History YMMV / CharlieWilsonsWar

* HilariousInHindsight: Late in the movie, Cravely is dressing up as Santa Claus for an office party. Creator/JohnSlattery, the actor who plays him, plays Roger Sterling on ''Series/MadMen'', where he also had to dress up as Santa for a Christmas party one time.

* HarsherInHindsight: Gus, in the movie, spells out to Charlie that if he doesn't get money to rebuild Afghanistan, the radicals will come to power. The movie ends with Charlie failing, and worrying about the fallout of his actions. In 2021, America pulled out of Afghanistan, and the country was once again re-taken by the Taliban.

* HilariousInHindsight: Late in the movie, Cravely is dressing up as Santa Claus for an office party. John Slattery, the actor who plays him, plays Roger Sterling on ''Series/MadMen'', where he also had to dress up as Santa for a Christmas party one time.

* OneSceneWonder: Technically two scenes, but Ken Stott as Zvi Rafah surely takes some sort of prize - witness the number of quotes from his short appearance on the main page.
* RetroactiveRecognition: Had roles for Amy Adams, Rachel Nichols, and Emily Blunt who would all go on to bigger roles as time went on.

* HarsherInHindsight: Deliberately invoked in the movie - the story concludes with terrified Charlie realising he can't get a ''single cent'' to help Afganistan rebuild from the war, right after they've armed all sort of radical groups that are now taking over the country. [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror The consequences of those actions are made very explicit]].

* OneSceneWonder: Technically two scenes, but Ken Stott as Zvi Rafah surely takes some sort of prize - witness the number of quotes from his short appearance on this very page.

* MagnificentBastard: Gust "Gus" Avrokatos is a snarky and incredibly competent CIA agent who joins the covert operation against the USSR in Afghanistan after falling out with his previous bosses. Gus puts Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson in contact with CIA weapons experts and jointly arranges a major weapons deal with Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan to supply the Mujihideen with Soviet military material to bleed the Red Army dry and ultimately cause the collapse of the Soviet Union. Committed to serving American interests above all else, Gus takes massive pride in his record while also being world-wise enough to foresee what negative consequences arming islamic radicals [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror might have in the future]], teaching the idealistic Charlie an important lesson as his parting gift.

** When the movie comes full circle, and the audience comes to understand [[spoiler:why Charlie Wilson [[HeroicBSOD is grimacing instead of smiling]] at the awards ceremony]]...

* HarsherInHindsight: Deliberately invoked in the movie - the story concludes with terrified Charlie realising he can't get a ''single cent'' to help Afganistan rebuild from the war, right after they've armed all sort of radical groups that are now taking over the country. The consequences of those actions are made very explicit.

* MagnificentBastard: Gust "Gus" Avrokatos is a snarky and incredibly competent CIA agent who joins the covert operation against the USSR in Afghanistan after falling out with his previous bosses. Gus puts Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson in contact with CIA weapons experts and jointly arranges a major weapons deal with Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan to supply the Mujihideen with Soviet military material to bleed the Red Army dry and ultimately cause the collapse of the Soviet Union. Committed to serving American interests above all else, Gus takes massive pride in his record while also being world-wise enough to foresee what negative consequences arming islamic radicals [[TheWarOnTerror might have in the future]], teaching the idealistic Charlie an important lesson as his parting gift.

%%* HarsherInHindsight: Deliberately invoked in the movie.

* HarsherInHindsight: Deliberately invoked in the movie.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Gust.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: The movie didn't include the incredibly true story of a retired U.S colonel accidentally blowing up a gas station with his {{BFG}}.

* TearJerker: The scene when Charlie stands in an Afghan refugee camp, and the camera pulls back to note ''how big the camp is''...

* HilariousInHindsight: Late in the movie, Cravely is dressing up as Santa Claus for an office party. John Slattery, the actor who plays him, plays Roger Sterling on ''MadMen'', where he also had to dress up as Santa for a Christmas party one time.

* HarsherInHindsight

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: The movie didn't include the incredibly true story of a U.S. officer accidentally blowing up a gas station with his {{BFG}}.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: the movie didn't include the incredibly true story of a U.S. officer accidentally blowing up a gas station with a Stinger missile.