The main thing that I derived from Doug Liman's "American Made" is that these people care about one thing and one thing only: money. Whether it was the Contras, the Colombian drug cartels, or the CIA, they were more interested in getting rich than in fighting. And of course Barry Seal enjoyed raking in the dough (he ended up with more money than he knew what to do with, in fact). There was definitely no morality involved in any of this.

I understand that the movie took some artistic license. Even so, it's amazing what the CIA was able to get away with (of course, the fact remains that whoever makes the rules gets to break the rules). The so-called war on drugs was always total baloney. Not the greatest movie, but I recommend it.

In director Doug Liman who Tom Cruise has worked with a few times, Cruise has found someone who he could loosen up with a little, make a lower budget colourful flashy film where Cruise can be a little chaotic and free wheeling.

American Made is a fast paced film. A wily, naughty mischievous risk taker Barry Seal who goes from being a TWA pilot to a CIA contractor who ends up supplying arms to trafficking drugs for Escobar to training an illegal right wing Nicaraguan army.

Seal makes so much money he does not know what to do with it or even hide it. Of course there is a downside, eventually they are all after him and even his cunning cannot evade them all. Pursued by the FBI, Police, DEA, various cartels, Seal really has nowhere to run or hide.

Cruise seems to be enjoying himself on screen, Liman keeps the film moving but in a sense it is a familiar story. Once Seal makes it big, has a few bumps along the road, you even get that scene when you know the decline in his fortunes will start.

In 1978, Barry Seal (Tom Cruise) is a TWA pilot smuggling cigars into the country. He is recruited by CIA operative "Schafer" (Domhnall Gleeson). At first, he does surveillance flights over Nicaragua. He's also delivering money to mid level military officer Noriega in Panama. As he and his wife Lucy (Sarah Wright) grow their family, he supplements his income by smuggling drugs for Pablo Escobar. Later, he is pulled into the Contra affair as he diverts guns intended for the Contra to Escobar.

This is directed by Doug Liman. Initially, I didn't realize it watching this movie. I was very impressed with the quality of the movie until the credits started to roll. Of course, Liman is no slouch. Honestly, I was expecting a crappy Cruise misfire. In reality, this is quite the opposite. I love Cruise in this roguish role. Knocking out his tooth struck me as extremely hilarious. I love this character better than his need to be loved in many of his leading man roles. The other main part of this movie is the Based on a true story. As most Based movies, there are only slivers of truths. In many ways, it fits Barry Seal well. He's a character of lies and this is a movie of lies. This is a fun romp through a history what if.