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American Made is Made Just Right [MOVIE REVIEW]

Tom Cruise and cast members of the movie American Made Photo Courtesy of Universal Pictures Tom Cruise and cast members of the movie American Made

Barry Seal (Tom Cruise), an unassuming TWA pilot, is married with kids when the CIA comes a knocking. He’s got the right stuff to fly arms to support Ronald Reagan’s attempt to thwart a growing communist threat in Central America. Seal also gains the attention of what will become the Medellin drug cartel. They figure that while the pilot flies guns surreptitiously from the U.S. to Central America and back, he could add some cocaine to his cargo. Seal eventually agrees. However, as the Bible warns, you can’t serve two masters. Ultimately, Seal’s double-dealing comes crashing down around him.

American Made is a convoluted but never boring film. And it works because Tom Cruise single-handedly makes it work. Barry Seals is actually a sleazy guy but Tom Cruise makes him an appealing character that viewers root for. On the other hand, Tom Cruise’s wife, Lucy, played by Sarah Wright, is supposed to be a small town girl who worked at the KFC when they met, the 5’9” blond, comes across just like what she actually is: a former model.

The movie shows just how government agencies are often at odds with each other. Here the CIA and the Drug Enforcement Agency are in constant conflict.

American Made gets an “A” for cast diversity. The film has a large number of Hispanic actors, as it should, with other performers of color included as well.

American Made is rated R for language and some sexuality/nudity including Tom Cruise mooning his family. It’s 115 minutes in length and Cruise makes American Made a See It!