Tom Cruise's AMERICAN MADE (Dragonlord's Review)

[mb23100]

Glad to hear its good. Will take the gf this weekend

 

[HomerThompson]

Update: September 26, 2017

Dragonlord's Review of AMERICAN MADE (No Spoilers)

Bottom Line: Tom Cruise’s megawatt charisma shines in this farcical biopic that’s breezily entertaining as it is incredulous.

After his last two disappointing outputs (Jack Reacher: Never Go Back and The Mummy), Tom Cruise is back and he reunites with Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman in bringing to life this fantastic true-to-life. Cruise plays Barry Seal, a former TWA pilot turned aerial spy photographer and drug runner for the CIA, a drug smuggler for the Medellin Cartel and an informant for the White House.

I’d like to think that Barry is “Maverick” Pete Mitchell in an alternate reality sequel to Top Gun where he is now married with kids but is bored out of his mind from his normal job and that’s why he’s doing all these dangerous jobs. Foregoing any real character insight and depth or even a conscience in the early parts, Barry is an extremely likable character with only his can-do attitude, disarming smile and aviator shades to get him out of trouble.

Playing fast and loose with some of the historical accounts, the film is part political satire depicting the CIA and the Reagan administration as meddlesome and incompetent in their so-called war on drugs and in their involvement with the Contras in Nicaragua. There's also a lot of comedic moments (my favorite being the one where Barry has a baseball bat when delivering to the Contras) and tense situations, mostly when the Medellin Cartel is involved.

Strong performances by Domhnall Gleeson, who plays the opportunistic CIA Monty Schafer, and Sarah Wright, who plays Barry’s sassy wife. I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or a career path but Caleb Landry Jones has portrayed two of the most hateable, most punchable characters I’ve seen in the past few weeks. Coming off from his recent detestable turn in Twin Peaks: The Return, Caleb is back as Barry’s brother-in-law JB. Aside from his loathsome face, the moment you see JB, you know he is just going to screw up Barry’s operations.

Similar to The Wolf of Wall Street, War Dogs, Casino and American Hustle to name a few, this type of crime rags-to-riches film with its quick pace and fast edits is also ideal to be watched at home. And to answer your most important question about the movie, yes, Tom Cruise has a running scene in this one.

Rating: 8/10

 

[sh1tehawke]

I really enjoyed this, its a lot of fun. Tom Cruise is not very Tom Cruise in it either, which is good.

 

[Guestx]

Hopefully this one will be big for Cruise. The Mummy ended up doing fine because it made a ton of money overseas, but it was not really a hit in the US. Jack Reacher 2 just kind of came and went. MI: Rogue Nation was a hit, but that's true for every MI film. And Edge of Tomorrow disappointed at the box office (though that's largely because of the massive $178 million budget).

He can still put up big numbers but we're past the days of a movie being a hit just because Cruise is in it.

 

[Thrawn33]

I liked American made a lot. Very entertaining.

In the upper tier of these criminal "rise and fall" biopics. Better than blow, not as good as wolf of Wall Street

Damn, that's quite a claim. I may have to watch now.

 

[ChillyPalmer]

I'm glad to hear the positive reviews.

I liked Cruise's mummy, because he was fucking hilarious in it. He really knows how to play an asshole.

So if he's got a bit of douche to him in this flick, it should be entertaining as hell.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Hopefully this one will be big for Cruise. The Mummy ended up doing fine because it made a ton of money overseas, but it was not really a hit in the US. Jack Reacher 2 just kind of came and went. MI: Rogue Nation was a hit, but that's true for every MI film. And Edge of Tomorrow disappointed at the box office (though that's largely because of the massive $178 million budget).

He can still put up big numbers but we're past the days of a movie being a hit just because Cruise is in it.

I don't think this will perform exceptionally well at the box office. It's not that type of movie, you know. Not saying it's a flop either. Projected for $13-15 million this weekend.

 

[TheRuthlessOne]

Why are you guys so surprised?

Tom Cruise nearly always delivers

Dude is a bonafide movie star

 

[Guestx]

I don't think this will perform exceptionally well at the box office. It's not that type of movie, you know. Not saying it's a flop either. Projected for $13-15 million this weekend.

$13 to $15 million, that's it? I was thinking more like $30 million.

The budget is $80 million so I'm assuming the studio is hoping for better than $15 fucking million opening weekend.

 

[One MMA Fan]

I don't think this will perform exceptionally well at the box office. It's not that type of movie, you know. Not saying it's a flop either. Projected for $13-15 million this weekend.

$13 to $15 million, that's it? I was thinking more like $30 million.

The budget is $80 million so I'm assuming the studio is hoping for better than $15 fucking million opening weekend.

That is what is tracking for ?

The heck.. it arrives in a dead weekend no real competition just a second week of Kingsman at around 20 mill, it has Tom Cruise, it is grounded in reality a lot more then what we get in this days.

I'm thinking 35-40 mill opening from my perspective.

Drug shows seem to be popular right now, Narcos, Ozark, etc.. it will do well.

 

[Guestx]

That is what is tracking for ?

The heck.. it arrives in a dead weekend no real competition just a second week of Kingsman at around 20 mill, it has Tom Cruise, it is grounded in reality a lot more then what we get in this days.

I'm thinking 35-40 mill opening from my perspective.

Drug shows seem to be popular right now, Narcos, Ozark, etc.. it will do well.

Yeah, if that's the projection then I'm looking for this one to smash those numbers. I just gotta believe that they fucked up in their calculations.

If not, then that's pretty damn disappointing. This has been one of my most anticipated films of the year since I saw the trailer.

 

[superpunch]

Tom Cruise is one sexy man

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

I'm thinking 35-40 mill opening from my perspective.

Nah, this probably won't even beat Kingsman on its second week.

Speaking of box office numbers, I used to host a weekly box office prediction contest in here many years ago. If I revive it, would you, @shadow_priest_x and the others be interested?

 

[Peteyandjia]

Nothing in the theaters I desperately want to see right now, but some friends want to go to the movies this weekend, so I'm going to try and steer them towards this. It's either this or IT, and I think that looks like a pile of mediocre shit.

 

[Pliny Pete]

Nothing in the theaters I desperately want to see right now, but some friends want to go to the movies this weekend, so I'm going to try and steer them towards this. It's either this or IT, and I think that looks like a pile of mediocre shit.

This movie sucked so much ass
Fucking terribleh
IT is waaaaay better
Go see IT because your friends will hate you if you make them go see this pile of horseshit

 

[Pliny Pete]

Damn this movie was retarded

"If youre wearing it, they cant take it!"

Thats the dumbest fuckin shit I ever heard in my life

 

[One MMA Fan]

Nah, this probably won't even beat Kingsman on its second week.

Speaking of box office numbers, I used to host a weekly box office prediction contest in here many years ago. If I revive it, would you, @shadow_priest_x and the others be interested?

I'm down for box office prediction see if we can get close to the real numbers if we have the 'pulse' of the market.

A tad nerdish but hey who cares I'm down for it.

 

[Spoken]

critics are loving this movie. I want to see it now

 

[Strange King]

Underrated.

The guy who loves speed racer would say that

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

The guy who loves speed racer would say that

I love Speed Racer also.