"NO!"
The duality of this film is interesting. On the one hand, it generates a dazzling rise-and-fall 'true' story of Barry Seal playing off South American druglords and the CIA to his own profit, and on the other it is clearly an acutely Hollywood-ised treatment of events, most notably with the lead casting of Tom Cruise (giving a truly effective performance that ranks amongst his best in an ideal role) as the anti-hero. The period (late 1970s/early 80s) is evoked well through attention to detail and the slightly grainy over-saturated use of colour, and the storytelling is whip-sharp through an array of on-screen techniques and brisk pacing that mirrors the snowballing situation, right down to the well-chosen soundtrack - the choice of tune that accompanies the montage when the scale of the money flooding in becomes impossibly insane will raise a smile. The story is very much of the you-couldn't-make-it-up variety with the harsh edges well and truly smoothed off, but it is told with such verve, confidence and wit that makes American Made a hugely engaging and entertaining ride.
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