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.

I had no idea what to expect from this film, although seeing it listed as a comedy certainly gave me misgivings. I needn't have worried as this is a fast-paced and highly entertaining thriller that tells a story so incredible that it couldn't be fiction. Tom Cruise plays a wide-eyed novice and pilot who finds himself in an increasingly bizarre situation thanks to his skills in the cockpit. The megastar contributes surprisingly goofy charm here which works well compared to his other mainstream roles. The complex storyline leads to weirder and weirder events before he takes a central part in America's drug war in South America under Reagan. Excellent special effects and flying scenes contribute to a lively narrative with style to spare; it's reminiscent of the glory days of GOODFELLAS in that respect. Plenty of twists keep you watching and the ending is both inevitable and satisfying. Doug Liman's best film since THE BOURNE IDENTITY? I think so.

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.