“Charlie Wilson’s War”
Mike Nichols’ highly entertaining — only mildly uncomfortable — political dramedy “Charlie Wilson’s War” deals to some degree with Afghan freedom fighters confronting the Red Army in the ’80s. Only the film is oh so all-American. Driven by a true character, U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks), it can’t help but celebrate Americans’ rogue tendencies and impulsive decency, our love of the rule of law and our fondness for making an end-run around it. Politically deft writer Aaron Sorkin adapted George Crile’s 2003 investigative yarn about the efforts of Wilson and CIA operative Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman) to fund and arm the mujahedeen. Putting Hanks and Julia Roberts (who plays Joanna Herring, Wilson’s sometime paramour and a full-time Cold Warrior) on the screen together for the first time makes “Charlie Wilson’s War” more a smart romp than a political rant. Also featuring Amy Adams. R. 97 minutes. Released today.Lisa Kennedy
“Cloverfield”
“Cloverfield” combines the hand-held camera tricks of 1999 cult hit “The Blair Witch Project” with the nightmarish imprint of 9/11. Four friends try to reach another when Manhattan is rocked by a gigantic creature. Far from perfect, “Cloverfield,” written by Drew Goddard, squanders some nicely established emotional ties in the action chaos and leaps of logic. But for shear visual tenacity, it’s a visceral ride. Warning: Motion-sickness bags and Dramamine are not provided by theaters. R. 1 hour, 24 minutes. Released today. Lisa Kennedy
“The Savages”
When the father they haven’t seen for years is diagnosed with vascular dementia, Wendy wistfully asks her brother Jon, “Maybe Dad didn’t abandon us, maybe he just forgot who we were?” When she and Jon become caregivers for the father who didn’t care much for them, she hopefully asks her sibling if the place he has found for Dad is “nice.” Tamara Jenkins’ mordant, poignant family portrait of adult children and their geriatric parents navigates the rough waters of that middle passage when it’s sink or swim time. Superbly acted by Laura Linney as Wendy, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Jon and Philip Bosco as their fading father, “The Savages” is a movie of absurdist humor, brutal realism and dementia. R. 1 hour, 53 minutes. Released today. Carrie Rickey, The Philadelphia Inquirer
