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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016) in Movies

Aug 6, 2019  
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)
2016 | Comedy, Drama
5
5.3 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Based on “The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan,” a memoir by Kim Barker, “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” follows the journey of a copy writer turned war reporter (Tina Fey).

One day Barker is called into a meeting where, because she is unmarried and without children, she is asked to cover the war in Afghanistan. Seeming hesitant, but pulled by a desire to escape her mundane life, she decides to go for it.

When Barker arrives in Afghanistan the journalists that are stationed there basically just party most of the time, which speaks volumes about the ways people may try to avoid the emotional intensity of their surroundings.

Other than that, Barker hangs out with some very calm troops, gets ballsy and captures some crazy footage, and seems to get very wrapped up in the thrill of getting a lead story. It doesn’t seem that Barker ever has any actual interest in the politics of what she is covering. Realizing that it is a comedy, this may be totally fine. But the film is an odd mix. It portrays Barker’s character as somewhat numb to the tragic reality she is immersed in, while at the same time making a joke wherever it can.

I’m not quite sure what genre “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” fits into. It gets close to drama, and it gets close to comedy but it isn’t that funny and it isn’t that touching. It leaves the impression of a dull and desensitized view of war and the challenges reporters face abroad. Perhaps the film is staying true to the memoir, but it is definitely a different approach to describing such an experience.

That being said, it’s not a bad film or a bad story. It’s interesting. It has funny moments, and it makes you want to know what will happen in the end. A few scenes even get close to developing the characters in a way that might make the audience care about them. But overall, there is really no emotional substance to the film and it leaves no big impression.

Worth a watch on Netflix, I give “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” 2.5 out of 5 stars.