American Made (2017)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: American Made's fast-and-loose attitude with its real-life story mirrors the cavalier -- and delightfully watchable -- energy Tom Cruise gives off in the leading role.
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Cast
as Barry Seal
as Monty Schafer
as Lucy Seal
as Sheriff Downing
as JB
as Dana Sibota
as Judy Downing
as Jorge Ochoa
as James Rangel
as Craig McCall
as Louis Finkle
as Carlos Ledher
as Pablo Escobar
as Oliver North
as Christina
as Manuel Noriega
as Translator
as Adolfo Calero
as Bill Cooper (Snowbird #1)
as Pete (Snowbird #2)
as Stewardess
as Secretary
as Teller
as Parka
as Willie (State Police)
as DEA Agent #1
as ATF #1
as ATF #2
as George W. Bush/Texan
as Judge Linkletter
as Agent Horace Wainwright
as Plain Clothed Man
as Hector (Colombian Driver)
as Elderly Man
as Federico Vaughan
as NSC Woman
as Customs Agent
as DEA Agent Winter
as Gary (Cubicle Mate)
as North's Aide Fawn Hall
as CIA Man
as LeeAnn
as Aaron
as Dean (As James McCarthy lll)
as Dean
as Sandinista Soldier
as Contra #1
as CIA Station Chief
as Scar
as State Trooper
as Military Police/Advisor
as Antonio (Bull Fighter)
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Critic Reviews for American Made
All Critics (247) | Top Critics (44) | Fresh (213) | Rotten (34)
But by the time the movie roared to its shockingly grim, remarkably embittered ending, American Made had won me over.
It skitters and jumps, shivers and boot-scoots, never, ever sitting still. You could say it's like "Blow," on well, blow. But there's a breezy sunniness to this film, which looks like a faded snapshot reclaimed from an '80s photo album.
One assumes that Cruise got this film made, yet he's a terrible fit for the role: he's always done his best work portraying smart, insightful characters in dramatic stories, but Seal was a yahoo whose sorry escapades are played here for cynical laughs.
Without realizing it, American Made is a wincing metaphor for Tom Cruise's movie career-which, come to think of it, is exclusively and embarrassingly American made, too.
The impetuous pace of the film is at one with its moral shamelessness, and, without thinking, we sign up for both.
[Tom] Cruise gives his energetic all to the role, but he, too, doesn't seem to be quite aware that Seal was morally compromised far beyond the shallow confines of this film.
Audience Reviews for American Made
Say what you will of Tom Cruise as I'm fully aware that some don't take to him at all but, personally, I've always been a fan. That said, it's been some years since I've fully embraced a film of his as nothing has really showcased his abilities. As good as they were, I turned a little cold on the Mission: Impossible series where Cruise seemingly focused on being an action star for a while. American Made, however, sees him return to what he does best. This is a tailor made role for the likes of Cruise's cocksure mannerisms and shit-kicking grin. In fact, the film thrives on him in the lead which makes this very enjoyable entertainment. Plot: In 1978, skilled airline pilot Barry Seal (Tom Cruise) is contacted by CIA agent Monty Schafer (Domhnall Gleason), who employs him to photograph communist facilities over Central America. Barry accepts but it's not long before he's contacted by the Medellin Cartel to transport drugs back to the USA. Before he knows it, Barry is making millions in drug and gun-running which involves everyone from the FBI, the ATF, the CIA and the the Contras in Nicaragua. The longer it goes on, however, the harder it becomes for Barry to get out. I've now lost count of the amount of films that portray a character that spirals out of control once involved in some drug running or criminal activity. Tv's Breaking Bad became a critically acclaimed phenomenon for a start but the ones that spring to mind, when comparing American Made to anything, are the 70's set Johnny Depp film Blow and, in terms of its style and vibrancy, Scorsese's Goodfellas. Now, I wouldn't put this in the same class as Scorsese's masterpiece but it's equally as good as (if not better than) the aforementioned Ted Demme film. There's a lot of style and pizazz to Doug Liman's portrayal of this very interesting time in American history. He gleefully exposes the political machinations behind the events and doesn't pull punches in indicting President Ronald Reagan, Governor Bill Clinton and the CIA in there involvement with such a huge drug running cartel and their intentions to quash a South American uprising from the Sandinistas. Put simply, everyone had their fingers in a lot of pies at this time in America and Barry Seal happened to be "the gringo that always delivered". It's serious stuff but what makes it so enjoyable is because Cruise injects such a tongue-in-cheek zaniness to the whole affair while Liman confidently handles the material with a great eye for the 70's and 80's period detail and intercuts the film with news footage of the events as and when they came to public knowledge. It's a good case of truth being stranger than fiction and that's what grabs your attention as you roll with the ridiculously over-the-top scenarios. Cruise is hugely appealing here. His southern accent adds another dimension and character to his resumé that's refreshing to see. He can play these characters in his sleep but it's been a while since we've seen it. It feels like old school Cruise and it's a pleasure to have him return. Mark Walker
Super Reviewer
A delightfully cynical and endlessly compelling biopic full of energy just like Tom Cruise's performance (of course), benefiting especially from its excellent, dynamic editing and exceptional cinematography that makes everything look like it actually filmed in the 1980s.
Super Reviewer
Classic wily Cruise. Guy never lets us down.
Super Reviewer
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