Review: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)

UPDATED with Jenna's review: Tina Fey is my spirit animal. I absolutely love her. Currently, I’m binge watching 30 Rock like there’s no tomorrow, knowing the end is in sight and not wanting it all to be over whilst saying to myself ‘just one more episode’. So I knew as soon as Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016) came out, I was going to have to see it asap. I’d just come back off honeymoon and knew I needed something funny to pick me up, so this was perfect.  I am not such a Tina Fey fan, I don't dislike her at all (loved her in Sisters) but I don't actively watch things because she is in it, I can find her irritating so I have to limit my intake.

The movie is based on memoir of real-life reporter Kim Barker, titled ‘The Taliban Shuffle’, recounting her experiences with reporting on the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Kim, played by Tina Fey, had no experience in this field what-so-ever, but being unmarried without children was enough.

Maybe I should have worked this out on my own, but from the trailer I was expecting a bit of a parody, something to keep me laughing throughout. Don’t get me wrong, some moments are absolutely hilarious, for example, when Kim first arrived in Afghanistan a lady shouts abuse at her for not having her hair covered, and Kim’s local guide and translator Fahim (Christopher Abbott) tells her she is simply welcoming her to the country. Then there’s a moment where Kim describes the local women as ‘walking Ikea bags’ or something like that, which had me in tears!  Yeah I completely suprised by this, I was expected and full on 'Tina Fey' comedy and got nothing of the sort.  It had funny moments as Allie said but nothing that would make it a comedy, it is much more of a drama.  Luckily, as a drama it was very good so I didn't feel entirely cheated by the trailer.

Mostly though, the movie is a drama that hit me harder than I thought it would. I don’t watch a lot of war movies anyway, but the ones I have seen have focussed on the action, and the soldiers fighting these wars. They’re exciting, and fuelled with adrenaline. This is much different from that. Maybe it’s because I was seeing the war through the eyes of someone inexperienced to it all, someone who reacts the way I imagine I might have done.  It terrified me, I kept imagining what I would have done if I was in Kim's shoes and I just got all sweaty and anxious.  It really does show a whole new side to the war in Afghanistan!

There’s a great cast here. I’ve already mentioned Fahim, whose politeness when translating gets a lot of laughs, but I liked Tanya (Margot Robbie) more than I thought I would too. She’s a reporter too, and has been out there longer than Kim, but shows her the ropes and explains concepts such as ‘being an American 4 makes you a 10 out here’, making Tanya herself a 15. Obviously. General Hollanek’s (Billy Bob Thornton) bluntness caught me off guard several times. And then we have Martin Freeman as Iain, doing a brilliant Scottish accent, although the last time I saw him he was trying an American one in Civil War which was awful, so maybe my radar is off-balance. Honestly, it’s worth watching just to hear Martin Freeman drop the ‘c-bomb’ so frequently!  Not sure I was as impressed with Freeman's Scottish accent but maybe I'm still reeling from Captain America: Civil War. but yes the C-bomb ultimately made his character for me - you know I love a good swear!!

I’m realising now that I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I did. It was definitely mis-marketed, and the tone shifts quite sharply every now and again which throws you off balance, but it’s a war movie that I’m recommending left, right and centre, and I don’t think that’s happened before. Give it a try!

I can't even explain how I felt about this film, one minute I was laughing, the next I was hugging a cushion, thankful that I was in the safety of my little house.  That being said, I was completely hooked!!

12 Days of Christmas - Day 7 Bad Santa (2003)

At out latest movie night me and Allie decided to move forward with our Christmas titles for the 12 days of Christmas, last night was Bad Santa.  I can't believe I haven't seen this before now!!

I swore blind that I had seen this only once before, but that it was when it came out so I couldn't really remember anything about it. The first 5 minutes convinced me that I absolutely did not watch this with my family when I was 14!

