Review of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016) by Steve P — 14 May 2016

This is an interesting movie starring comedian, Tina Fey, a journalist who travels to Afghanistan to escape her predictable life and boring boyfriend and becomes embroiled in the complex politics of war and relationships.

It's not a great movie but it is good enough to take a look. At times, it is unclear whether the movie is meant to be a comedy or a drama. But, in my opinion, it is mostly some quite confronting drama with a thin layer of comedy varying in its quality.

Some of the humour seems a bit forced and lame. There are far too many humping dogs! But in other moments the humour is ironic and satirical, raising issues about gender, culture and war. The writers could, perhaps, have made more of this.

The story is uneven and, while one can appreciate the attempt to make a complex movie about the issues it portrays, it doesn't quite hit the target. It's as if the movie makers can't quite escape their own cultural perspective.

In fact, the way they treat Afghani culture is pretty insensitive without much attempt to understand it from the inside. Tina Fey is quite good and some of the scenes she is in are sensitive and moving.