“Charlie Wilson’s War” is a crisp, biting satire that confidently mixes sex and politics. And this combination of director Mike Nichols and writer Aaron Sorkin glides along so smartly and smoothly, it makes you wonder how it’s possible that these two have never teamed up before.

Based on the true story of a congressman (Tom Hanks), a Houston socialite (Julia Roberts) and a CIA operative (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who conspired to arm Afghanistan’s mujahedeen against Soviet invaders in the early 1980s, “Charlie Wilson’s War” represents comfortable territory for both men, despite the complexity of its subject matter.

We are talking, after all, about the director of “Catch-22” and “Primary Colors” and the writer of “A Few Good Men” and TV’s “The West Wing.”

Everyone is so glamorous and witty and intriguing, they make you wish government could be this much fun all the time -except it’s not, which we would already know without Sorkin self-righteously beating us over the head at the end, which is also typical of him.

The star power is pretty irresistible, though. When you’re thinking about a Scotch-guzzling, good ol’ boy bachelor, Hanks may not immediately spring to mind, but he finds the sweetness within Wilson’s legendary charisma.

He and Roberts enjoy some appealing flirty exchanges, if not much sexual chemistry.

But then Hoffman, a force of nature in every character role, storms in and blows away everyone in his path.

Rated: R. Rating: 3 out of 4 stars.

‘P.S. I Love You’

You can sort of see the allure this might have held for Hilary Swank. It’s a rare opportunity for her to play a romantic comedy heroine but it also has its heavy moments to demonstrate her dramatic range. After making her name (and winning Academy Awards) for tough-girl roles in “Boys Don’t Cry” and “Million Dollar Baby,” here she gets to show off her lean, toned body in bras, panties and bustiers, and the clotheshorse in Swank gets to revel in a wardrobe of stylish, Jackie-O inspired outfits.

Instead, “P.S. I Love You” is as treacly as the title would suggest. This totally contrived pile of uberschmaltz, directed by Richard LaGravenese and based on a novel by Irish writer Cecelia Ahern, finds Swank’s Holly Kennedy widowed at 29 when her husband dies of a brain tumor. But somehow in his waning state, Gerry (Gerard Butler) was lucid enough to construct for her an elaborate spiritual scavenger hunt, arranging to have letters sent to her for a year after his death, each signed – you guessed it – “P.S. I Love You.”

They’re meant to remind her of the good in their relationship and guide her to carry on without him. This includes gay-bar hopping, teary-eyed karaoke and a trip to his hometown in Ireland to hook up with someone new, who happens to look just like him. Creepy. Kathy Bates is wasted in a few scenes as Holly’s disapproving mother, and Gina Gershon and Lisa Kudrow have barely more to do as the obligatory smart-alecky best friends. Rated: PG-13 for sexual references and brief nudity. Running time: 126 minutes. Rating: 1½ out of 4 stars.

– Christy Lemire, AP movie critic