Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Review
By Andres Eloy Sereno Hernandez
There’s no single word to describe Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (WTF in military alphabet), it is promoted as a comedy but watching it you’ll find yourself in a mix of wartime, romantic comedy and drama, so well put together that you wouldn’t be able to single out the movie in any genre. Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa and based on Kim Barker’s memoir The Taliban Shuffle, this semi biopic (a lot of liberties were taken with the story) portraits the life of a cable-news writer (Played marvelously by Tine Fey) that takes the chance of becoming a war correspondent in Afghanistan due to the lack of emotion in her monotonous life.
As soon as Kim arrives to Kabul, it is very noticeable how out of her comfort zone and out of character she feels. She is placed in a common house where all the war correspondents in the war zone live. There she meets Tanya Vanderpoel (Played by Margot Robbie, part of the upcoming Suicide Squad ensemble) a British TV journalist that befriends her immediately and show her the ropes of their unconventional situation. Throughout the movie, Kim is accompanied by her Afghan translator Fahim Ahmadzai (played by Christopher Abbott) whom she establishes a sincere and caring friendship. Fahim is also who shows the most human and noble side of the country.
The films also portraits the cultural and social shock between the Islamic doctrine and traditions with the western way of living, and it does it in a humorous and whimsical way. It also shows the dark side of war and how it affects not only the outsiders and locals but also how it brings the shadiest of human emotions. Overall, the war is characterized in a neutral way, without choosing sides on who’s wrong or right.
The performances are good overall, playing this symbiotic combination of genres in a movie that goes from one another in a seamlessly and pleasant way, putting the audience go through a lot of emotions but at the end letting them very entertained. Tina Fey shines in her role, producing a reliable, laid back and smart representation of Kim Barker. Among the cast we find Iain MacKelpie (played by Martin Freeman) a Scottish and a little freelancer photographer that becomes an unexpected love interest. Billy Bob Thornton plays Col. Hollanek, the man in charge of the US troops in the area. And Alfred Molina plays Ali Massoud Sadiq a creepy yet affable local official.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is a fun and emotionally rich movie that allowed Tina Fey bring her A-game in not just comedy but acting and will leave audiences entertained after a little of a rollercoaster of emotions.
8/10
