Thanks to Netflix and its drug series, Narcos, stories about the South American drugtrade have become popular. The history of Pablo Escobar and related documentaries were a great success for the service. So it is a good moment to use this popularity is what the people behing American Made probably thought, in which Tom Cruise plays the leading role.
It is based on the true story of Barry Seal (Tom Cruise), a commercial pilot who occasionally smuggles some illegal cigars into America to earn some extra money. He is contacted by Monty Schafer (Domhnall Gleeson) of the CIA and is asked if he might want to start his own business through them. A company that has nothing to do with the CIA, but where Seal has to fly to South America to bring drugs and weapons. He agrees, which has a huge impact on his life.
If you didn’t know that Barry Seal really existed, you would have a hard to believe its story. Seal was involved in many important moments in South American history and even worked for Pablo Escobar and, thanks to the support of the CIA, earned so much money that he no longer knew where to hide it. Cruise is, as you’ve come to expect, playing his charming and cheerful self which in this case fits perfectly with the vibe of the film. The result is a fascinating, entertaining film with a great atmosphere that will undoubtedly appeal to fans of Narcos.
