AMERICAN MADE


Tom Cruise (aka, The Smirking Dwarf) channels former TWA pilot Barry Seal perfectly in this movie “based on true events.” It’s the late 1970s and the CIA approaches Barry Seal with a proposition: quit TWA and fly planes down to Central America on reconnaissance missions. Seal likes the sound of that and does the fly-overs of Communist bases. The CIA is so happy with Seal’s photos, they give him additional missions: deliver money to Colonel Noriega in return for top secret intel, deliver some weapons to insurgents, etc. Barry Seal decides to free-lance a little and starts bringing cocaine into the U.S….lots of cocaine. And, Seal makes millions of dollars. Part of the fun of American Made shows the difficulty of stashing bags and bags of cash.

Of course, all good things must come to an end. The CIA dumps Barry Seal, the D.E.A. busts him, and Colonel Oliver North sends Seal down to Central America for “one last mission.” Tom Cruise perfectly captures the arrogance, greed, and lunacy of Barry Seal. American Made is a cautionary tale that stings at the end. GRADE: B

14 thoughts on “AMERICAN MADE

  1. Steve Oerkfitz

    Been getting good reviews. Not a fan of Cruise but he mostly surrounds himself with talented people and makes decent movies(last years horrible Jack Reacher an exception.) Will probably see this but this weekend belongs to Bladerunner 2049.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Bob, I got another free ticket from AMC to see AMERICAN MADE. There were only six other people in the theater so I’m guessing the Box Office for this movie will be minimal.

      Reply
  2. wolf

    What a story!
    Truth again is stranger than fiction …
    Thanks, George, for mentioning this.
    Btw the movie opened in Europe at the end of August already and seems to be quite successful – evrybody likes stories which show the USA’s involvment in the drug business.
    Of course the reality of the drug epidemy is horrible,so many lives lost!

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Wolf, the ridiculous (but true!) story of the U. S. Government involvement in the drug and weapons trade in Central America is on full display in this movie.

      Reply
  3. Deb

    I’m not a fan of Cruise and doubt I’ll see this movie–but, from what I’ve seen of the ads, it appears that Cruise has had his entire face sandblasted. Someone needs to tell him to go easier on the dermabrasion.

    Reply
  4. Patti Abbott

    I dislike Cruise but in looking at a list of his films, there are many good ones. Not sure about this one yet.

    Reply
  5. Jeff Meyerson

    Let’s just say that from what I’ve read they sanitized Seal to make him more palatable than the real slimeball.

    I’m with Cap’n Bob on this one. The fact that it couldn’t beat the remake of IT in its third or fourth week is a Bad Sign. I won’t be watching.

    Call me when EDGE OF TOMORROW 2 comes out,

    Reply

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