Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Dir: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

2016

****

Glenn Ficarra and John Requa's war correspondent comedy was one of 2016's best under the radar hits. Based on the memoir The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Kim Baker, it follows her transition from daytime news television presenter to war correspondent. Wanting an escape from her unfulfilling life and career, and being one of few staff members at her channel who are unmarried with no children, Kim takes a short assignment in Afghanistan that develops into years spent in one of the strangest places in the world. Kim discovers that life as a war correspondent is one of two halves; the danger of shadowing solders under fire and interviewing questionable politicians and the long nights of heavy drinking, parties and sex. Kim befriends BBC reporter Tanya (a previous inspiration) and Scottish photographer and letch, Iain and her life at home becomes something of a distant memory until a kidnapping, a double-cross and the end of the war is declared. It's a funny sort of film really, serious but also a little surreal. It's probably a more honest account of the life of a journalist just about on the right side of enemy lines during a forgotten war as we're ever likely to see, with real people in a weird situation. The obsession and risk that war correspondents take are covered well but without being overcooked for dramatic effect. It's a good balance of funny and informative, with genuine moments of intensity, suspense and believable drama. It's a shame really that more people weren't talking about it, it's the best performance by Tina Fey so far and everyone was talking about Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn when they should have been talking about her role here. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa have a strange portfolio, after working for many years writing for Nickelodeon they wrote Bad Santa, I Love You Phillip Morris and then Crazy,Stupid Love, three great films but not particularly similar in either style or humour. They're the new kings of quirky it seems, you can't really compare their work to anyone else's and I think that's why I like them so much. I suspect the title of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (WTF) may have put a few people off the film, indeed I’m not sure the film was marketed very well but it is a very competent war film that covers pretty much every genre and emotion in one way or another while feeling fresh, somewhat surreal but totally believable. It's worth watching for Alfred Molina's performance as Afghan Attorney General Ali Massoud Sadiq alone to be honest.