Movie Review: Tina Fey Gets Laughs and Shows Dramatic Chops in Flawed But Compelling "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot"
Reviewed by Paul & Patrick Gibbs
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3 out of 5 |
WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT
Starring Tina Fey. Martin Freeman, Margot Robbie, Billy Bob Thornton
Screenplay by Robert Carlock
Based on the Book The Taliban Shuffle by Kim Barker
Directed by Gleen Ficarra and John Requa
Rated R (profanity, violence, vulgarity, sexual content)
Tina Fey is easily one of Hollywood's most talented comedic performers and writers, but with the exception of her screenplay for Mean Girls, her triumphs have mostly been on the small screen. This is primarily because most of her films have been written by scribes less talented than Fey herself. But with the Afghan war comedy/drama Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Fey is working with a script from her 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt partner Robert Carlock, and while the result isn't the complete home run those series have been, it's a decided step up from Baby Mama or Date Night, and surprises by being considerably more dramatic than the trailers suggest.

Afghanistan while all of the top reporters are covering the A-list war, Iraq. Kim seizes the opportunity to get away from a life even Liz Lemon would find pathetic (complete with a bland boyfriend played by Josh Charles), but she's unprepared for the trials of war zone duty. Luckily, she quickly makes a friend in star reporter Tanya Vanderpoel (Margot Robbie), and develops a strange mutual attraction with a Scottish reporter named Ian Mackelpie (Martin Freeman). She butts head with gruff General Holleneck (Billy Bob Thornton), and catches the eye of a smarmy local official (Alfred Molina). Of course, over time Kim starts to get the hang of Afghanistan, and even develops a near addiction to the excitement of war reporting.


Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (military for WTF) isn't the wack comedy it appears to be in its advertising, and this will be understandably offputting to some. But if you're willing to give it a chance, it's an engaging and effective film.
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