Review of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016) by Spangle — 20 Aug 2016

I expected a comedy and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot was certainly not that. The first half of the film attempted to be a comedy, but largely failed. It does not find its stride until the second half when it focuses on the serious effects of war on war reporters who are always risking their lives for the sake of a story. Here, the film is very dramatic and serious, yet works really well. I am not convinced it works too well with the first half of the film, but it really hits hard at times when you see the risks these people take for their craft. Tina Fey is very good here, as is Martin Freeman. The two of them have terrific chemistry and really draw you into the film. Additionally, the film is very much enjoyable. Even in the weaker first half, there are some very funny one-liners at times and then the serious take of the second half may be darker, but still has good takes on a middle aged woman trying to find herself in Kabul and in life. Plus, Fey is so charismatic, she remains endlessly watchable.

Unfortunately, the film does have many faults. It is not as funny as it should be and it tries to tackle too much in a limited time when it comes to the issues it raises. Additionally, it is pretty typical and hits all the notes of the middle aged person who is lost attempts to find themselves and meets weird people along the way narrative. That said, I did enjoy Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Somehow sweetly nostalgic with incredibly enjoyable characters, the film is very palatable and enjoyable, even if it is not always easy to watch due to its subject matter.