curtail some religious practices and political opposition. So much of the populace would consider them occupiers.

.....DID U.S. CREATE BIN LADEN AND THUS RESULTING TERROR ATTACKS?: Another huge topic, but here's what to consider - The repression in Afghanistan already had a religious context. The foreign fighters from Saudi Arabia and other places were also drawn specifically by the idea of religious jehad. There was an idea of "America next someday" that already existed. So much money and arms were poured into the region that it isn't as relevant whether Bin Laden was supported directly or indirectly. Most opposition groups, including his, would get resources one way or another. How we interacted with Afghans afterward might have influenced history. But that history is written now and it's hard to speculate if it could have gone differently. The fact is, we were there so we get some ownership of the problem. A weak government was left after Soviet withdrawal, allowing the Taliban to take power. Whether we could avoid the terrorist attacks later is a question history is still exploring. As someone with experience in that region, I am not convinced we could have avoided them by avoiding the Soviet Afghan conflict. We didn't create the genesis of that extremism. But certainly they fixated on us later and our actions create a certain variable.

MOVIE ACCURACY: I already mentioned the faithfulness to at least the spirit of Charlie Wilson's personality. The accusations of cocaine use, investigations by Juliani, the hot tub scene in Vegas (minus the TV news report I believe), all happened. Charlie's alcohol use was more detrimental to his personal life and those around him than the movie depicts. But he deserves the place in history the movie and book suggest. It is also interesting that he openly acknowledged his foibles, rather than pretending to be a family man in public and then playing differently in his personal life. I don't know if you can call that admirable, but it's a trait that many hypocritical politicians on either side could never claim.

67 people found this helpful

Helpful

Mike Moreno

great movie

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2020

Verified Purchase

This is one of my favorite historical movies, about a place in time that is gone. Great cast, Tom Hanks is always good,
Julia Roberts in a bikini, great as usual, and 1 of the last movies with Philip Seymour Hoffman, a brilliant actor.
Set in the early 80's, this is how things were done back then. We did a lot of good for the Afghanis back then, helping them defeat the Russian Red Army, which had never happened before.
We were their heroes, we had a chance to make them valuable allies against Russia, but as usual, Congress blew it.
Congress denied funding for schools and hospitals, after a tremendous victory. We left, and they hate us now.

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Mark Pack

The combination of ingredients should make this an amazing film, but it falls just short

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 17, 2016

Verified Purchase

A wild, wacky but true story of an outrageous character who changed the course of the world. A screenplay by The West Wing maestro Aaron Sorkin. An all-star cast which is also an all-talented cast including the likes of Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Those should be the making of an amazing film. And they nearly are. Nearly, but not quite.

Charlie Wilson's War is the real life story of how an undistinguished American congressman found a purpose to his political career beyond enjoying the drink, drugs and women - helping the Afghan opposition to the then occupying Soviet military forces. What started as a relatively small $5 million increase in US covert funding for the Afghan opposition spiralled over time into a multi-billion dollar operation.

Tempting as it is to exaggerate the impact of any one person when retelling part of history, in this case most of that change in support for the Afghan opposition - and the huge influence it had on defeating the Soviet military - does indeed seem to be down to Charlie Wilson.

The real man himself features in two fascinating extras on the DVD and in the actual film is portrayed skillfully by Tom Hanks. Many of the other performances are also fine, and the script sizzles at times with Sorkin's trademark intense verbal wit. But the film also has its flaws, such as the uneven interweaving of at times surprisingly amateurish looking attempted footage of war scenes.

So a very enjoyable film about a fascinating example of a politician finding a way to use a relative humble position in the political pecking order to change the world - but not quite the all-time classic movie its ingredients gave hope for.

One annoyance about the DVD - it comes with an enforced, non-skippable, four minute long advert at the start. The advert is for a good cause (UNICEF) but even so, it's a long sequence to be forced to watch.

One person found this helpful

Paul Norton

Beware the long (over five minutes) non skipable/ non fast forwardable advert at the start of DVD.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 31, 2017

Verified Purchase

Not as good as I remembered it to be. Not one of Hanks best films. The DVD has a 5 plus minutes advert about AIDS in Africa voiced by a droning Gwyneth Paltrow. You cannot skip or fast forward this ad and you are forced to watch it every time you view the film. Frankly after two minutes of the ad I wanted to take the DVD out and burn it on the fire, after 3 minutes I wanted to throw myself under a bus. Not worth returning. will take to charity shop.

One person found this helpful

Mr. P. Shaw

UNCONVINCING

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 2, 2016

Verified Purchase

I purchased this since I have an interest in the period and subject. Although the story, (previously unknown to myself), was interesting the film did not really convince. Tom Hanks is just not "sleazy" enough for this role and there was no chemistry between him and Julia Roberts. Philip Seymour Hoffman (usually an excellent actor- sadly missed) was not really given much chance by the director.
This could have been made with unknown actors in a far more convincing way- although, of course, it would have had very little "Box office" appeal..

Mervyn Hagger

THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE WATER IN TEXAS

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2013

Verified Purchase

Texans are individualistic. Having lived for most of my life in Texas I have a pretty good understanding of what makes Texans tick. "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as quickly as I could" (to coin a bumper sticker.) Texas is big and it used to be brash (not so much after the invasion by Yankees following the gas crisis of the Seventies), but its stock born before then thought that they could do anything, anywhere at anytime they chose to do it, and they could do it better than anyone else. Their "s*** or get off the pot" mentality is catching, but it sometimes leads to a Houston women with a bundle of money giving it to a Congressman from Texas who thinks that he can create a foreign policy all of his own, by creating his own armed forces. Thus we have Charlie Wilson's War. A true story, but a headshake for its stupidity of meddling in foreign affairs that only made a bad situation worse.

One person found this helpful

Brummy D

Fact vs Fiction

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 25, 2012

Verified Purchase

After the compulsory sanctimonious lecture on HIV, this is a witty and intelligent film, with excellent acting. Unfortunately the extras consist of those involved describing how wonderful each other are; predictable behaviour from self-obsessed over-privileged adolescents, but behaviour adults should avoid if they dislike being sniggered at.
The film's account of historical events should not be confused with History. The Berlin wall falling had nothing to do with Russian defeat in Afghan, and everything to do with events in Eastern Europe and Gorbachev's refusal to send in the tanks. Gorbie, not Charlie, was the real hero in the downfall of Soviet totalitarianism. Arming and training the Mujahiddin may have seemed a good idea at the time, but it is difficult to see how that helped anyone in the refugee camps to a better life. The same Mujahiddin, trained and armed by the USA, having killed lots of Russian conscripts, then went on to kill lots of Americans and Brits across the globe. The same people are still killing Americans and Brits in Afghan today; thanks a bunch Charlie.

See all reviews

Deals related to this item

See all deals

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

984
$12.10 $16.00 (24% off)

Pages with related products. See and discover other items: Russian Five Movies