American Made 2017

Non spoiler thoughts (summary): Feels like Top Gun with Ozark money laundering, then got hired by Narcos and narrated by The Wolf of Wall Street. The film has this wild rise and fall energy that reminds me of The Wolf of Wall Street, mixed with the laundering and operational chaos of Ozark and the flying rush of Top Gun. More than the crime itself, I end up watching a man get pulled deeper into systems much bigger than him, all while thinking he still has control. The tone stays fast, entertaining, and deeply distrustful, which makes it feel less like a straight crime drama and more like a cautionary thrill ride about ambition, illusion, and being useful until you are not. ⚠️ Spoilers ahead. From here on, plot details are discussed. Read on if you’ve seen the film. If not, save this post and come back after. ⚠️ I thought this was just another random drug movie, but to my surprise it turns into a Medellín cartel story. The moment that connection appears I immediately thought about Pablo Escobar. I honestly missed seeing that whole world again. What stood out to me is how messy it is to operate under the CIA. They really cannot be trusted here. Everything feels like layers of lies stacked on top of each other. They run borderline illegal operations while barely coordinating with other agencies like the FBI, DEA, and ATF. Domhnall Gleeson played that role really well. He carries that manipulative government energy. The tone of the film reminded me a lot of The Wolf of Wall Street. That same thrill of success driven by illegal operations, with the main character narrating and sharing his wild ride. At the same time there are shades of Ozark because of the money laundering elements, plus some Top Gun style adrenaline during the aerial flying sequences. The mix actually works surprisingly well. Barry Seal himself feels like a pet or a mole being passed around between powerful people. Everyone is using him while he keeps thinking he is in control. It is all fun and games when he starts working under the White House, but the moment the president releases those photos everything collapses. That moment really shows how easily the government can use someone and discard them once they are no longer useful.