Repeat after me: “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.” That’s the take away message of American Made, directed by Doug Liman. Based on a true story that spanned the late 1970s and early ’80s, American Made tells the almost unbelievable story of a pilot named Barry Seal.
Seal, played by Tom Cruise, becomes the textbook example of how one bad decision can spiral into the next bad decision and so on. Lured by money, adventure, and a break from the monotony of working as a commercial airline pilot, Seal is enticed to leave his job as a TWA pilot to secretly work for the CIA. While Seal’s wife Lucy, played by Sarah Wright, still believes he’s working as a commercial pilot, he’s really flying back and forth from the United States to South America, taking aerial photographs of those committed to political unrest south of the equator.
Worried that his new job might not be worth the danger that comes with it, Seal makes it clear to the agent who recruited him that he needs additional compensation. Even though the CIA isn’t interested in coughing up more cash, that doesn’t mean that others aren’t willing to pay Seal for his efforts. While still working for the CIA, Seal picks up a few “extracurricular activities” in the form of drug smuggling, and from there winds up supplying weapons to the Contra rebels in Nicaragua. Like I said, the story is almost unbelievable!
As I watched the film, I was glad that I’ve already finished seasons one and two of Netflix’s show Narcos, which focuses on Columbia’s drug trade, specifically dealing with Pablo Escobar. Narcos gave me insight into how dangerous Seal’s work became, and I found myself wondering how a TWA pilot allowed himself to get so wrapped up on the wrong side of the law. Yes, the millions and millions of dollars he accumulated were the driving force behind his risky decision making, but his supreme confidence (or should I say cockiness) regarding his flying capabilities and social shrewdness ultimately kept him going. As Seal began having difficulty figuring out where to hide all his money without arousing suspicion from the authorities, I kept wondering, “When is enough enough?” Seal found himself in over his head, immersed in dangerous situations he never could have foreseen.
My husband Mike saw the movie with me, and shared, “I enjoyed it. Tom Cruise has made a living out of playing the “cocky” character, and he was the perfect choice for the role of Barry Seal. Seeing him wearing aviator sunglasses while smacking on gum gave me flashbacks of him as Maverick in Top Gun, when he was the absolute coolest actor out there.” (Can you tell Mike’s in the Navy? He also started talking about Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men, but I had to remind him to stay focused as we talked about this film.) Mike then added, “This wasn’t the best movie I’ve seen this year, but it was entertaining, and, more importantly, interesting. If you like movies that are based on true stories, you’ll like this one.”
As the movie progressed into Seal’s dealings with providing weapons to the Contras, I admittedly became a little less interested because I don’t have very much prior knowledge about that time period. I was still in elementary school when all that happened, and all I recall of that was that Oliver North was on the news a lot. A whole lot. If you vividly remember that time period, however, you’ll probably appreciate learning how Barry Seal, an average American, was the one who personally put the weapons in the Contras’ hands.
American Made most likely won’t be getting any Oscar buzz, but it’s a solid movie based on a true story. And, like so many other movies I’ve seen that are based on real people and actual events, I’ll probably find myself putzing online in the hopes of learning more. The movie is fascinating in terms of how a husband and father, who was living a seemingly average American life, became an integral part of the crossroads of so many real world, clandestine events.
Movie times: click here
Genre: Action, Biography, Comedy
Director: Doug Liman
Actors: Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright
Running Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Rating: Rated R for language throughout and some sexuality/nudity