Bad Santa is NOT your typical Christmas film, Willie (Billy Bob Thornton) is a conman who every year gets a job as (the worst) department store Santa where he and his partner Marcus (Tony Cox) scope out the place.  In Christmas Eve when the store is closed, they rob the place and leave without a trace onto another town and another department store.  Problems arise however, when Willie's drinking becomes out of control and he builds an unlikely friendship with 'The Kid' who believes he is actually Santa.

I was really surprised by this and wish I had watched it sooner, I feel like it may become a tradition to watch over Christmas every year.  Although it is certainly NSFD, NSFT or NSFP (worth remembering if you're thinking of introducing your kids to a new Christmas film, don't!!) it a rally funny in places and Billy Bob Thornton is great as the miserable drunk who develops a bit of a conscience (who can forget the Advent Calendar scene!).  This should maybe be on the Trivia post at the end of the month but, I read that BBT was actually drunk through most of the filming, not sure whether it was method acting or a genuine problem, either way it worked for the film.

That advent calendar! And poor old Grandma! I can't remember laughing so much at a Christmas film. Some things were just subtly hilarious and really tickled me, who can imagine Santa throwing an empty bottle of liquor at a car and smashing the windscreen?

Tony Cox is so funny throughout, his one-liners are great (and apparently many were improvised as jokes on set but were kept in because they were so funny!) and it was great to see some dearly departed actors in roles I hadn't seen them in before (John Ritter and Bernie Mac).

The mood changes rapidly in parts, Jenna and I sat and predicted how the whole thing would end, in between laughing at how awful Willie was at being Santa and being grossed out by The Kid's snotty face. We were nearly right, but there are some very dark moments in this (and horrified children!)

There is nothing PC about this movie and that is probably part of it's charm.  A definite winner for the Christmas cynic and even for the lovers for something a bit different, a re-watcher for me...

I absolutely, whole heartedly loved this. Billy Bob Thornton is fantastic, and if you watched the Fargo TV show this year, he plays pretty much the exact same character, which just made it funnier for me, almost as if the events of Bad Santa existed in the same fictional universe!

Currently Watching...Fargo (Allie)

For weeks I followed the hyper surrounding this new TV Show, and to be honest, Martin Freeman was a big selling point for me. I think he's an amazing actor. There was another pull too, it's based on a 1996 film of the same name, which just so happens to be on the IMDB Top 250 List. You can see where this is going, can't you?

 

You can see our review of the original Fargo film here. Despite my misgivings, I was still really looking forward to seeing the TV Show. I was wondering to myself whether the plot would follow the film closely or not, because I could picture William H. Macy's character as Martin Freeman clearly.

 

I think I found myself pleased that the TV Show, at least so far, doesn't follow the film's plot. It's got that 'Fargo feel' without a doubt though. I'm only two episodes in so far so I can't really give a justified opinion, but I'm really enjoying it so far, it's different to anything else I'm currently watching.

 

Billy Bob Thornton is an actor that I really don't know well at all, but he plays the psychotic character Lorne Malvo really well. I love all the dark humour that ties in with his character.

 

What I really can't get over is Martin Freeman's accent. If you've seen the film you'll be familiar with the 'yah?' that gets said at least once every minute or so, but I was so taken aback by Martin's accent that I literally stopped listening to anything that he said. I'm not saying it was a bad accent! In fact it's amazing! But it's so different to his usual voice that if you close your eyes, you wouldn't even guess it was him.  I heard his accent on the advert and it scared the bejeezus out of me, I'm not sure I can watch it now!!

 

Here's a trailer if you haven't seen or heard of the show yet:

 

 

In conclusion then, it's too early to judge but I'm loving this show so far.

 

My conclusion, think I'll give it a miss for now, but will keep it on the list.

 

EDIT: Since first drafting this post, I've watched another 2 episodes so I'm 4 in now. SPOILER ALERT - I'm super happy that the TV Show now has a link with the 90's Film, and even happier that I knew the reference! I'm loving this show more and more with each episode!