By Mark La Monica
The war may have belong to Charlie Wilson, as the title of the movie indicates, but the actual movie "Charlie Wilson's War" belongs entirely to Philip Seymour Hoffman.
From all the trailers and press, this is a Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts movie, but Hoffman walks right up to them, holds them at mustache-point and straight steals the movie from them.
He's brilliant as Gust Avrakotos, the CIA operative who helps organize and run the war to help Afghans defend themselves against the Soviet Union. His comedic lines are delivered with impeccable skill and timing, which isn't surprising considering how ridiculously good he is as an actor.
So, if "Christmas Day and a Movie" is your thing, consider dropping your 10 bones on "Charlie Wilson's War." Watch the trailer below for a tiny sample of Hoffman's work (and mustache!). Granted, the trailer skews heavily toward Hanks, since he's the lead actor. Just remember, it's Hoffman who owns this movie.