Whiskey Tango Foxtrot – Netflix DVD

Some might think this title sounds like a "Footloose" sequel, but don't be fooled - it's a comedy/war flick.  Unfortunately, it's no "M*A*S*H," and it wasn't a "S*M*A*S*H" in the theaters, either. Kim Barker, a war-zone reporter for the Chicago Tribune, wrote "The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan," on which the movie is based.  In the film, Kim Barker (played by Tina Fey) decides to shake up her life.  She accepts what is to be at least a 3-month TV newscaster assignment to cover war-ravaged Afghanistan and Pakistan, leaving behind her boyfriend, Chris (Josh Charles), whom she trusts enough to water her plants while she is away.  (If that's not a commitment, I don't know what is!)  Apparently, she is hoping it will be a journey of self-discovery. While on assignment, she meets other reporters, including the beautiful Tanya (Margo Robbie) and Iain (Martin Freeman).  Kim puts herself in harm's way on multiple occasions in order to get good footage, but what is she trying to prove?  She also bonds with her reporter colleagues and has some emotionally-intense experiences. The movie, however, isn't funny enough to be a first-rate comedy, and it doesn't have enough gravitas to be a compelling drama, either.  On the positive side, there are enough laughs and interesting scenes to make it a pretty good rental.