WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT

US, 2016, 112 minutes, Colour.
Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, Alfred Molina, Christopher Abbott, Billy Bob Thornton, Nicholas Braun, Stephen Peacocke, Sheila Vand, Josh Lucas, Cherry Jones.
Directed by Glenn Ficcara and John Requa.

The opening sequences of this film are pretty raucous, overseas reporters letting their hair down with alcohol and dancing at a club in Kabul, 2006. And then there are explosions, the journalist suddenly becoming sober, getting their phones, trying to make communications and file reports. The tone is captured by the title and its code, WTF… The film then goes back to New York City in 2003.

This film is based on a book by journalist Kim Baker, at the centre of this story, initially a reporter on domestic issues for a US television network, dissatisfied with her life as she finds that the treadmill at the gym keeps moving back, something like her life, so when volunteers are requested for Afghanistan, she signs up. She is in a relationship and assures her boyfriend that she will be back in three months. She stays in Afghanistan for three years.

Actually, the film gets more interesting as it goes along. as we share Kim’s experience, the shock of arriving in Kabul, the headdress requirements in this Muslim country, the crowded streets and busyness, hard accommodation, drinking bouts with the other journalists and consequent hangovers, the film help us helping us to learn what it is like to be a foreign correspondent, and the pressures.

The surprising thing is that Kim Baker is played by Tina Fey, best known for her comic performances, impersonations. While there are some traces of this, it is much more of a serious rule for her. Australian Margot Robbie appears as another successful foreign correspondent as does Martin Freeman, a Scot, who is attracted to Kim.

Out she goes to be embedded with the troops, finding that she gets more and more of a high as she experiences the dangers, even running out to photograph during gunfire, experiencing some disapproval from the Marine General, Billy Bob Thornton, but able to help him with information about the exploding of wells in a village, the women themselves doing it to get some socialising opportunities by going to the well and defying the men. He interviews a local politician, Alfred Molina, who blends politics with sleaziness and can be blackmailed for information by showing him footage of his drinking and dancing outside a club.

The seriousness of Afghanistan and its cultural traditions is embodied in one of the security guards appointed for Kim, Fahim, Christopher Abbott. Previously a doctor, he now has to accompany her, guiding Kim through some responsibilities, warning her, diagnosing her addiction for highs in action. He is engaged and there is a colourful sequence showing the wedding.

The American public is very interested in Afghanistan in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, but interest wanes and the network is not putting many of Kim’s reports to air. On a return visit, she challenges the new boss, Cherry Jones, and is determined back in Kabus to get a scoop to reinforce her status and reputation. She does get an opportunity when Martin Freeman is abducted and she is able to help negotiate his release.

By the end of the film, we have experienced the three year journey of Kim Baker, her discovery of Afghanistan and the complexities of the power plays and of the dangers, her insights into the culture and religion of the country, her greater self-realisation – and this also has an effect on the audience, an entertainment, but, in fact, a strong learning experience.

1. An experience of Afghanistan? The background, Afghanistan’s history, occupation, wars? Post 9/11?

2. Location photography, in Afghanistan, in Morocco, in New Mexico? The recreation of carpal? Rooms, streets, clubs? The Afghan countryside, the villagers, the mountains and valleys? The musical score?

3. The title, the code? WTF…?

4. Based on a true story, Kim Baker, who work in the television company, research, domestic issues? Going to Afghanistan, volunteering? The change, her addiction to action and highs, her work, learning, relationships, dangers, the effect of the experience, writing the book, her return?

5. Introduction in 2006, bombs going off, the raucous drinking and dancing at the club, the world of the journalists and reporters, getting their phones, their press work?

6. Flashbacks to 2003-2006? The reporters in Afghanistan, the network sending Kim? At the gym, a comment about the machine going backwards? Her boyfriend, the meeting in passing at the airport? Skyping? Her plan to return to New York, the offer of the interview? The Skype talk and seeing the outline of the woman? Breaking the relationship?

7. Her arrival in Kabul, Nick and Fahim as the bodyguards, Kim not wearing the scarf and her being insulted, the car, the drive, the accommodation, her first experiences? The meeting with Tanya, her reputation? In action on the front line? Settling in, the room? The variety of types? The men, Tall Brian?

8. Nick, Tanya’s attraction, the deal with Kim about relationships? Nick, bodybuilding, New Zealand – but in reality from Canada? Fahim, the gentleman, proper, engaged in preparing for marriage?

9. The experience of being embedded with the troops, the men themselves, the general, Marines, her interview with the young soldier, his comment about the game not being loaded, the transfer, his losing his legs? Kim learning from this mistake? And her need to go at the end to visit his farm, see him with his artificial limbs, meet his wife, make some kind of appeasement?

10. Going out in Kabul, the drinking, the hangovers, waiting for interviews, Fahim waking her, interviews, reports, everybody watching the reports on American television?

11. Kim and her dealings with the general, his attitudes towards journalists? Insistence on the Marines? Tough behaviour? The reaction to Kim getting out of vehicles, photographing, risking everything?

12. Kim, the expedition, the issue of the well and the explosion, and meeting the women, her return to the general, explanation that the women destroyed the well, going to get the water was one way of meeting and asserting themselves against the men? The general congratulating Kim?

13. Ali Mousssad Sadiq, his personality, his role in Afghanistan, about to be elected, his personality, lascivious towards Kim, her being wary? The elections, his official position, his office, with the bed, his coming to the club, dancing and drinking, Kim using the film footage as blackmail? His supplying the information about Iain and his abduction?

14. Iain, a Scot, his work, style, man about town, relationships, going out, drinking, Kim at the wrong door, no scarf, being rescued by Iain? The attraction, the relationship – a one-off, the change?

15. Tanya, going up country, the rendezvous, the American cover and surveillance, the group pulling guns, the drones dropping the bombs, Tanya filming everything, her reputation?

16. Kim going to New York, meeting Gerry, Gerry female, explaining the loss of interest by viewers about Afghanistan? Tanya in the office and her promotion? Professional rivalry? Kim going to Glasgow to meet Iain?

17. Iain, the irony of his not meeting Kim, his going to the rendezvous, his being abducted, imprisoned, the negotiations for his return, Kim and her intervention, the rescue and the effect?

18. Fahim, his wedding, the ceremonial? His helping Kim? His story of the addicts and their high – and her listening to the story, later acknowledging the truth as she returned home? Her gratitude towards him – and the emotional restrictions, just touching his fingers?

19. Her decision, to return home, her new job, on air? The year passing, the interview with Iain about his book?

20. The film immersing the audience in the Afghan experience, helping audiences to appreciate the realities, the pressures, the cultural differences?