Tom Hanks Stars In ‘Charlie Wilson’s War’ …It’s A True Story About A Playboy Congressman

tom-hanks-as-charlie-wilson.jpgCharlie Wilson’s War — starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, and Philip Seymour Hoffman — is another fact-based movie that opens Christmas Day 2007.

Jim and I will probably be among the first in line.

(That’s one of our “traditions“.)

This movie is based on the book Charlie Wilson’s War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History, by George Crile.

Read an excerpt from the book.

What peaked my interest in this movie when I saw it as a preview the other day at the movie theater was their hook…

Based on a true story. You think we could make this stuff up?

Hanks plays a U.S. Congressman from Texas who earned himself the nickname “Good Time Charlie”. It was his habit of mixing personal antics with his professional career that practically led to his demise time and time again. Against all odds, he ended up leading the largest and most successful covert CIA operation in history!

It’s a story so bizarre it’s hard to believe it’s actually true.

NPR has more about the story behind the movie.