Tina Fey’s new movie Whisky Tango Foxtrot has a bizarre worldview. That’s not to say it isn’t valid but its intentions are fuzzy. What exactly does a movie with this breezy of a tone want us to think about the war in Afghanistan? That it’s hell? They certainly give us enough reason to believe that. What about war inflicting languid boredom – not only on soldiers but the press corp who covers them? How would you react if the domestic viewing public only cared if the explosions were big enough and what would you do in your downtime?
That’s exactly what WTF wants us to ask. Fey plays real life war correspondent Kim Baker – who, after many years wasting away at her desk takes a job reporting on the early days of the war in Afghanistan. Having little knowledge of embedded procedures and the nature of the Middle East the film quickly takes on a classic fish out of water feel. Baker shuffles through the sand with an orange backpack (not ideal for a warzone,) forgets to put a tie in her hair during some windy interviews and drinks way too much water while visiting a remote village. It’s well tread territory but Fey’s self-effacing nature carries it off easily.
Baker has a security contingent that follows her around and a local who helps translate as she collects her stories. That man is Fahim Ahmadzai (Christopher Abbott – doing some solid Hollywood whitewashing) – a doctor whose education and soft persona grounds him without losing sight of the work Baker is doing. Quickly Baker and Fahim form a strong bond, one that helps her rise fast as she crafts strong stories and gains national recognition.
Her “home” is Kabul (the reporters call it the Ka-bubble,) living in what seems to be a compound with the other embedded journalists. When these good looking, thrill seekers (including the likes of Tanya played by Margot Robbie and Iain played by Martin Freeman) aren’t out on the beat they do the only thing they can to pass the time – get absolutely annihilated on a nightly basis. Fey, Robbie and Freeman feel most comfortable in these circumstances and have great chemistry as they unleash shot after shot in bar after bar.
The problem with WTF doesn’t lie in the story structure or in its lighter, MASH-like tone but rather with the direction. Co-Directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa have the makings of a wartime satire-classic but squander it time and again with pedestrian camerawork and a lack of focus. We only get glimpses of the battle and Baker’s debauchery. With a consolidated point of view WTF could have been an all-timer.
Instead we are left with an A-list cast and that’s not all bad. Fey is beyond capable of carrying the weight of this material and she’s flanked by Martin Freeman and Margot Robbie who both turn in balanced, rock-solid comedic performances. Even Christopher Abbott, while not exactly playing against type, is emotionally invested even as the material strains to find a reason for his presence.
The strength of the cast coupled with the relative bounciness of the writing means you could do far worst on a Friday night than WTF. It’s just a minor letdown knowing how much potential was left in the desert.
Rating: 
