Movie Review – Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Starring: Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman
Release Year: 2016
OPINION
Tina Fey – best known for her exploits in SNL, sit-coms and rom-coms tries her hand at a bigger budget wartime satire loosely based on a biographical book ‘The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan’ by Kim Barker. By large it is still a generic rom-com with Afghanistan as the backdrop while depicting serious and complex situations in light comic scenarios. The title sticks with the story only for like 5% and the rest is just to connect with contemporary populace.
SYNOPSIS
Kim Barker (Tina Fey) has hit midlife crisis in her head and unsure of her personal and professional future. This is when she takes up an opportunity to be a wartime journalist in Afghanistan and packs herself off to be a stranger in the strangeland. While she takes her time to get accustomed to the culture, people and new job, a chance situation delivers a story that puts her in the limelight. Things brings along new friends in Tanya (Margot Robbie), a brewing romance with Iain (Martin Freeman), a budding friendship with Fahim (Christopher Abbott) and a persistant (forceful) admirer in Ali Massoud Sadiq (Alfred Molina). When Tanya betrays her for professional advancement, Kim starts to fear whom to trust.
REVIEW
Even though Tina Fey is a very respected Hollywood actress with a vast list of credits and long career span, she has her own limitations which doesn’t let her go beyond a certain type of role. This limitation is even more magnified with the more serious backdrop and very talented co-stars in Martin Freeman, Margot Robbie and under-used Billy Bob Thornton. While she might be a part of the problem, the bigger issue lies with the direction of the story and its screenplay that is unsure whether it has to be serious or light-hearted and eventually ending up as an uneven mix of both.
The romance between the characters Kim and Iain is mature and could fit well into almost any rom-com backdrop. Going against what the teaser promised, the expected funny ride quickly turns into a superficial drama that is neither here nor there. The editing and screenplay could have definitely helped with some runtime chopping as it gets a little repititive and boring in the middle. The climax gets even more unrealistic when she goes on to meet a soldier who she thought that her irresponsible action could have led to his tragic fate.
VERDICT
Tina Fey’s limitations, disconnected title, superficial take on the serious backdrop, unfunny and unfocused – not worth a watch.
