Review: American Made

Based on a true story, Tom Cruise stars as a former airline pilot named Barry, who is secretly recruited by CIA man Domhnall Gleeson to go on covert dangerous missions to mostly Central American countries with supplies or on intelligence-gathering missions in an effort to stop the Reds from making inroads. Things get sticky for Barry, however when drug cartels decide to recruit him as their cocaine shipper to the US. He’s paid handsomely for his efforts, and since Barry’s a family man with monetary needs to support wife Sarah Wright and the kids, who is he to say no? It goes well for a while, too. Then it doesn’t.

When I first saw the trailer for this 2017 flick from director Doug Liman (“Go”, “Fair Game”, “Edge of Tomorrow”), I thought Tom Cruise was repeating himself and giving us another “Knight and Day”. It turns out that this true story-inspired flick isn’t quite the rip-off I was anticipating. Scripted by Gary Spinelli, I wouldn’t quite call this a good film or even an especially hilarious one. However, it is an amusing distraction for 100 minutes or so. The subject matter has limited appeal for me, dragging it down a peg.

Despite perhaps being a touch old for the part (I would’ve cast Owen Wilson or Ben Affleck), Cruise is actually excellent here as a charming roguish bastard. If you don’t want people to hate your drug-smuggling protagonist, casting Tom Cruise (in full shit-eating grin mode) is probably a good idea. However, I think Liman has been very clever and cynical in casting Cruise here, I believe the title itself is a cynical one. I don’t think we’re ultimately meant to like this guy, and casting Cruise sucks you in a little in order to kinda sting you by the end. This is the film “War Dogs” wanted to be, but was incapable of. There’s also an hilariously non-reassuring and uninterested turn by Domhnall Gleeson worth praising as well.

The filmmakers certainly don’t glorify things here. Sure, there’s a distinction made between Cruise and the people he works for, but…let’s just say that U.S. government agencies do not come out of this film looking good. It’s a very cynical film and I found it diverting enough, but drug smuggling isn’t my favourite subject matter. The great soundtrack is full of 70s and 80s songs, and there’s a nice attempt to colour and style the film in the late 70s early 80s without calling attention to itself like with “Far From Heaven”.

Call it a soft recommendation, you may like it more than I did. Cruise is excellent, seemingly having more fun than in any film since “Tropic Thunder”. The film is alright.

Rating: B-