American Made: based on a true lie

Doug Liman’s new movie stars Tom Cruise as TWA-turned CIA pilot Barry Seal. Seal was tasked with taking covert pictures of bad guys, in bad places. Places the government couldn’t go. Domhnall Gleeson aka Bill Weasley from the Harry Potter movies, recruits him during his TWA days. Back then Seal was innocently smuggling cigars into the states. Once he starts working for the government, its not long before he’s smuggling much harder product for the Medellín Cartel. So many of the situations in the movie boggle the mind, I hope they are even 10% true! Fasten your seat belts kids, this movie is a wild ride

​  The real Barry Seal

Tom Cruise as Barry Seal © Universal Pictures

​My sister and I got to see this prior to its release at a free screening. It was a near sell-out crowd and they were very engaged. Sometimes that really is the best way to see a movie. The laughter, gasps, chuckles and exclamations make it a fun experience. Our crowd didn’t let us down. They did all of that and more. When Barry starts literally making hand over fist and can’t figure out where to stash all his cash, you heard murmurs go through the crowd, “what’s he thinking?” “he’s gonna get caught.” It only got worse when Lucy’s brother JB shows up. Caleb Landry Jones does an impressive job of being a disgusting creep. I think it might be his go to after last year’s role as the creepy brother in Jordan Peele’s phenomal Get Out. I am slightly amused that his middle name is Landry and Jesse Plemons played Landry on Friday Night Lights. Speaking of Plemons, I’m not really sure what he’s doing in this movie. His part is not a large one, and I’m not sure it was even necessary.

As is par for the Cruise course, Tom did his own stunt flying in this film. I really don’t want to open my tablet one day and read that he has died in some freakish on set accident. There are stunt people for a reason Tom. Step back a little. It’ll be okay. We don’t need you to kill yourself to entertain us.

Who’s Who in American Made: Directed by: Doug Liman Written by: Gary Spinelli Starring: Tom Cruise as Barry Seal Domhnall Gleeson as Monty “Schafer” Sarah Wright as Lucy Seal Jesse Plemons as Sheriff Downing Caleb Landry Jones as JB

Final Thoughts

Tom Cruise movies fall into a special category for me. I don’t like the man personally, but damn it all to hell if I don’t love his movies. I am rarely disappointed after a Cruise movie. It’s the same here. I laughed, I was shocked, and even a little sad. Liman does a great job directing Cruise in this. Cruise has played everything in Hollywood. The love interest, the psycho-path, the hero and now he gives us an Anti-Hero. It’s so strange, you really want to root for Barry, even though he is kind of a piece of shit. He lied so much, but you knew in the end, he was doing it for his family.

There is one little thing I didn’t like about this movie. Sarah Wright’s Lucy Seal. Don’t get me wrong, she does a terrific job with what she is given. It’s what she is given that I have a problem with. The movie doesn’t really tell us much about her. She infused as much as she could into the character and left me wanting to know more about her.

I wanted to know why she continued to go along with Barry. I don’t know how much of the story of Barry and Lucy is real as he actually had 3 wives IRL.

American Made (2017) ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Until next time...