In the savvy comedy “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,” a New York-based news producer leaves behind a cushy yet frustratingly predictable job for the madness of war-torn Afghanistan, becoming something of an adrenaline junkie in the process. That the producer in this case happens to be a woman doesn’t significantly alter this storyline’s trajectory, and that’s one of the film’s smart, satisfying strategies.
Based on Kim Barker’s memoir “The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” the film gives Tina Fey her strongest big-screen role to date. There are some Liz Lemon elements to the character — Kim is a cubicle drone stuck in a safely repetitive job and a similarly go-nowhere relationship — but she comes into her own on the front line, navigating the madness of the War on Terror and covering breaking news instead of drafting copy about yet another story on the dangers of high fructose corn syrup.