First Hit: A very good (not great) film giving viewers a small look of how owing and being owed favors moves our government along even on a worldwide stage.
I must have had my head in the sand when these events of the early 1980s happened because I don't recall of ever hearing of Charlie Wilson.
Charlie Wilson was a drinking, schmoozing, and fun loving congressman from a small district is Texas. His fondness for a rich Texas socialite leads him into finding a way to funnel weapons and money into hands of the Mujahedin of Afghanistan who are attempting to dislodge the Russians who invaded their country in 1979.
By creating a long list of favors during his time in congress he massaged and leveraged these owed favors along with committee member egos into increase funding for purchasing weapons for the Mujahedin to defeat the Russians.
Tom Hanks plays Charlie Wilson and does a fine job of being this fun loving congressman. Phillip Seymour Hoffman does an outstanding job (as usual) as Gust Avrakotos the CIA connection who makes it all happen for Charlie. The film effectively intersperses actual news footage and new film footage.
Overall: An interesting, fun, and insightful film about a colorful congressman of which there are many.