Review: American Made (15)

Based on an outlandish true story, American Made reunites director Doug Liman and leading man Tom Cruise after their successful collaboration on the sci-fi thriller Edge Of Tomorrow. Cruise plays TWA pilot Barry Seal, who is losing enthusiasm for his job as he tries to provide for his wife Lucy (Sarah Wright) and their children.
TRUE STORY: Tom Cruise as Barry Seal in American Made. : Picture: PA Photo/Universal Pictures/David James.TRUE STORY: Tom Cruise as Barry Seal in American Made. : Picture: PA Photo/Universal Pictures/David James.
TRUE STORY: Tom Cruise as Barry Seal in American Made. : Picture: PA Photo/Universal Pictures/David James.

He makes a little money on the side by smuggling Cuban cigars into America in his hand luggage. This illegal practice is rumbled by CIA handler Monty Schafer (Domhnall Gleeson), who coerces Barry into working for the US government by flying reconnaissance missions over Central America to take photographs of the emerging communist threat. Monty slowly applies pressure to Barry to fly more dangerous missions and in turn, the pilot meets members of the high-powered Medellin cocaine cartel including Ochoa Vasquez (Alejandro Edda) and Pablo Escobar (Mauricio Mejia), who employ Barry to fly narcotics back to America. He is rewarded with bags of cash. The Seals hurriedly move to a new home in backwater Arkansas and enjoy a lavish lifestyle funded by Barry’s illegal activities.

Eventually, Monty 
and the CIA turn on Barry and he finds himself at the centre of the Iran-Contra incident, which threatens to bring down the Reagan administration.

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