Because Tom Cruise is a hit machine no matter where he goes, his 2017 film, American Made, has rocketed onto the Netflix Top 10. Directed by Doug Liman, the film centers on Barry Seal (Cruise), a TWA pilot who finds himself knee deep in CIA spooks and Columbia drug dealers in this fun actioner that slipped under the radar during its theatrical run.
With American Made finding a new audience, we thought we’d tackle the biggest question coming out of the film: Is it based on a true story? The answer: kinda. According to WBRZ out of Louisiana, American Made is “loosely based” on the life of Seal who was a well-known drug runner out of Baton Rouge. Although, according to a former WBRZ investigative reporter who knew Seal, the film offers a much more glamorous portrayal of its subject.
“There’s no physical similarity between Tom Cruise and Barry Seal,” John Camp laughingly told WBRZ. “Cruise did kind of capture the smile a little bit and maybe some of the arrogance in Barry’s personality, which is what got him killed.”
Here’s the official synopsis:
Barry Seal, a TWA pilot, is recruited by the CIA to provide reconnaissance on the burgeoning communist threat in Central America and soon finds himself in charge of one of the biggest covert CIA operations in the history of the United States. The operation spawns the birth of the Medellin cartel and almost brings down the Reagan White House.
You can watch the trailer below:
(Via WBRZ)