The true story of pilot Barry Seal, who transported contraband for the CIA and the Medellin cartel in the 1980s.
Tom Cruise
Barry Seal
Domhnall Gleeson
Monty 'Schafer'
Sarah Wright
Lucy Seal
Jesse Plemons
Sheriff Downing
Caleb Landry Jones
JB
Lola Kirke
Judy Downing
Jayma Mays
Dana Sibota
Alejandro Edda
Jorge Ochoa
Benito Martinez
James Rangel
E. Roger Mitchell
Agent Craig McCall
Jed Rees
Louis Finkle
Fredy Yate
Carlos Lehder
Mauricio Mejía
Pablo Escobar
Robert Farrior
Oliver North
Morgan Hinkleman
Christina
Alberto Ospino
Manuel Noriega
Felipe Bernedette
Translator
Daniel Lugo
Adolfo Calero
Jayson Warner Smith
Bill Cooper (Snowbird #1)
William Mark McCullough
Pete (Snowbird #2)
April Billingsley
Stewardess
Lauren Boyd
Secretary
Lauren Revard
Teller
Marcus Hester
Parka
Mike Pniewski
Willie (State Police)
Frank Licari
DEA Agent #1
Alex Collins
ATF #1
Scott Poythress
ATF #2
Connor Trinneer
George W. Bush / Texan
Alpha Trivette
Judge Linkletter
Kevin L. Johnson
Agent Horace Wainwright
DeVere Jehl
Plains Clothed Man
Emilio Sierra
Héctor (Colombian Driver)
Leon Lamar
Elderly Man
Tony Guerrero
Federico Vaughan
Maria Howell
NSC Woman
Darla Delgado
Customs Agent
Justice Leak
DEA Agent Winter
Robert Pralgo
Gary (Cubicle Mate)
Mickey Sumner
North's Aide Fawn Hall
Daniel Thomas May
CIA Man
Chloe Swan Sparwath
LeAnn
Alex Quarles
Aaron
Trip McCarthy
Dean
Zachary Powell
Dean
Daniel Diaz
Sandinista Soldier
Byron Wigfall
Contra #1
Matt Mercurio
FBI Analyst
Carlos Lopez Jr.
CIA Station Chief
Jairo Ordóñez
Scar
Jeff Olsen
State Trooper
Stephen Conroy
Military Police / Advisor
Juan Esteban Ramírez Toro
Antonio (Bull Fighter)
Lara Grice
Female Reporter (uncredited)
Sharon Conley
DEA Agent Grace (uncredited)
Chris Gann
Donor #2 (uncredited)
Johnny Otto
Pilot (uncredited)
Kayla Perkins
Waitress (uncredited)
Michael Mercaldi
Sandinista (uncredited)
Dan Southworth
Agent Winters (uncredited)
Bill Billions
Radar Op. #1 (uncredited)
Director
Doug Liman
Writer
Gary Spinelli
December 31, 2017
9
_American Made_ is a peculiar film, but a very enjoyable one. It takes a playful, satirical look at the origins of the notorious 'Iran-Contra' affair, through the eyes of pilot Barry Seal. Along the ways we get thrills, laughs, astonishing (true-life) twists and turns and some vivid characters.
Even if you followed the public Iran-Contra scandal, you may be unfamiliar with the story of Seal, who started running guns for the CIA years before the familiar public scandal erupted. American Made is a fast, breezy, amoral look at the ins and outs of a covert operation made to go wrong. There's no judgment here; in fact, we come to like Seal's crazy make-it-up-as-you-go-along approach to flying, to crime and to life in general.
Tom Cruise is perfectly cast as the cocky, reckless pilot. I've done a fair bit of flying, and I've met one or two hot-shots like (in a lesser degree) the one Cruise portrays. Cruise has lately been playing parts that are much too young for him (e.g. _Jack Reacher: Never Go Back_), but his age works well in this case. In a way, Seal is a guy fighting to stay young.
If there's one there's one thing to regret about _American Made_ it's that it carefully avoids most of the political backdrop. We're told that the Sandinistas were evil Russian-backed Communists, which is undoubtedly what the CIA would have said at the time. (Hindsight is more ambiguous.) We're shown, just barely, how the Reagan administration evolved a cockeyed criminal scheme for its own ends, but the film ends where the public Iran-Contra scandal began. Ollie North is a presence in only one or two shots.
Nonetheless, Barry Seal's personal story arc is wrapped up perfectly. The ending doesn't let anyone off the hook, but it does leave us questioning our own moral position, as we're inevitably drawn to like and admire Barry Seal, in spite of his total lack of scruples or judgment.
Doug Liman directs with his usual flair. He's had a remarkably varied career, ranging from spy-action (_Bourne Identity_) to superheroes (_Jumper_) to political drama (_Fair Game_) to straight-up sci-fi (_Edge of Tomorrow_). _American Made_ stands up very well in that catalog. It's a fun film, a thoughtful film, an unusual film... though its darker side may not appeal to every taste.