American Made

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Doug Liman

August 17, 2017

A TWA pilot named Barry Seal is hired by the CIA to conduct reconnaissance on the communist threat that is developing in Central America. He eventually finds himself in control of one of the most clandestine CIA operations in American history. The Medellin cartel is founded as a result of the operation, which also nearly topples the Reagan administration, and attracts who is soon to become one of their most valuable assets, Barry Seal.

Once more, Cruise demonstrates why he is a famous actor. To create a convincing persona in Seal, he is leveraging more than just his physically. He uses his still-boyish charm to win over his skeptic wife as well as the locals of the Iowan community where he relocates his family and establishes his business. There are also hilarious sequences of him and his colleagues attempting to conceal massive packages of American currency as he develops into a one-man money-laundering tycoon that audiences will remember.

Because he directed the first Bourne Identity and worked well with Cruise on Edge of Tomorrow, director Liman is aware of the importance of action staging and tempo. Since his father, Arthur L. Liman, served as head counsel for the Senate investigation into the Iran-Contra controversy, which plays a role in this story, he is also well-versed in the politics of the time.

For younger viewers who don’t recall Jimmy Carter or Ronald Reagan and some of the speeches that helped define their eras, “American Made” may serve as somewhat of a history lesson. But more importantly, it’s a well-made work of entertainment that convincingly brings to life a story that is weirder than fiction, and larger than life.

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